Conference Championship NFL DFS Debate: Matthew Stafford vs. Drake Maye

With only two games on the slate, DFS players face a pivotal decision at quarterback—Matthew Stafford’s proven playoff ceiling or Drake Maye’s explosive dual-threat upside in the Conference Championship round.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) passes the ball in the fourth quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

There are just two weeks left in the NFL season, and that means we have reached the Conference Championship Round. All that's left for fantasy owners are DFS tournaments, and with just two games being played, options are limited. Especially at quarterback. There are two quarterbacks this week who are clearly the top options, and it's the same two guys who will be battling it out for the NFL MVP next week. Fantasy owners will be debating between starting Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye all week, but which one should you go with?

QB Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) looks downfield against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half at SoFi Stadium. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Case For Matthew Stafford

Stafford is considered by most to be the favorite to win the MVP this season. He is having a great season, and one of the games that helped him have a great season happened in Seattle, where he will be playing again this weekend. When Stafford faced the Seattle Seahawks on their home field back in Week 16, he threw for 457 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions to total 33.9 fantasy points on DraftKings in a 38 - 37 loss for the Rams. Despite how well the Seahawks have been playing against the San Francisco 49ers the past few weeks, we have evidence that this could become a shootout. He also has the superior weapons with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, something that the Seahawks could struggle to deal with. 

The Case Against Matthew Stafford

Stafford has the tougher matchup against the Seahawks, who DraftKings has ranked as the seventh-toughest opponent for quarterbacks. His DraftKings price is also higher at $6,300. When it comes to these two quarterbacks, what holds Stafford's upside back on any given week is his lack of rushing ability. That is not something you'll get from Stafford, which always caps his upside. 

QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws in the third quarter against the Houston Texans in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Case For Drake Maye

Maye is the younger and more dynamic quarterback. He comes at a lower price on DraftKings at $6,000 and has the better matchup against the Denver Broncos, who DraftKings has as the 12th-toughest matchup for quarterbacks. His huge arm and rushing upside give him a higher ceiling, which is something DFS owners target. If you're shooting for the highest potential upside this week, this is your guy. 

The Case Against Drake Maye

Maye has taken a bit of a step back in the playoffs in brutal matchups against the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans. This is another tough matchup on par with the others. However, it's the game script that really scares us. With Jarrett Stidham under center for the Broncos, it is extremely unlikely that this game ends up being a high-scoring shootout. Stefon Diggs and Hunter Henry also aren't on the same level as a duo like Nacua and Adams. This is going to be a hard-fought, low-scoring game. 

Matthew Stafford vs. Drake Maye Verdict

We are going with Stafford here because of the matchup. There is evidence that the Rams could very well end up in a shootout. It would shock us if that were the case for the Patriots. New England made Justin Herbert and CJ Stroud look terrible in their first two playoff games. Granted, neither of those quarterbacks is particularly good, especially in big games, but they are both significantly better than Stidham.