Who Should I Start? Marcus Mariota or Jaxson Dart

Wednesday, August 6, 9:20 PM

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (leg) won't travel with the team for their preseason opener against the New England Patriots. Head coach Dan Quinn said on Wednesday that Mariota is dealing with a mild lower leg strain. Luckily, it sounds like a minor injury as Quinn said his level of concern was low. The Commanders will take the cautious approach and rest their backup quarterback. Mariota served as the backup to Jayden Daniels last season. He completed 34-of-44 passing attempts for 364 passing yards and four touchdowns in three games with Washington last year. There won't be any fantasy value here with Mariota while Daniels is healthy. Sam Hartman figures to see the bulk of the snaps in the preseason opener.

Saturday, August 9, 4:38 PM

New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart made his preseason debut Saturday and turned heads in a 34-25 win over the Buffalo Bills. Dart, not veteran backup Jameis Winston, entered the game after the Giants pulled starter Russell Wilson in the first quarter. The 25th overall pick from Ole Miss stayed in for the rest of the first half and hit on 12 of 19 pass attempts for 154 yards, including a beautifully thrown 28-yard touchdown to Lil'Jordan Humphrey. Dart also used his legs effectively, adding 24 rushing yards on three attempts. There was a lot to like about Dart's NFL debut, but if the Giants have their way, he'll spend the first year of his career learning from the bench before potentially assuming the starting role in 2026. He'll make his next preseason appearance on Saturday against the Jets.