Commanders QB Jayden Daniels (knee) won't practice until Friday at the earliest, HC Dan Quinn said. Quinn added that Daniels had a good rehab session with his knee on Wednesday. But as NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says, "Another sign that Marcus Mariota could very well be starting" vs. the Raiders this weekend.
2025 Fantasy Football Impact
We're now projecting Mariota to start Week 3.
It's a downgrade for Washington's pass catchers. But Mariota sports a solid 63.0% career completion rate and 7.5 yards per attempt. In three appearances for the Commanders last year, he completed 77.3% of his passes for 8.3 yards per attempt with 4 TDs vs. 0 INTs.
When Mariota played the majority of Week 7, WR Terry McLaurin caught all 6 of his targets for 98 yards. TE Zach Ertz reeled in 4 of 5 targets for 40 yards and a score. Mariota also tossed a TD to TE Ben Sinnott in that one.
McLaurin, WR Deebo Samuel, and TE Zach Ertz all remain viable Week 3 fantasy starters.
Mariota, meanwhile, is an intriguing spot starter. On top of the efficient passing, he also ran 18 times for 92 yards and a score. Mariota totaled 49 fantasy points on 100 snaps (a little less than two games worth). That's high-end QB1 production. Mariota also draws a plus matchup against the Raiders.