Two players, one answer.
Austin Ekeler vs Sam Darnold
Any league · Week 8 start/sit · PPR
Stats through week 7 of 2026
This week
Start Sam Darnold · 16.3 to 5.7 projected (Week 8, PPR)
Rest of season
About even (redraft PPR)Dynasty
Sam Darnold by 84% (Dynasty Superflex)
Week 8 · PPR · 86% held up in 2025
Start Sam Darnold
On Sleeper's projections, Sam Darnold is projected 10.6 points ahead of Austin Ekeler. In the 2025 season, a player projected that far ahead outscored the other 86% of the time.
QB · SEA
Sam Darnold
16.3 projected
vs CHI · Mon 8:15 PM ET
13.8 a game this season · last 3: 10.3, 13, 15
RB · WAS
Austin Ekeler
5.7 projected
vs PHI · Sun 8:20 PM ET
3.4 a game this season · last 3: 5, 2.4, 2.7
What the call rests on
- Sam Darnold: Sleeper's projection, last changed Wed, Oct 28, 4:40 AM ET
- Austin Ekeler: Sleeper's projection, last changed Wed, Oct 28, 4:40 AM ET
- Sleeper's projections read Wed, Oct 28, 4:45 AM ET.
- Injury statuses read Wed, Oct 28, 4:45 AM ET, with the projections (hourly). A fresh projection time doesn't mean every status is: game-day inactives, about 90 minutes before kickoff, can come after it.
| Same projections, scored | Darnold | Ekeler |
|---|---|---|
| PPR | 16.3 | 5.7 |
| Half PPR | 16.3 | 5.3 |
| Standard | 16.3 | 4.8 |
What could change it before kickoff
- Austin Ekeler plays first (Sun 8:20 PM ET); once his game starts most platforms lock him in or out, before Sam Darnold's late news is known.
Open in Who should I start (your league, more players)
This week’s projections are Sleeper’s, scored with PPR settings. The percentage is how often a projected gap like this held up across the 2025 season; checked against 2026 games (not used to fit it), the stated chances so far run a few points high, so read a 60% call as nearer 55%.