Seahawks Rule Out Sam Darnold for Week 2, Drew Lock Draws the Start
A glute tendon injury sidelines Darnold in Arizona, handing Drew Lock the keys after the QB posted 4,048 yards and 25 TDs in 2025.
Streaming a QB with no 2025 production is a hard pass in most formats.
- Darnold ruled out for Week 2 vs. Cardinals
- Drew Lock starts Sunday in Arizona
- Darnold: 4048 yds, 25 TD, 0 INT in 2025 (17 games)
- Seahawks not placing Darnold on IR
- Lock logged 0 PPR points across 5 games in 2025
Sam Darnold won't suit up in Week 2. Head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed Wednesday that the Seahawks quarterback has been ruled out for Sunday's trip to Arizona, with Drew Lock stepping in to start against the Cardinals.
Darnold exited last Wednesday's loss to the Patriots in the first half with what was initially labeled a hip issue before being reclassified as a glute tendon injury. There had been chatter about a month-plus absence, but Macdonald pushed back on the worst-case scenario — the team isn't planning to place Darnold on injured reserve, suggesting they expect him back sooner than the early rumors implied.
For context on what Seattle is losing, Darnold finished 2025 as our No. 13 quarterback (No. 28 overall) with 269 PPR points across 17 games — 4,048 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and, remarkably, zero interceptions, plus 95 rushing yards. That's a QB1-adjacent floor in most leagues, and his form was steady enough that his last five games came in just 2.6 fantasy points below his season average.
The Backup Situation
Macdonald also indicated the Seahawks won't bring in another arm while Darnold recovers, sticking with Lock and Jalen Milroe on the depth chart. Lock gets the nod, and the numbers behind him are thin: he managed a grand total of 15 passing yards and 0 PPR points across five appearances in 2025. Milroe, the change-of-pace option, sits at -2 PPR points from his three games last year.
Fantasy Fallout
If you rostered Darnold, this is a hold, not a panic-drop — no IR designation is the tell here, and burning a QB1 who racked up 269 PPR points over a short-term glute issue would be a mistake. Grab a cheap streamer for a week or two and stash Darnold if your bench allows.
As for Lock himself, leave him where he belongs: on waivers. A quarterback with zero fantasy production last season starting one road game against Arizona isn't a play in standard formats. The names worth monitoring are Seattle's pass-catchers, whose target quality and efficiency almost certainly take a step back until Darnold is cleared. Sit Lock, watch the skill players, and keep Darnold on your roster.
