Who Should I Start? Marcus Mariota or Sam Darnold


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
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Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Marcus Mariota News

Marcus Mariota Set for Backup Role in 2026

Friday, April 17, 12:10 PM

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota saw more playing time than his team probably would have preferred in 2025, thanks to Commanders QB1 Jayden Daniels' myriad injury issues. Across 11 games (eight starts), Mariota completed 61.2% of his pass attempts for 1,695 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The 32-year-old also impacts the game with his legs, recording 297 rushing yards and a score on 50 attempts. When he gets the chance to play, Mariota's dual-threat ability makes him an appealing streamer option for fantasy managers. Daniels should be fully healthy for the start of the 2026 season, which will relegate Mariota to backup duties. Still, Daniels' considerable injury track record could make Mariota worth rostering as a handcuff quarterback in deep dynasty formats.


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

Sam Darnold News

Sam Darnold Still a Reliable Dynasty Hold

Monday, April 27, 5:37 AM

Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold won the Super Bowl in his first year with Seattle after rehabilitating his career in one season with the Minnesota Vikings. Darnold finished as the QB14 in 2025 after a top-10 finish in 2024. In both Seattle and Minnesota, he was able to support All-Pro wide receivers, most recently helping Jaxon Smith-Njigba to win the league's Offensive Player of the Year Award. Having topped 25 passing touchdowns only once and never adding more than 217 yards on the ground, though, his own fantasy ceiling may be limited. At RotoBaller's dynasty QB21, Darnold feels accurately priced, and the nine-year veteran should be able to continue delivering reliable QB2 floors. His current deal with Seattle runs through the 2027 season, and he will be almost 31 years old when he gets to that point, so he may not see much of the traditional dynasty bump that comes with a new contract, but barring the unforeseen, he should remain a safe hold for as long as he's tied to Smith-Njigba.


Marcus Mariota vs. Sam Darnold

Still trying to decide between Mariota and Darnold? 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 Sam Darnold is projected to score 0.0 points.