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Sam Darnold

Sam Darnold

28-Year-Old QuarterbackQB
Seattle Seahawks
2024 Pass/Rush Stats
YDS
4319
TD
35
INT
12
YDS
212
TD
1
2025 Projections
YDS
TD
INT
YDS
TD
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2025 Fantasy Outlook
Darnold finally lived up to what was expected when he was drafted third overall in 2018. He set career highs across the board last season, including 35 TD passes, fifth in the league, as he finished QB9 in fantasy. Darnold’s completion percentage ranked only 16th, but that’s partly because his average target depth was 8.9 yards, fifth highest. In fact, of the 11 QBs whose aDOT topped 8.5 yards, Darnold’s 66.2 completion percentage was higher than all but Lamar Jackson's (66.7 percent). Darnold was excellent throwing deep, leading the league with a 46.7 completion percentage and nine TDs on attempts of 20-plus yards. He had an 18:2 TD:INT in Weeks 11-17, but the Vikings soured when he failed to throw a TD with the NFC North on the line Week 18 and then took nine sacks in the wild-card round. Minnesota let him leave this offseason, opting against a franchise tag and declining to make a competitive offer. Darnold quickly signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with Seattle, where his struggles under pressure -- 31st in on-target rate under pressure (42.0 percent) -- might be a problem behind a weak offensive line. Seattle’s only OL upgrade was 18th overall pick LG Grey Zabel. Another problem will be life without Justin Jefferson. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the No. 1 target after a 2024 breakout, but he caught just 15 passes when lined up out wide, where he figures to spend more time after the Seahawks traded DK Metcalf and signed Cooper Kupp. New OC Klint Kubiak worked with Darnold in San Francisco in 2023 and figures to create a better gameplan than what Geno Smith dealt with last year, but the overall situation still looks much worse than what Darnold had in Minnesota last year. Read Past Outlooks
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RANKS
#165.73
ADP
#Subscriber-Only
Overall
#Subscriber-Only
Quarterback
Bye Week 8
Height 6'3"
Weight 225
DOB 6/5/1997
College USC
Drafted 1st Rd 2018 #3 Overall
Signed a three-year contract with the Seahawks in March of 2025.
Starting QB heading into camp
QBSeattle Seahawks
July 23, 2025
Darnold will take the first-team quarterback reps when training camp starts Wednesday, and there isn't a quarterback competition with rookie third-round pick Jalen Milroe, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
This sentiment has been echoed by multiple Seahawks beat writers as well as head coach Mike McDonald. Milroe is an intriguing prospect with massive upside, specifically with his running ability and arm strength, but his accuracy remains a significant question mark and will need time to develop. Regardless, Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with $55 million guaranteed this offseason after revitalizing his career with the Vikings in 2024, throwing for 4,319 yards (7.9 YPA), 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Darnold enjoyed throwing behind one of the league's best offensive lines last season, but there are serious question marks about Seattle's young offensive line. Furthermore, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and an aging Cooper Kupp don't provide the same explosiveness as Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, making this a true prove-it year. Still, Darnold's production was so strong last season that he could live up to his contract expectations even if he regresses a bit.
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NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do Sam Darnold's 2024 advanced stats compare to other quarterbacks?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
  • Bad Pass %
    The percentage of passes that were considered to be poorly thrown.
  • Avg Target Depth
    The average number of yards thrown per pass by the quarterback – including incomplete passes.
  • Sack Rate
    The percentage of dropbacks where the quartback was sacked. The longer the bar below, the more often they are sacked relative to other QBs.
  • Avg Receiver YAC
    The average number of yards after the catch that receivers gained on passes thrown by this quarterback.
  • Receiver Drop %
    The percentage of passes dropped by receivers on passes thrown by this quarterback. The longer the bar, the more sure-handed his receivers have been.
Bad Pass %
16.7%
 
Avg Target Depth
9.4 Yds
 
Sack Rate
8.1%
 
Avg Receiver YAC
5.1 Yds
 
Receiver Drop %
3.3%
 
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2024 NFL Game Log
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Seattle SeahawksSeahawks 2024 QB Snap Distribution
See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
G.Geno Smith
S.Sam Howell
#% of Team Snaps
100497%
252%
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#1 QB
Seattle SeahawksSeahawks
  1. Sam Darnold
  2. Jalen Milroe
  3. Drew Lock
2024 Sam Darnold Split Stats
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Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do Sam Darnold's measurables compare to other quarterbacks?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 3"
 
