Who Should I Start? Marcus Mariota or Bryce Young

Thursday, August 21, 10:15 PM

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (Achilles) is currently battling Achilles tendinitis, but the veteran expects to be ready to go for Week 1. Mariota is entering his second season as the backup to Jayden Daniels in Washington. The 31-year-old is one of the most experienced backup quarterbacks in the NFL with 74 career starts under his belt, although just 13 of those have come in the past five seasons. If Daniels were to get injured, Mariota's rushing ability (2,156 career rushing yards) would give him some fantasy appeal.

Monday, September 15, 12:54 AM

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed 35 of 55 pass attempts for 328 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception during Sunday's Week 2 contest against the Arizona Cardinals. He also took three sacks in the loss. While Young and the whole Panthers offense were slow to get going, they showed real signs of life in the fourth quarter and nearly pulled off an improbable comeback. The former No. 1 pick's three touchdowns are a testament to his ability to lead pass-heavy scoring drives and keep the Panthers competitive even when playing from behind. Both of these skills will serve him well going forward, as sportsbooks continue to set the Panthers as underdogs, indicating that Young will need to continue throwing the ball often and with success. Next week, he'll face the Atlanta Falcons, who dismantled J.J. McCarthy this week but allowed Baker Mayfield to throw for three touchdowns in Week 1. Young should rank as a mid-range QB2 heading into the divisional battle.