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FantasyPros Articles fantasy football takes on Sam Darnold

Every source-backed article insight STACKED has extracted from FantasyPros Articles about Sam Darnold.

66
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Positive
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Insight ledger

All FantasyPros Articles insights about Sam Darnold

NegativeProjectionSep 8, 2026
Sam Darnold is a fade for Week 1 despite a wonderful 2025 season from a real-life football perspective. His efficiency metrics (second in yards per attempt, seventh in success rate, first in highly accurate throw rate, fourth in hero throw rate among 38 qualifying passers) didn't translate to fantasy production in Seattle's run-centric offense; he finished as QB22 in fantasy points per game with only seven weekly QB1 finishes and eight finishes as QB24 or lower. Against New England's strong pass defense that returns most of its backbone (tenth-fewest yards per attempt, 12th-lowest passing success rate, 14th-fewest fantasy points via passing), Darnold is tough to consider as anything more than a mid-range QB2 for Week 1.
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PositiveValueSep 3, 2026
Darnold is going at ADP 183 (QB24) and is described as 'by far the most appealing quarterback in this range.' He has posted QB9 and QB13 finishes over the past two seasons with 60 touchdown passes and 8.2 yards per pass attempt average, topping 4,000 yards in each of the last two seasons despite averaging just over 30 pass attempts per game. He could have spike weeks where he is a top-12 option at the position. Concerns include Seattle's run-heavy offense (third-highest in NFL) and the loss of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, but Darnold gets Brian Fleury from the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree and returns his entire receiving corps led by Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
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PositiveProjectionAug 22, 2026
Darnold has put together two splendid seasons culminating in a Super Bowl victory with Seattle after seven seasons to find his footing as an NFL starter. Over the last two regular seasons, he completed 66.9% of his throws, averaged 8.2 yards per attempt, with 60 TD passes, 26 interceptions, and a passer rating of 100.9, finishing QB9 and QB13 in fantasy scoring. However, Darnold averaged only 28.1 pass attempts per game last season as Seattle ran the ball at the third-highest rate in the league. With new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury replacing Klint Kubiak, it's possible Seattle throws at a higher rate in 2026, which could boost Darnold's passing numbers.
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PositiveValueAug 20, 2026
In shallow leagues (8-10 teams), elite quarterbacks like Sam Darnold should be prioritized earlier in drafts than standard advice suggests. The source notes that in shallow formats, managers are unlikely to 'wait' on elite QB options and feel comfortable starting Darnold, since every team will be fielding elite options at the position. This contrasts with standard-league advice to wait on QB, making Darnold a target for early-round consideration in shallow formats.
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