Who Should I Start? Marcus Mariota or Michael Pittman Jr.

Thursday, December 18, 5:29 PM

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota has a tough matchup in Week 16 against his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles. Mariota will remain Washington's starter for the remainder of the regular season after the team shut down Jayden Daniels (elbow) after aggravating his elbow injury in Week 14. The 32-year-old signal-caller has been solid all season while filling in for Daniels, completing 62% of his passes for 1,600 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while adding 49 carries for 298 yards and a touchdown as a runner in 10 games (seven starts). Mariota is averaging 18.4 fantasy points per game in his seven starts, which would be tied for QB11 on the season among quarterbacks with at least six games. Mariota profiles as a QB2 on Saturday against an Eagles defense that has allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.

Friday, December 12, 11:00 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. had a down year in 2024. However, he's turned it around this season. In 13 appearances, the 28-year-old has 69 catches (94 targets) for 699 yards. While he could have a tough time surpassing his mark from the 2023 campaign (109 receptions), he has already amassed a career-high seven touchdowns. Unfortunately, the Colts have struggled of late, with the team losing their last three contests. To make matters worse, Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. As a result, Indy will turn to Philip Rivers or Riley Leonard (knee), who no longer carries an injury designation, in Sunday's meeting with the Seahawks. As expected, many feel that neither player will do enough to get Indianapolis back to the top of the AFC South. With that in mind, Pittman's fantasy ceiling might be at its lowest point of the season, especially with a challenging contest on tap. Although he's still a must-start in any setup, considering he's been a top fantasy wideout, managers should expect the worst and hope for the best in Week 15.