Why Seahawks QB Sam Darnold is one of the NFL's biggest sleepers for Week 9

For Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, the 2025 season is about proving a point.

Darnold, 28, had a career season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, completing 66.2 percent of his passes for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions to earn his first Pro Bowl selection. Despite that, many claimed that he hadn't truly broken out after all these years, but that it was just a fluke and he would regress back to the mean. Heck, even the Vikings decided to let him go to free agency instead of re-sign him.

That decision turned out to be a blessing for the Seahawks. In his first season in the Emerald City, Darnold is playing just as well as he did last year, as he's completed 68.2 percent of his passes for 1,754 yards, 12 touchdowns and only four interceptions.

He's already formed a dangerous connection with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who leads the league in receiving yards, and has been remarkably efficient throwing the ball.

Oct 5, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) takes the field prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

As the Seahawks come out of their bye week to face the struggling Washington Commanders on "Sunday Night Football," Bleacher Report's Moe Moton believes Darnold has a chance to make another statement. Moton named Darnold to his list of the biggest Fantasy Football sleepers of Week 9, predicting another big game for the resurgent quarterback.

"Coming off a bye week, Sam Darnold faces the Washington Commanders' reeling pass defense, which allowed 236 or more yards to opposing quarterbacks in each of the last three weeks," Moton wrote.

"Those signal-callers, Caleb Williams, Dak Prescott and Patrick Mahomes, all finished top-10 in fantasy scoring among quarterbacks in weeks against the Washington unit. The Commanders allow the sixth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks. With an extra week to prepare for this contest, Darnold will be ready to carve up one of the league's worst pass defenses.

"Primary slot receiver Cooper Kupp and Jaxon Smith-Njigba could take advantage of a matchup with cornerback Mike Sainristil, who's struggling in coverage, allowing a 103.1 passer rating. Darnold leads the league in yards per completion (13.4) and averages nearly two touchdown passes per game. Don't be surprised if he throws for 250-plus yards and a couple of touchdowns Sunday night."

The Commanders rank 26th in passing yards allowed (244 per game), and their secondary seems ill-equipped to take on a white-hot Smith-Njigba. If Darnold can exploit that weakness, then he should have another big game.

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