Marcus Mariota vs Shedeur Sanders: Who Should You Start?
The gap between Marcus Mariota and Shedeur Sanders is smaller than most fantasy managers think. Separated by just 0.1 PPG in 2025, this is one of those quarterback decisions that comes down to context, not name recognition. Marcus Mariota averaged 12.0 PPG with the Washington Commanders across 11 games, and Shedeur Sanders posted 11.9 with the Cleveland Browns in 8.
When two quarterbacks are separated by less than two points per game, the decision shifts to weekly context. Who has the softer defense? Who is trending up over the last month? Which team is projected for more total points? Those are the tiebreakers that actually matter.
Both lean on arm talent and offensive scheme as traditional pocket passers. Marcus Mariota threw for 1695 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Shedeur Sanders posted 1400 yards and 7 scores. Volume, red zone efficiency, and game script are the key week-to-week differentiators when neither carries rushing upside.
Marcus Mariota has his bye in Week 14, and Shedeur Sanders rests in Week 10. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at quarterback for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
