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Fantasy Football Impact: Sam Darnold Heads to the Locker Room Against Patriots

Sam Darnold injured his hip on the Lumen Field turf during the Seahawks' first drive against the Patriots.
Thomas Carelli|
Aug 28, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) takes the field prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Aug 28, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) takes the field prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mere minutes into the NFL season, the injury bug hit. The man bit it? Sam Darnold. The Super Bowl-winning quarterback was scrambling out of the pocket when he hit the ground face first, jamming his right knee into the turf. Drew Lock came in for the Seahawks' second offensive drive with about 8 minutes left in the first quarter.

Fantasy Football Impact

This will be updated as Sam Darnold's injury is further confirmed.

Darnold is out of the game seven minutes into the first quarter. In an update prior to halftime, the broadcast did confirm Darnold will not be returning. There was no confirmation on his injury diagnosis.

Lock will play the remainder of the game for Seattle. At initial fantasy football analysis, it means very little. In most re-draft formats, Darnold is ranked outside of the top-20 quarterbacks. It is only an issue if Darnold is out long-term when it comes to SuperFlex/2-QB fantasy leagues.

If Darnold does miss time and you must replace him, these will be the best options:

  • Daniel Jones
  • Tyler Shough
  • Baker Mayfield
  • CJ Stroud

It can be imagined that the Seahawks run the ball more with Darnold out of the game. From the time Lock entered the game until the finality of the first quarter, Seattle ran the ball on 7-of-8 offensive plays.

Lock's best PFF grade over the past five years was about a 55. In comparison, Darnold's PFF Rating was a 77 in 2025. So, yes, it is a downgrade.

The concerns are many for Darnold. There is yet to be any confirmation of his injury. It is being reported that the issue is with Darnold's hip, not his knee.

Darnold did initially wave off the trainers prior to the drive ending. He went into the medical tent prior to being sent to the locker room, generally not the greatest sign.

With Lock coming in, the Seahawks will take a slight hit in their winning chances. They began the evening favored by 3.5 points at home.

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Thomas Carelli
THOMAS CARELLI

Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.

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