Mariota finished as a QB1 just four times during his 13 starts with the Falcons before they turned to Desmond Ridder after the bye week. Mariota did however finish as a top-six QB twice and in both games he added points with his legs. If Jalen Hurts misses time again like he did in 2022, Mariota will be immediately on everyone's radar in two-QB and Superflex leagues, and his rushing floor is a big reason why. Mariota is best left undrafted.
Mariota will start Friday against the Colts, Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Mariota is only expected to play one series before giving way to Tanner McKee, and eventually Ian Book. The Oregon product has struggled at times learning his new team's offense during training camp, but he's fully expected to remain the team's No. 2 option behind Jalen Hurts this season.
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Eagles' Marcus Mariota: Unremarkable in first half
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Mariota started the Eagles' 18-18 preseason tie with the Browns on Thursday night and completed nine of 17 passes for 86 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed once for five yards.
Mariota needs game reps in his new team's offense, so his extended stint in Thursday's contest makes sense. The veteran signal-caller was sharper in Philadelphia's preseason opener versus the Ravens while completing seven of 11 passes, but Mariota remains a lock for the role of Jalen Hurts' top backup come the regular season.
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Eagles' Marcus Mariota: Still learning offense
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Mariota has gotten off to a slow start during training camp, Martin Frank of The Delaware News Journal reports.
Mariota has thrown four interceptions in the first week of training camp. However, for the time being, that's being chalked up to him being on his third team in three seasons. According to teammate Boston Scott, "he's still learning the playbook, but he's a really smart guy. It's gonna take time, but you can see the tools for sure." Mariota will have plenty of time to adjust to the new offense and his role as Jalen Hurts' backup throughout the remainder of training camp and preseason.
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Eagles' Marcus Mariota: Active at OTAs
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Mariota has been an active participant at the Eagles' OTAs this spring, Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice reports.
Mariota signed a one-year contract with the Eagles this offseason after finishing last season with Atlanta on injured reserve with a knee injury. The quarterback appears to be healthy ahead of the 2023 campaign and is expected to operate as the top backup behind starting quarterback Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia. Mariota, the second overall pick in 2015, started 13 games with the Falcons last season. If Hurts were to go down, the Eagles' offense wouldn't have to change much considering Mariota is similarly mobile.
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Eagles' Marcus Mariota: Links up with Eagles
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Mariota (knee) agreed to a one-year contract with the Eagles on Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The deal will pay Mariota $5 million and could be worth up to $8 million with incentives. With the Eagles, Mariota, who is bouncing back from a knee procedure, will slot in as the backup quarterback behind Pro Bowler Jalen Hurts. In 13 games (all starts) with Atlanta last season, Mariota recorded 2,219 passing yards, to go along with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while also logging 438 rushing yards (including four TDs via the ground).
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Marcus Mariota: Released by Atlanta
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The Falcons released Mariota (knee) on Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN reports.
Mariota's release has been expected, and frees up roughly $12 million in cap space for Atlanta. The 29-year-old ended the 2022 season on IR after having been benched for Desmond Ridder, finishing his only campaign as a Falcon with a 15:9 TD:INT through 13 appearances. Once fully recovered from his knee procedure, Mariota will likely draw interest from teams looking for a veteran backup quarterback.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Placed on IR
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The Falcons placed Mariota (knee) on injured reserve Wednesday.
Rookie Desmond Ridder will take over as the starting quarterback, backed up by recent signing Logan Woodside. Mariota, meanwhile, will undergo a procedure on his knee and will be ineligible for the final four weeks of the regular season.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Likely IR-bound due to knee
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Mariota has a knee injury and likely will be placed on injured reserve, according to coach Arthur Smith, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Mariota was benched for rookie Desmond Ridder during Atlanta's Week 14 bye, and while Smith insists Ridder's promotion was performance-based, Mariota's injury may have played a role in that decision. Atlanta recently signed quarterback Logan Woodside, who presumably will back up Ridder for the duration of Mariota's absence, off the Titans' practice squad. Mariota would miss the remainder of the regular season if placed on IR.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Throws game-sealing INT
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Mariota completed 13 of 24 passes for 167 yards, a touchdown and an interception during Sunday's 19-16 loss to Pittsburgh. He also rushed three times for 17 yards.
Mariota targeted Drake London, who fished with six receptions on 12 targets for 95 yards, early and often, but Atlanta's passing game struggled once again, though Mariota was able to somewhat salvage his outing by connecting with MyCole Pruitt for a seven-yard score in the third quarter. However, the dual-threat quarterback failed to record at least 20 rushing yards, ending an eight-game streak reaching that plateau. He also threw a game-sealing interception to Minkah Fitzpatrick on the Falcons' final offensive possession. Overall, it was an underwhelming day for Mariota, who's emerged as a viable streaming option due to his production on the ground, but he'll look to get back on track when the Falcons return to action following their Week 14 bye.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Costly pick in loss
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Mariota completed 15 of 25 passes for 174 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Sunday's 19-13 loss to the Commanders. He added six rushes for 49 yards.
From a fantasy perspective, Mariota performed as expected thanks to work with his legs, as he's now topped 40 rushing yards in five of his last eight games. He also tossed a four-yard touchdown pass on a misdirection play midway through the second quarter. However, Mariota's performance left plenty to be desired, as he averaged only 7.0 yards per attempt and also threw an interception at the Commnanders' goal line with just over a minute remaining in the contest. Despite the uninspiring performance, Mariota is likely to remain Atlanta's starting quarterback so long as the team remains in playoff contention.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Sit 'Em
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Mariota has scored at least 19 Fantasy points in two games in a row and three of his past four outings. But I don't like this matchup for him against the Commanders, especially with Kyle Pitts (knee) now out. Chase Young (knee) could make his 2022 debut this week, and Washington has eight sacks and four interceptions in the past three games against Kirk Cousins, Jalen Hurts and Davis Mills coming into Week 12. Mariota should only be started in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Two scores in win
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Mariota completed 13 of 20 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 27-24 win over the Bears. He also rushed 13 times for 25 yards and an additional score.
