Mariota figures to get taken late in two-QB drafts by those managers who take Jayden Daniels with a very early-round selection. That makes sense - Mariota stepped in admirably for Daniels last year and scored 20-plus Fantasy points (six-point TDs) in half of his eight starts (17.4 or fewer in the other half). For everyone else, Mariota isn't worth drafting - he should be found off waivers if Daniels were to miss playing time.
Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Diagnosed with sprained MCL
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Mariota is expected to miss the rest of the preseason due to a sprained MCL in his knee, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Mariota sustained the injury in the first quarter of the Commanders' 20-7 preseason win over the Dolphins on Friday. Sam Hartman and undrafted rookie Athan Kaliakmanis are the other two reserve quarterbacks on the training camp roster, so the Commanders could look to acquire another QB via free agency or trade to provide depth behind Jayden Daniels. Mariota will focus on rehab and recovery over the next few weeks, and head coach Dan Quinn expressed optimism Sunday that Mariota will be available for the Commanders' regular-season opener against the Eagles on Sunday, Sept. 13, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Injury update in coming days
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Head coach Dan Quinn said after Friday's 20-7 preseason win over the Dolphins that he'll provide an update on Mariota (knee) on Sunday, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
Mariota may have picked up a knee injury when he was hit by Tyrel Dodson in the first quarter. Mariota initially stayed in but was favoring his right knee after handing the ball off to Kaytron Allen, with the former being tended to by trainers on the ground. Mariota was able to walk off the field on his own, but an extended absence would be a blow considering he appeared in 11 regular-season games (eight starts) last year while Jayden Daniels was sidelined due to injury. Sam Hartman and undrafted rookie Athan Kaliakmanis are the other two quarterbacks on the training camp roster, but if Mariota were to miss time, then the Commanders would likely look to add a veteran QB via free agency or trade.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Exits Friday's game
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Mariota left the first quarter of Friday's preseason game against the Dolphins due to an apparent right knee injury, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Mariota may have picked up the injury when he was hit by Tyrel Dodson right after a pass to Dyami Brown. Mariota initially stayed in but was favoring his right leg after handing the ball off to Kaytron Allen, and the veteran quarterback has gone to the locker room to undergo further tests, per Jhabvala. Sam Hartman has taken over as the Commanders' quarterback following Mariota's departure.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Staying in Washington
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Mariota is re-signing with the Commanders, Ben Standig of Big 100 Washington D.C. reports.
The 33-year-old QB is signing a one-year contract with Washington for the third consecutive offseason. He was one of the league's better backup quarterbacks the past couple of years, and there should be a degree of continuity with internal promotion David Blough replacing Kliff Kingsbury as the offensive coordinator.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Ruled out
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Mariota (hand/quad) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against Philadelphia, Tashan Reed of The Washington Post reports.
Josh Johnson will start for a second straight week. There's been no indication that Mariota's injury will be a problem this offseason, and he's been a good fit in Kliff Kingsbury's offense as the backup to Jayden Daniels (elbow). Still, there's some chance Mariota doesn't return to Washington, as he's currently on a one-year contract and thus can become an unrestricted free agent in March.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Misses another practice
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Mariota (hand) did not practice Thursday.
Mariota is considered doubtful for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Eagles, so it's unsurprising to see him once again listed as a non-participant. The expectation is that Washington will roll with Josh Johnson under center versus Philadelphia on Sunday.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Not practicing, considered doubtful
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Mariota (hand/quad) didn't practice Wednesday and remains a "long shot" for Sunday's game against Philadelphia, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
The term "long shot" comes directly from coach Dan Quinn, who is preparing his team for another week with QB Josh Johnson as the starter.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Looking unlikely for Week 18
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Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said Monday that Mariota (hand/quadriceps) is "a stretch" to be available for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Eagles but has not been ruled out yet, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Mariota has not resumed practicing since suffering a pair of injuries during Washington's loss to the Eagles in Week 16, which paved the way for Josh Johnson to start versus the Cowboys in Week 17. Per Ben Standig of Big 100 Washington D.C., Quinn said Mariota is not yet moving at full speed, and Zach Selby of the team's official site confirms that the veteran quarterback wasn't able to make it through Monday's walkthrough. If Mariota doesn't play Week 18, Johnson will close out the 2025 campaign under center for the Commanders.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Not available for Week 17
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Washington head coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday that Mariota (hand/quadriceps) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Cowboys, Tashan Reed of The Washington Post reports.
With Mariota set to be sidelined due to the pair of injuries he sustained in last Saturday's 29-18 loss to the Eagles, Josh Johnson will be called upon to make his first start since the 2021 season. Meanwhile, newly signed Jeff Driskel will serve as Johnson's backup, and Washington plans to sign Sam Hartman off its practice squad to serve as the team's emergency No. 3 quarterback, per John Keim of ESPN.com. According to Ben Standig of Big 100 Washington D.C., Quinn said he still has hope that Mariota will be able to return for the Commanders' Jan. 4 regular-season finale in Philadelphia, though Mariota's availability will hinge on what he's able to do in practice next week.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Absent from practice again
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Mariota (hand/quadriceps) was a non-participant in Tuesday's walk-through practice.
