Who Should I Start? Marcus Mariota or Deshaun Watson


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

Marcus Mariota News

Marcus Mariota Remains an Injury Away from Playing Time in Washington

Friday, March 27, 11:07 AM

Across 11 games (eight starts) in 2025, Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota completed 65.2% of his pass attempts for 1,695 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The 32-year-old also remained a productive player with his legs, rushing for 297 yards and a touchdown on 50 attempts. Mariota was forced into more playing time than Washington would have liked in 2025, as star quarterback Jayden Daniels played in just seven games due to knee, hamstring, and elbow injuries. Still, Mariota profiles as one of the better backup quarterback options in the NFL, and the Commanders re-signed him to a one-year deal for the 2026 season in early March. When Mariota gets a chance to play, his dual-threat ability makes him a quality streaming option for fantasy managers, especially in two-quarterback formats. Given Daniels' durability question marks, Mariota should at least be on the radar of deep-league managers entering 2026.


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

Deshaun Watson News

Deshaun Watson Medically Cleared for QB Competition

Tuesday, April 7, 6:03 PM

The Athletic's Zac Jackson said that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (Achilles), who hasn't played since October of 2024 due to a twice-torn right Achilles tendon, has "been medically cleared for competition." The Browns have put a positive spin on Watson's recovery all offseason and will give him the chance to compete with Shedeur Sanders for the starting job this summer. Sanders, a fifth-rounder last year, started the final seven games of last season and was predictably erratic, although he did show signs of being an explosive playmaker at QB. Jackson adds that Sanders "seems most likely to get the first crack at the starting job and operate as the No. 1" early in spring workouts. However, new head coach Todd Monken continues to stress that "nothing is settled." Watson has the better resume (a three-time Pro Bowler), but he's also 30 years old and is coming off a serious injury. And with Watson's contract expiring after 2026, "logic says" the Browns should prefer the younger option in Sanders. Whoever wins the job this summer will merely be a low-end QB2 option in superflex fantasy football leagues.


Marcus Mariota vs. Deshaun Watson

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