Who Should I Start? Marcus Mariota or Sam Howell

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Week 1 Projections

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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.

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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 Howell News

Sam Howell, Joe Milton III to Compete for Backup Role

Sunday, April 5, 9:39 PM

Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Sam Howell and Joe Milton III will compete for the backup role behind Dak Prescott this summer, head coach Brian Schottenheimer told Todd Archer of ESPN.com. The Cowboys acquired Milton last offseason in hopes that he could offer a strong, accurate arm in case Prescott went down. Prescott was healthy for all 17 contests, but when Milton did get into the game, he struggled. He had three turnovers and just one touchdown across parts of four games. Perhaps because of his subpar results on the field, Dallas brought in Howell during the offseason. It appears that the Cowboys have a specific vision for their backup quarterback, as Howell offers mobility and a strong arm similar to Milton. The fantasy implications here are minimal, as we expect Prescott to start the full season unless he gives us a reason to believe otherwise.

Marcus Mariota vs. Sam Howell

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