The Washington Commanders will host the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, specifically regarding QB Marcus Mariota.
Is Mariota Playing in Week 16?
Mariota is not on the injury report and barring a surprise, he is expected to play.
We’ll continue to monitor the Commanders’ injury report leading up to kickoff for any changes. You can also visit and bookmark our Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Mariota in Week 16?
Nope, I didn’t see the Commanders running the ball down the throats of the Giants last week.
Not that it was an impossible outcome, but with Chris Rodriguze scratched and both of their top receivers healthy, I figured Week 15 would be in the hands of Marcus Mariota, a backup who had shown well for himself in his previous two starts, both of which were overtime losses.
His versatility (43 rush yards) and a bomb to Terry McLaurin (51-yard TD that was aided by some shaky tackling at the end) helped save him from a complete disaster, but his fantasy production was still below expectations due to a meager 19 pass attempts.
I think the quantity of attempts will spike in a dramatic way this weekend as near full-TD underdogs, but the quality figures to backtrack.
The Eagles haven’t faced much in the way of athletic QBs this season, but in the only two real examples since their Week 9 bye (Caleb Williams and Justin Herbert), they held the versatile QB to at least 29.5% below his season average.
I have Mariota ranked sixth of the six QBs who play before Sunday and outside of my top 20 in evaluating the week as a whole. I respect the consistency he can bring to the table, but I’d rather some younger options in plus-spots (Bryce Young vs. TB, Tyler Shouch vs. NYJ, or J.J. McCarthy at NYG) if I’m hitting the waiver wire for help.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Cheat Sheet.
Mariota’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 16
Mariota is projected to score 9.6 fantasy points in PPR formats.
We project Mariota to throw for 88 yards and 0.7 passing touchdowns with 0.3 interceptions. Mariota could also add 24 rushing yards and 0.2 rushing touchdowns on the ground.
Check out the free PFSN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Week 16 Weather Impact: Eagles at Commanders
The forecast for kickoff is 51 degrees Fahrenheit with 11 mph winds. These are ideal conditions for fantasy production.
