Who Should I Start? Marcus Mariota or Bryce Young

Monday, September 29, 12:07 PM

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota got going late in the 34-27 loss to his former team, the Atlanta Falcons, in Week 4, in what could be his final start with Jayden Daniels targeting a return from his knee sprain in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Mariota finished Sunday's loss by going 16-for-27 passing for 156 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He added two carries for 20 yards and was sacked twice for a loss of nine yards. The 31-year-old veteran's touchdown passes went to receivers Luke McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel Sr. In two games in place of the injured Daniels, Mariota has been decent, completing 64.6% of his 48 pass attempts for 363 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. It's not a lock that Daniels will play in Week 5, but if Mariota makes a third straight start, he'll be a low-end QB2 play against a tough Chargers defense on the road.

Saturday, October 11, 8:56 PM

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has shown signs of growth in his third season in the National Football League. While he hasn't been consistent, he's still had some favorable outings for fantasy managers. The signal-caller most recently threw for 198 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception off 19-for-30 passing in the Week 5 win over the Miami Dolphins. Although things could have gone better in that one, it's safe to say Young could have played much worse based on his volatile track record. Truth be told, he at least did enough to keep his team competitive in Week 5, with Rico Dowdle handling the rest by amassing 206 yards and one touchdown on the ground. With that in mind, Young has work to do before earning the trust of fantasy managers. However, with injuries at the quarterback position and a few teams getting the week off, the 24-year-old can realistically occupy a spot in Superflex lineups versus a weak Cowboys defense, assuming managers are comfortable taking a gamble.