Weight
225 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.85 sec
 
Shuttle Time
4.40 sec
 
Cone Drill
6.96 sec
 
Vertical Jump
26.5 in
 
Broad Jump
105 in
 
Hand Length
9.38 in
 
Arm Length
31.00 in
 
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Darnold signed a one-year deal with the Vikings shortly after Kirk Cousins jumped ship for Atlanta. J.J. McCarthy is Minnesota's QB of the future, but the rookie's season-ending meniscus surgery in August leaves Darnold unchallenged atop the depth chart. Darnold spent last season as the backup to Brock Purdy in San Francisco, where he started one game and finished the season with an unimpressive 6.5 YPA and 60.9 completion percentage -- pretty much in line with his career averages. Darnold at least has excellent weapons to target in wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson, though the latter is coming back from a late-season ACL tear. Free-agent RB Aaron Jones should also help the passing game, but his presence may encourage coach Kevin O'Connell to run the ball more often this season after ranking third in pass percentage last year (63.3). Darnold has never been skilled at throwing deep, and the Vikings gained just 42.8 percent of their passing yards after the catch last season, the lowest rate in the league. Darnold won't add more than 15-20 yards per game on the ground, potentially limiting his fantasy value to two-QB leagues even if Jefferson and Addison help him put up better-than-usual passing numbers.
Darnold started the final six games for the Panthers last season after first losing the starting job to Baker Mayfield in training camp and then suffering an ankle injury that kept him out two months. While he threw only three interceptions, he wasn’t accurate. His 65.0 on-target percentage ranked 38th of 40 QBs with at least 140 attempts, and his 58.6 completion percentage was 36th. He signed a one-year deal with the 49ers this offseason to compete with Trey Lance while Brock Purdy recovers from elbow surgery. Should Darnold get snaps, he’ll have more talent around him than he’s ever had before in his career. He can at least dump the ball off and let the 49ers’ playmakers gobble up yards after the catch, as they did last year when they led the league with 6.6 YAC per reception. Darnold is also a capable scrambler, good for about 15-20 yards per game, potentially giving him value in two-QB leagues if he ends up making starts for a loaded Niners team.
The hope was that a change of scenery would do Darnold some good, but his play in Carolina last season mirrored his play in New York. In 12 games with the Panthers, his numbers were virtually the same as in 12 games the year before with the Jets. Darnold's completion rate, on- target rate and YPA were each bottom 4 in the league, while his 3.2 percent INT rate was third highest. On downfield attempts, he ranked 28th in on-target rate (40.5 percent) and last in YPA (8.3). The Panthers made no secret of their desire to upgrade the position, drafting Matt Corral in the third round and later trading for Baker Mayfield. The team still gave Darnold a shot this summer, but Mayfield ultimately won the job battle and was named the Week 1 starter before the third preseason game.
Darnold put the final nail in his Jets coffin last year with a season that was among the worst in the league for QBs. His completion percentage (59.6) and on-target percentage (67.0) both placed third lowest in the league, and his 6.1 YPA was fourth lowest. In 12 games, Darnold topped 200 yards passing just four times, and he was one of four qualified QBs with more INTs than TD passes. On attempts of 20-plus yards, Darnold's 34.2 percent on-target rate ranked last. The list goes on (and on). No surprise, the Jets' new regime cleaned house, sending Darnold to Carolina. The Panthers still see enough in Darnold that they gave up second-, fourth- and sixth-round draft picks to acquire him and picked up his fifth-year option. Darnold has a strong arm, good mobility and can thrown on the run, and perhaps the issues holding him back — namely, poor decision-making and pocket presence — can be overcome with a better coaching staff and a better supporting cast than he ever had in New York. Head coach Matt Rhule and OC Joe Brady's offense should play to Darnold's strengths, using boots and play-action to get him on the move. Christian McCaffrey, DJ Moore and former Jets teammate Robby Anderson give Darnold three big-play targets, and the team signed TE Dan Arnold in March. Plus, there's much less pressure on Darnold in Carolina than there was in the media spotlight of New York, where he was heralded as the franchise savior after being drafted third overall in 2018. In two-QB leagues, Darnold looks like a decent gamble.
It might not be make-or-break, but Darnold enters his third NFL season with big expectations. The Jets are counting on his second year in coach Adam Gase's offense going more smoothly than last year when an early season bout with mononucleosis cost him three games. It took Darnold some time to get on track once he returned as he threw nine interceptions (to five TDs) in his first four games back. But in the second half of the season he made great strides, throwing 13 touchdowns and four interceptions and increasing his YPA by more than a yard (7.3 vs. 6.2) over the first half as the Jets went 6-2. If Darnold is to take the next step, though, he has to improve his deep-ball accuracy. Last season, he completed only 25.0 percent of his attempts longer than 20 yards, 29th of 32 qualified QBs. His 9.2 YPA on those throws was 26th. He also was ineffective on play action, ranking 29th in YPA, 31st in completion percentage and last in passer rating. Perhaps he'll get more time behind a rebuilt offensive line after taking 33 sacks in 13 games last year. The Jets signed three linemen and drafted 6-7, 364-pound LT Mekhi Becton 11th overall. Darnold, whose fantasy upside is capped by a lack of rushing, lost field-stretcher Robby Anderson in free agency, but the Jets signed Breshad Perriman and drafted WR Denzel Mims, who boasts both size (6-3) and speed (4.38 40). With the exception of Kyler Murray, the 23-year-old Darnold is still younger than every projected starting quarterback this season, including No. 1 pick Joe Burrow. Even so, with the division as wide open as it's been in years, it's go time for Darnold.