With Mariota going down as a non-participant on the second consecutive Commanders practice report, he would appear unlikely to be available to play Thursday against the Cowboys. In preparation of a potential Mariota absence for Week 17, the Commanders signed Jeff Driskel off the Cardinals' practice squad Monday to bolster their depth at quarterback, but Josh Johnson is trending toward making his first start of the season and his first since 2021, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Johnson came on in relief of a banged-up Mariota in this past Saturday's 29-18 loss to the Eagles.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Week 17 Waiver Priority List
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Mariota might not play in Thursday's game against Dallas since he injured his hand in Week 16 against Philadelphia. But if he plays against the Cowboys, then Mariota is worth using as a low-end starter in all leagues. Only two quarterbacks this season have failed to score at least 20 Fantasy points against the Cowboys, and Mariota has scored at least 20.2 points in four of seven complete starts in place of Jayden Daniels (elbow) this season. If Mariota is out, then Josh Johnson (1 percent rostered) is worth a look in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Departs Week 16 game with hand issue
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Mariota is questionable to return to Saturday's matchup against Philadelphia due to a right hand injury.
Mariota was also evaluated for a concussion but was cleared to continue playing. However, he may not do so if the right hand injury he's dealing with proves to be serious. Should Mariota be unable to return to action, Josh Johnson will step in to direct the Commanders' offense.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: QBs to Sit
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Mariota will remain Washington's starter for the rest of the season with Jayden Daniels (elbow) out, but I would only use Mariota in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues in Week 16 against Philadelphia. The Eagles have allowed just one quarterback in their past six outings to score more than 14.2 Fantasy points, which was Dak Prescott in Week 12, and Philadelphia has limited Jordan Love, Jared Goff, Caleb Williams and Justin Herbert over that span. Mariota scored just 16.7 Fantasy points at the Giants in Week 15, and he should struggle again in Week 16.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Quiet in win over Giants
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Mariota completed 10 of 19 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 29-21 win over the Giants. He added 43 rushing yards on 10 carries and committed two fumbles, losing one.
The Commanders leaned heavily on their ground attack for offense and also benefitted from a punt return TD by Jaylin Lane, but Mariota did hit Terry McLaurin for a 51-yard score in the fourth quarter to help put the game away. Washington's already eliminated from the playoffs and has little reason to rush Jayden Daniels (elbow) back into the lineup, but Mariota and his 10:7 TD:INT through 10 games is still just a placeholder for the second-year QB heading into a Week 16 matchup with the Eagles.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Sleeper QBs
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Jayden Daniels (elbow) is out in Week 15 at the Giants, and Mariota is worth using as a low-end No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues. He has started six games for Daniels this season and scored at least 20.2 Fantasy points in four of those outings, including Week 13 against Denver when he had 27.3 points. The Giants are No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, and four guys in a row have scored at least 21.2 points against New York, including Caleb Williams, Jordan Love, Jared Goff and Drake Maye. This should be another solid game for Mariota in Week 15.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Adds/Streamers (QB Preview)
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As of Tuesday, we are not expecting Jayden Daniels to play in Week 15. If he doesn't, Marcus Mariota is the clear top streamer. He has topped 20 Fantasy points in two of his last three starts, has Terry McLaurin back, and still has rushing ability to boost his floor and his upside. The Giants have given up the third-most Fantasy points to opposing QBs. The last four QBs they have faced have topped 20 Fantasy points and eight QBs in a row have scored 19 or more against them.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Two turnovers in relief
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Mariota completed two of four passes for 30 yards and an interception in Sunday's 31-0 loss to the Vikings. He added seven rushing yards on two carries and also lost a fumble.
Jayden Daniels returned to action in Week 14 but didn't last long, appearing to aggravate an injury to his left elbow in the third quarter and quickly being ruled out for the rest of the contest. Mariota took over the offense the rest of the way but had no more success against the Minnesota defense than Daniels did. There's no indication yet on Daniels' status for a Week 15 tilt against the Giants, but with the Commanders at 3-10 and playing for nothing but draft slotting, it's certainly possible the organization will decide to protect its franchise QB from any further damage and hand the reins to Mariota for the remainder of the season.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Returning to backup role
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Mariota will serve as Washington's backup quarterback Sunday against the Vikings, as John Keim of ESPN.com reports that Jayden Daniels (elbow) will start.
Daniels will return for his first action since dislocating his left elbow Nov. 9. Mariota has seen extensive action due to Daniels' injury woes in 2025, as the veteran backup has appeared in eight of Washington's 12 games, including six starts. Mariota has posted a 9:6 TD:INT but picked up only one win.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Adds/Streamers (QB Preview)
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As of Tuesday, we are not expecting Jayden Daniels to return in Week 14. If he doesn't, Marcus Mariota is the clear top streamer. He has topped 20 Fantasy points in two of his last three starts, has Terry McLaurin back, and still has rushing ability to boost his floor and his upside. It is not a good matchup, so I wouldn't start him over Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, or Joe Burrow, even though I am low on those guys. I would start Mariota over Justin Herbert, Caleb Williams, and Sam Darnold. Just make sure Daniels doesn't get cleared.
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Commanders' Marcus Mariota: Week 14 Waiver Priority List
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There's a chance Jayden Daniels (elbow) could play in Week 14 at Minnesota, but if he's out again then Mariota is worth using as a low-end starter in all leagues. He played great in Week 13 against Denver with 27.3 Fantasy points, and he has now scored at least 20.2 points in four of six starts this season. The healthy return of Terry McLaurin (quadriceps) was a boost for the passing game, and Mariota also has at least 49 rushing yards in each of his past two starts. He's worth adding for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
