Sam Darnold headshot

QB · SEA · #14

Sam Darnold

Height
HT 6'3"
Weight
WT 225 lbs
Birth date
Jun 5, 1997 (age 29.4)
College
USC

Through 4 games the rank is QB27, off a QB14 season. Wait for more games before calling it a decline.

Traded from NYJ to CAR (Apr 5, 2021).

Dynasty Value Score (DVS)

3,785

Range 3,469–4,083

Based on 2025 production and our 2026 projection In-season usage moved the score inside this range.

Proven QB in his prime — production and runway both hold.

DVS is our model view, scored on Engine-default half-PPR — not a guaranteed price in your league. Bye weeks and schedule strength are left out on purpose.

2026 total FP

49.8 pts

12.5 PPG

755 pass yds · 7 pass TD · 16 rush yds

Week 6 projection

13.5 pts

@ DEN · floor–ceiling 6.6–20.7

Dynasty Value Score over time

3,5003,6003,7003,8003,900Preseason 2026: 3,783Preseason 20262026 W1: 3,7572026 W12026 W2: 3,7572026 W22026 W3: 3,5882026 W32026 W4: 3,7842026 W42026 W5: 3,7852026 W5

History starts Preseason 2026.

Player quality

Why this DVS moved off a raw projection.

  • Durability ×0.98

    One recent short season (games missed). Production already saw the missed games — this is forward risk only.

  • Process ×0.99

    Process residual (not a second production percentile).

  • Org environment ×0.99

    Team pass/rush volume vs league — scheme residual, not a second projection.

Quick answer

Watch

Darnold threw for 755 yards and 7 TDs in 2026, ranking QB27 through 4 games. Darnold won Super Bowl LX with Seattle in the 2025 season, but fantasy value slipped as Seattle shifted him into a game-manager role after Week 10 and leaned on defense and the run. 2026 still looks like a starter, not a stash. Treat this as a watch, not a hold-forever — confirm the dip is real before adding more exposure.

NextDyne coverage

Dynasty notes from our blog that mention Sam Darnold.

2026 fantasy highlights

Half-PPR points

49.8

PPG

12.5

Rank so far

QB27

Key stats

  • Pass yds: 755 (QB27)
  • Pass TD: 7 (QB16)

2026 week shape

1/4 Boom 25%

1/4 Bust 25%

Boom is 20+ half-PPR. Bust is under 5.

Career (Half-PPR)

SeasonFinishHalf-PPR FPPPGPass ydPass TDRush ydRush TDRecRec ydRec TD
2026QB27so far49.812.5755716————
2025QB14235.413.840482595————
2024QB9308.018.14319352121———
2023QB5423.42.32972151———
2022QB3586.314.4114371062———
2021QB28157.313.1252792225———
2020QB32134.011.2220892172———
2019QB27189.214.6302419622———
2018QB27168.112.92865171351———

Career arc

01002003004002018: 168.1 Half-PPR16820182019: 189.2 Half-PPR18920192020: 134.0 Half-PPR13420202021: 157.3 Half-PPR15720212022: 86.3 Half-PPR8620222023: 23.4 Half-PPR2320232024: 308.0 Half-PPR30820242025: 235.4 Half-PPR23520252026: 49.8 Half-PPR5020262026 projection: 246.7 Half-PPR2472026*

Dashed bar is the 2026 Engine projection, not a completed season.

Recent games (2026)

WeekHalf-PPR FPOppScriptPassRushRec
2026 W58.3SF55 plays · 53% pass195 / 1 TD50
2026 W413.3LAC55 plays · 40% pass168 / 2 TD60
2026 W327.7BoomWAS64 plays · 72% pass379 / 4 TD50
2026 W10.5BustNE46 plays · 52% pass1300

Weekly Half-PPR

Boom 20+Bust under 5
5101520253012345Week

Hover a week for the total.

Week 5 Engine grade

Projected 16.1 · scored 8.3 half-PPR · inside the floor–ceiling band. Miss +7.8.

League-wide accuracy table

Those opponents

Pass yards they allowed per game in 2026, vs league. Plus is easier.

  • SF
    -10% · 211 pass yards
  • LAC
    -13% · 205 pass yards
  • WAS
    +15% · 269 pass yards
  • NE
    -5% · 223 pass yards

Usage and availability

Snap share

2025 offense · 96.2% mean

255075100W1W18

pass-attempt share

25507510012345Week

Hover a week for the share.

Pass-play participation

99.5%

2025· share of the team’s dropback plays this player was on the field for. Presence, not a charted route rate.

Advanced (2025)

Pressure rate
21.0%
On-target throw %
79.8%
Avg time in pocket
2.4s

Durability

  • 2024
    17 G
  • 2025
    17 G
  • 2026
    4 G · 1 Out
  • 16.5 projected games — recent completed seasons at a full slate.

R1 (3 overall) QB · that slot hit at 39.5% in 2010–2023 classes (n=43; contributor 62.8%). Window is the first three NFL seasons.

Next Gen Stats

2026 season to date · Next Gen Stats · ranks among NGS sample Full table

Time to throw
3.27s

37th of 38

Aggressiveness
21.7%

3rd of 38

CPOE
6.1pp

6th of 38

Air yds to sticks
-2.0yd

28th of 38

Historical comps

Similar age, draft capital, and role — context for outcome bands, not a second DVS.

FAQ

What is Sam Darnold's dynasty value on NextDyne?
Darnold scores 3,785 out of 10,000. The score blends 2025 production with our 2026 projection. Superflex and TE Premium shift the rankings; the trade calculator shows how.
What is Sam Darnold's 2026 Engine Projection?
We project 14.5 half-PPR points per game for 2026. That rate feeds Value Score — multiply by games and your league’s scoring if you want a season total.
How are season fantasy points calculated on this page?
Season totals and the recent game log use Half-PPR so every public profile matches our Engine board. A boom week is 20+ half-PPR; a bust is under 5. Your league’s scoring shows up inside the app.
Should I trade for Sam Darnold in dynasty right now?
Treat this as a watch, not a hold-forever — confirm the dip is real before adding more exposure. Run the actual numbers on the dynasty trade calculator before you commit — stance is a starting point, not a price.