Picked third overall in last year's draft, Darnold walked into an ugly situation with the Jets and created legitimate cause for optimism by year's end. His final stat line was not much to look at, and he only won four of his 13 starts, but a strong connection with deep-threat Robby Anderson sparked an impressive three-week stretch in December. The Jets also got a surprisingly effective season from rookie tight end Chris Herndon, then in the offseason spent big money on running back Le'Veon Bell and slot receiver Jamison Crowder. With Anderson and Quincy Enunwa also returning, Darnold has a much better situation for his second NFL campaign. The offensive line is somewhat less encouraging, but a trade for guard Kelechi Osemele at least provides hope for modest improvement. Better blocking would go a long way, considering Darnold lived up to his aggressive reputation by ranking 11th in average depth of target (9.0) as a rookie. He's no dink-and-dunk game manager, but while he has the ability to move around and throw his receivers open, Darnold doesn't possess the type of elusiveness that would allow him to thrive as a downfield passer behind a shaky line. Of course, he may be forced into safe, high-percentage throws under new coach Adam Gase, who favored the short passing game in Miami.
Darnold was viewed as a candidate for the No. 1 overall selection in April's draft, but when he fell to the third spot, the Jets were happy to scoop him up with the hope that he might emerge as a franchise savior. Though the Jets re-signed their primary starter from 2017 (Josh McCown) and brought in another accomplished signal-caller in free agency in Teddy Bridgewater, Darnold was given the opportunity to compete for the top job in training camp and quickly made a positive impression in practices and exhibition play. The Jets have yet to officially announce their plans for Week 1, but the team's decision to trade Bridgewater to the Saints on Aug. 29 likely opens the door for Darnold to begin the season as the team's starter. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Darnold brings ideal size to the position along with a strong arm and good mobility. He can improvise to extend plays and throw accurately on the run, but the knock on him is two-fold: his windup delivery and ball security. Some scouts believe Darnold probably has enough velocity to overcome the extra release time caused by the delivery, but he'll need to improve his decision making to address the latter concern. During his final year at USC, Darnold was responsible for 22 turnovers, including nine lost fumbles.
More Fantasy News
Signing with Seattle
QBSeattle Seahawks
March 10, 2025
Darnold and the Seahawks reached an agreement Monday on a three-year contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
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Target for Seattle?
QBMinnesota Vikings
March 7, 2025
Darnold is a logical free-agent target for Seattle after the Seahawks traded Geno Smith to Las Vegas on Friday, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports.
ANALYSIS
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Not being franchise tagged
QBMinnesota Vikings
March 4, 2025
The Vikings will not franchise tag Darnold by Tuesday's deadline, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
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Unlikely to get franchise tag
QBMinnesota Vikings
March 3, 2025
The Vikings aren't expected to place a franchise tag on Darnold, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
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Wanted in New York and Vegas
QBMinnesota Vikings
March 3, 2025
The Giants and Raiders are believed to have the most interest in Darnold, but the Titans and Steelers may also vie for his services, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Strong finish in OTAs
QBSeattle Seahawks
June 7, 2025
Darnold had up-and-down performances in OTAs, but Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic relays that the 27-year-old signal caller finished the week strong.
ANALYSIS
Darnold threw four interceptions during 7-on-7 drills and was pushed by the Seahawks' defense over the first couple of days of OTAs. However, Dugar notes that the veteran quarterback steadily improved with each passing day as he settled into offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's system, and he demonstrated chemistry with the likes of Cooper Kupp and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks in March after a disappointing end to the 2024 campaign with the Vikings, when he completed just 53.1 percent of his passes for 411 yards, one touchdown and one interception over the final two games of the season -- including Minnesota's loss to the Rams in the wild-card round.
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