The Washington Commanders began the preseason by taking on the Cleveland Browns. Washington has had a string of bad luck and hasn’t been able to lock down a starting quarterback for consecutive Week 1s since Kirk Cousins from 2015-2017. This expected starter for Week 1 this year is Sam Howell.
Sam Howell stats: Commanders vs. Browns NFL Preseason Week 1
The second-year quarterback out of UNC got to play alongside the starters on Friday night. He finished 9-for-12 passing for 77 yards and a touchdown. The score was a 26-yard strike from Howell to Jahan Dotson. This duo could be in for a big year together if they can stay on the same page. Howell has some scrambling ability and took off once for eight yards.
Fantasy football impact
Howell went into the game being drafted as the overall QB30 in fantasy football. I wouldn’t be surprised if that ADP ticks up a bit. At this point, he is just considered a late-round flier to stash on your roster. You likely aren’t considering rolling with Howell every week until you see consistency through the preseason. For now, he can be used as a streamer, but you can leave him to waivers if you don’t want to risk the stash.