Injured athlete Jayden Daniels: Quarterback Marcus Mariota to initiate Week 3 for Commanders, potentially impacting fantasy football and betting markets against the Raiders.
Marcus Mariota Steps Up as Washington Commanders' Starter
In a twist of events, Marcus Mariota will take the reins as the starting quarterback for the Washington Commanders in their upcoming game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Jayden Daniels, who has logged 433 yards and three touchdowns passing this season, will be sidelined due to a sprained knee sustained in their game against the Green Bay Packers.
Mariota, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, has bounced around the league since leaving the Titans, playing for the Raiders, Falcons, Eagles, and Commanders. He served as Daniels' backup in Washington and will now lead the team until Daniels' return from injury.
Mariota's performance in two games played in 2024 is noteworthy. He scored 23.6 fantasy points against Carolina in Week 7 and 30 points at Dallas in Week 18. This suggests that he could be a strong contender for fantasy football points in Week 3 against the Raiders.
The backup quarterback for the Commanders when Mariota is the starter is Jayden Daniels. However, with Mariota stepping up, it's Jacory Croskey-Merritt who becomes the flex option at best in the Commanders' backfield, as Austin Ekeler is out with an Achilles tear.
Expert senior NFL analyst Pete Prisco predicts that the Commanders will win against the Raiders, but the Raiders may hang around. This prediction coincides with two other experts' picks in the full Week 3 picks hub. FanDuel Sportsbook offers Raiders +3.5 at -142. The line for the Commanders vs. Raiders game has dropped from Commanders -6 to Commanders -2.5, with the total dropping from 44 to 43.5.
Deebo Samuel, Terry McLaurin, and Zach Ertz are players to consider for fantasy football in this matchup. Samuel is a No. 2 fantasy receiver with at least 17.4 PPR points in each game, Ertz is a No. 1 tight end with at least 11.6 PPR points in both games this season, and McLaurin may perform better with Mariota under center.
Mariota was with the Titans for five seasons, starting 61 games. He was drafted second overall in 2015. In his last game against the Packers, Daniels threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked four times.
You can find more expert picks and analysis in the full Week 3 picks hub.
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