Baker Mayfield vs Matthew Stafford: Who Should You Start?
If you are choosing between Baker Mayfield and Matthew Stafford for your lineup, you are not alone. Baker Mayfield finished the 2025 season at 16.0 PPG for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17 games), and Matthew Stafford averaged 20.6 for the Los Angeles Rams (17 games).
That 4.6-point weekly advantage for Matthew Stafford is meaningful but not automatic. Fantasy football is a week-to-week sport, and the answer to "who should I start" often changes based on opponent, recent form, and game environment. Season averages set the baseline; weekly context makes the call.
Both lean on arm talent and offensive scheme as traditional pocket passers. Baker Mayfield threw for 3693 yards and 26 touchdowns, while Matthew Stafford posted 4707 yards and 46 scores. Volume, red zone efficiency, and game script are the key week-to-week differentiators when neither carries rushing upside.
Baker Mayfield has his bye in Week 9, and Matthew Stafford rests in Week 8. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at quarterback for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
