Who Should I Start? Sam Howell or Aidan O'Connell


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

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.


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

Aidan O'Connell News

Raiders Activate Aidan O'Connell From Injured Reserve

Wednesday, November 19, 3:15 PM

The Las Vegas Raiders announced on Wednesday that they activated quarterback Aidan O'Connell (wrist) from Injured Reserve. O'Connell has missed all of the 2025 season to this point after suffering a fractured right wrist in the preseason. It's possible that Geno Smith's poor play could open the door for O'Connell to make starts under center for the Raiders before the end of the year, but it's unclear if that's potentially in play as early as Week 12 when the team takes on the visiting Cleveland Browns this Sunday. Kenny Pickett has been serving as Smith's backup for the first 11 weeks of the season, but O'Connell could quickly jump him on the depth chart now that he's back. The 27-year-old has a 62.6% completion rate in his two years in the NFL, throwing for 3,830 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 20 games (17 starts).


Sam Howell vs. Aidan O'Connell

Still trying to decide between Howell and O'Connell? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Sam Howell is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Aidan O'Connell is projected to score 0.0 points.