Mariota threw a two-yard touchdown to Drake London on the Falcons' first drive of the game and gave Atlanta a 24-17 lead at the end of the third quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run. The quarterback didn't produce many yards, but he made plays when he needed to, avoided turnovers and found the end zone twice in the high-scoring win. Mariota continues to be a solid steaming option, but his overall production remains limited due to Atlanta's meager passing attack.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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I started the week liking Mariota as a streamer, and he might deliver a quality stat line against the Bears. He's scored at least 21 Fantasy points in three of his past five games, and Chicago has allowed at least 29 Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in two of the past three contests. But my concern with Mariota is the Falcons need a win this week, and their formula for success has been to run, run and run some more. Arthur Smith doesn't want Mariota to make plays unless needed, and Atlanta should have the chance to play with a lead this week as three-point home favorites. For the season, Mariota is averaging 17.1 Fantasy points per game, and I would expect him to be in that range in this matchup. That makes him a low-end starter at best in one-quarterback leagues but not someone who is a must-start option across the board.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Week 11 Waiver Priority List
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It appears that Mariota will remain the Falcons starter for Week 11 against the Bears. Said coach Arthur Smith on Monday to the Atlanta media, "If we were going to make a change, I'd tell you." It's not a bad idea to stash Desmond Ridder (5 percent rostered) where available in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues, but Mariota can be a streamer in one-quarterback leagues for Week 11. He scored at least 21 Fantasy points in three of his past five games. And the Bears have allowed two of their past three opposing quarterbacks to score at least 29 Fantasy points. Mariota is worth adding for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Solid numbers in Week 10 loss
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Mariota completed 19 of 30 passes for 186 yards with two touchdowns and one interception and rushed three times for 43 yards during the Falcons' 25-15 loss to the Panthers on Thursday night.
Mariota's final numbers were solid overall, although he was under constant duress and was brought down five times. The veteran signal-caller connected with Drake London and KhaDarel Hodge on touchdowns of seven and 25 yards, respectively, but he took two of his sacks on the Falcons' last multi-play drive, snuffing out any hope of a comeback. Mariota's passing yardage total was actually his second highest since Week 3, yet he's now been under 200 yards through the air in six of his last seven games. Mariota and the Falcons return home to take on the Bears in a Week 11 matchup a week from Sunday.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Sleeper QBs
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Let's hope Mariota is forced to throw this week. In two games with at least 25 pass attempts since Week 5, Mariota is averaging 23.5 Fantasy points per game. He's also doing a nice job with his legs in the past four games with at least 31 rushing yards in four games in a row, including one touchdown. Mariota should give you a safe floor since he has scored at least 19 Fantasy points in three of his past four games, including two games with 28 points over that span. It's not an easy matchup this week against the Chargers, who allow an average of just 18.1 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, but Mariota should provide a safe floor to trust him as a low-end starter in all leagues.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Throws three touchdowns in win
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Mariota completed 20 of 28 passes for 253 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions during Sunday's 37-34 win over the Panthers. He also rushed six times for 43 yards.
Mariota's second pass of the game was intercepted, but he bounced back and submitted an efficient performance through the air en route to a season-high 253 passing yards. The quarterback's dual-threat ability was also on display again as he rushed for at least 30 rushing yards for a fourth straight game, totaling 185 rushing yards during that stretch. Mariota's first touchdown was a well-designed play that left Kyle Pitts wide open for a two-yard score, but his second and third scores were nice throws that turned into big plays with great efforts from Tyler Allgeier and Damiere Byrd. Sunday's performance marked the veteran's best performance of the season, and he'll look to build off his success against the Chargers in Week 9.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Attempts only 13 passes
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Mariota completed eight of his 13 pass attempts for 124 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in Sunday's 35-17 loss to the Bengals. He added six rushes for 31 yards.
Atlanta remained dedicated to the run despite facing a large deficit for nearly the entire game, and Mariota has now attempted fewer than 20 passes in three of his last four games. Nearly all of his production came on a 75-yard touchdown pass to Damiere Byrd just before halftime. In addition to his limited production as a passer, Mariota was also bottled up as a rusher, as he entered the game having tallied at least 50 yards on the ground in consecutive matchups. The Falcons have shown a commitment to rushing the ball regardless of game script this season, which makes it difficult to trust Mariota or any of the team's pass catchers for consistent production.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: QBs to Sit
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Mariota was great in Week 6 against San Francisco with 28 Fantasy points, but that's his lone outing with more than 19 points this season. I like that he ran for at least 50 yards in consecutive games, but he's attempted 26 passes in five games in a row, including a season-low 14 against the 49ers. He might have to throw more this week against the Bengals if the Falcons are chasing points, but Cincinnati has been outstanding against opposing quarterbacks all year. No quarterback has more than 15 Fantasy points against this defense, including Lamar Jackson in Week 5.
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Falcons' Marcus Mariota: Week 7 Waiver Priority List
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Mariota finally had the breakout game we were waiting for in Week 6 against San Francisco with 28 Fantasy points. He only passed for 129 yards, but he had two touchdowns, along with 50 rushing yards and a score. He's now run for 121 yards in the past two games against the Buccaneers and 49ers, and he scored 19 Fantasy points at Tampa Bay in Week 5. He has a tough matchup in Week 7 at Cincinnati, but Mariota is starting to feel reliable enough to use as a low-end starter in all leagues, no matter the matchup, especially if he's going to run like this. He's worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
