Who Should I Start? Graham Mertz or Athan Kaliakmanis


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Graham Mertz News

Graham Mertz Shines in Preseason Start

Monday, August 25, 6:32 AM

Houston Texans quarterback Graham Mertz got the start in the team's preseason finale in Detroit on Sunday, and the sixth-round rookie had a very strong showing while leading his team to a 26-7 win over the Lions. With starter C.J. Stroud and primary backup Davis Mills getting the day off, Mertz completed 14 of his 16 pass attempts for an efficient 145 passing yards. He threw a touchdown to Quintez Cephus and led three scoring drives before halftime. He also added 20 rushing yards on two carries. Mertz played ahead of Kedon Slovis, who was on the Texans' practice squad last year and took over for the second half of Saturday's win. Mertz likely secured the third spot on the quarterback depth chart with his strong showing, while Slovis could be headed back to the practice squad.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Athan Kaliakmanis News

Commanders Take Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis with Pick No. 223

Saturday, April 25, 2:34 PM

The Washington Commanders have selected Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis with the 223rd overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Kaliakmanis spent two years at Rutgers after two seasons with Minnesota, and he showed improvement year over year. He completed more than 60% of his passes for the first time in 2025, setting career highs in passing yards and touchdowns. Kaliakmanis has NFL size at 6'2" and 216 pounds, and his improved processing could help him stick on the Commanders roster as a third quarterback behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota.


Graham Mertz vs. Athan Kaliakmanis

Still trying to decide between Mertz and Kaliakmanis? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Graham Mertz is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Athan Kaliakmanis is projected to score 0.0 points.