Who Should I Start? Marcus Mariota or Justin Herbert

Wednesday, December 3, 12:29 AM

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota has played great while filling in for an injured Jayden Daniels (elbow). Mariota and the Commanders nearly pulled off the upset against the Denver Broncos in Week 13, with Mariota completing 28 of 50 passes for 294 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception while adding 10 carries for 55 yards on the ground. It was a valiant effort against one of the top defenses in the league that continued a trend of the 32-year-old signal-caller playing well. Daniels reportedly has a chance to return in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings, but he has not yet been cleared for contact. More will be known about Daniels' status in practice this week, but if he needs more time, Mariota would be in line to make his seventh start of the season and would profile as a strong streaming option again versus the Vikings.

Saturday, December 6, 4:18 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey remains the most reliable target in the passing game heading into Week 14 against the Philadelphia Eagles, posting a 4-39-1 stat line on six targets last week. McConkey is quarterback Justin Herbert's go-to guy under pressure, commanding a team-high 20% target share and a 34% first-read rate. The Eagles have a top-10 secondary, and with Herbert (hand) questionable, the Bolts are expected to adopt a run-heavy game plan, likely decreasing overall passing volume. If Herbert is ruled out and Trey Lance starts, all receivers face a significant downgrade. RotoBaller ranks McConkey as WR17 this week. Given his reliable connection with Herbert in high-pressure situations, he can be considered a low-end WR2 even with the expected decrease in passing attempts. Temper expectations and production if Herbert is ruled out.