Marcus Mariota DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Veteran free-agent quarterback Marcus Mariota is signing a one-year deal to return to the Washington Commanders, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans spent last season with Washington and primarily backed up Jayden Daniels. Mariota threw for 364 yards and four touchdowns in three games a season ago. While Mariota clearly has no path to the starting job, he will be on the fantasy football radar in deep Superflex or two-QB leagues as a deep bench stash. Should Daniels have to miss any time next season, Mariota would have at least low-end QB2 upside playing with wideouts Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr. along with tight end Zach Ertz in Kliff Kingsbury's offense.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Washington Commanders impending free-agent quarterback Marcus Mariota is very much on the Miami Dolphins' and Las Vegas Raiders' radar this offseason as they seek to add a proven, established No. 2 QB. The Dolphins are seeking insurance for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, whose history of head injuries are well-documented. In Vegas, the Raiders could look to reunite Mariota with new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who coached Mariota for two years at Oregon. The 31-year-old played well in limited action in 2024 with Washington, going 34-for-44 for 364 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He's started 74 games in the NFL and has a 90.1 career passer rating, 97 TDs and 55 interceptions after the Titans made him the second overall pick in 2015. If Miami can't sign Mariota, they could pivot to 37-year-old Andy Dalton.

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota led the Commanders to a thrilling victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18. Mariota replaced Jayden Daniels at the start of the second half. With the Commanders already locked into a playoff spot, they opted to protect their rookie QB. However, this victory pushed them up to the No. 6 seed in the NFC. Over the final two quarters, Mariota went 15-for-18 with 161 yards and two touchdowns. He added 56 yards and a score on five carries. He found tight end Zach Ertz on a five-yard strike late in the third quarter. Then in the fourth, Mariota punched in a score at the goal line and would then find his top wideout Terry McLaurin on a game-winning, five-yard touchdown pass in the final seconds. Mariota also saw time in Week 7 against the Panthers when Daniels left early with a rib injury. He was sharp in that game as well, going 18-for-23 with 205 yards and two scores.

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota could be a viable high-end QB2 in Superflex formats if he is given the starting nod in Week 8. Mariota replaced the injured Jayden Daniels (ribs) early in last week's game and performed quite well as he went 18-for-23 with 205 yards and two scores. He added 34 yards on the ground off 11 carries. This weekend, he will have a much tougher task facing the Chicago Bears, who have allowed the second-fewest points to opposing QBs. However, given how impressive he looked in relief and with his rushing potential, the former first-round pick could be a viable QB2 in Superflex formats, as he may need to push the ball downfield to keep up with a Chicago offense that has continued to improve every week.

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota went 18-for-23 with 205 yards and two passing scores in relief of Jayden Daniels (ribs), who left the game in the first quarter. Mariota added 34 yards on 11 rushing attempts. The veteran QB did not face much trouble in relief as the Commanders were overpowering Carolina the entire evening. The former Oregon product found both tight ends, Zach Ertz and Ben Sinnott, in the end zone. He connected with Terry McLaurin all evening as he finished with a team-high 98 yards on six catches. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Daniels' status during the week, as Mariota could be in line to start next weekend against the Chicago Bears.