Who Should I Start? Aaron Rodgers or Marcus Mariota

Wednesday, October 22, 12:17 PM

Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers' first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers has gone so well that the team "could rethink its 2026 quarterback plans," according to ESPN's Dan Graziano. The Steelers are definitely going to scour the draft market for a QB of the future for next year and are already doing so. Still, Graziano writes that if you ask people with the Steelers whether they'd consider bringing Rodgers back in 2026, "the answer would be a resounding yes." The future Hall of Famer has "maintained his elite ability to throw the football" and is moving much better than he did in New York with the Jets last year. Rodgers is now healthy and a full two years removed from tearing his left Achilles in 2023, and it's showing. The 41-year-old hasn't been an elite QB1 for fantasy, but he's coming off a four-touchdown performance in Week 7 against the Bengals and has a 14:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio in six games as he enters a Week 8 revenge game against his former team, the Green Bay Packers.

Wednesday, October 22, 2:32 PM

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota will make his third start of the season on Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect much production in a difficult matchup. Mariota has been serviceable in his limited action, completing 64.6% of his passes with a 3:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, while adding some mobility outside the pocket. However, he now faces a Chiefs defense that ranks among the league's best, allowing the fifth-fewest yards per game and just 17.7 points per contest, good for third in the NFL. To make matters worse, Mariota could once again be operating without two of his top pass-catchers as Deebo Samuel (heel) and Terry McLaurin (quad) both remain questionable. With limited weapons and a brutal defensive matchup, Mariota lacks fantasy upside and should remain on the waiver wire in all formats outside of deep superflex leagues.