Who Should I Start? Marcus Mariota or Brady Cook

Saturday, December 20, 7:05 PM

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (hand) exited during the third quarter of Saturday's Week 16 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. He was evaluated for a concussion and was cleared. However, he is still listed as questionable to return because of a hand injury. Josh Johnson will take over as the Commanders' quarterback until he can return. At the time of his departure, Mariota had gone 7-for-14 passing with 95 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and zero turnovers. Washington continues to deal with numerous injuries on both sides of the ball, and Mariota is just the latest example. The veteran quarterback only earned the start on Sunday because Jayden Daniels (shoulder) was ruled out for the second consecutive week.

Saturday, December 20, 10:12 AM

New York Jets quarterback Brady Cook will get another chance to prove he's the solution under center in this Sunday's road matchup with the New Orleans Saints. Cook took the field for his first start in Week 15's 48-20 loss to the Jaguars. While the outcome and stat line aren't anything to write home about, the 24-year-old showed at least a little capability in moving the offense, leaving a trace of hope that New York's skill players may still hold a bit of fantasy value down the stretch. New Orleans' defense has, on paper, been decent against quarterbacks, allowing the sixth-fewest passing yards per game (180.6). However, some of that might be in part to a front seven that's vulnerable to the rush (130.6 YPG [seventh-most]). If the rookie can contribute on the ground weekly, he may boast some streaming appeal in superflex formats over the season's final few weeks. That said, fantasy managers will want to look elsewhere for another game as he continues to grow accustomed to life in the NFL. Cook is RotoBaller's QB29 for Week 16's outing.