Is Sam Howell The Commanders Starting QB? Fantasy Football Outlook

May 15, 2023

Is Sam Howell the Commanders starting QB? Sam takes a deeper look into the situation in Washington and looks for an answer. Is Howell worth drafting in fantasy football leagues in 2023?

The Washington Commanders had another disappointing season by most standards in 2022, as they finished with an 8-8 record and a last-place finish in the NFC East.

However, they seem to be improving every year, and they are heading in the direction of becoming a playoff team. The biggest question for the organization is at quarterback. Who will be their starter in 2023?

As things currently stand, that answer is yet to be determined. However, there is a 22-year-old by the name of Sam Howell who is gathering a lot of attention in D.C. Will he be leading the team when the season begins in September?

Is Sam Howell The Commanders Starting QB?

This past offseason, Washington decided to let its two main signal callers from last year find new homes. Veteran Carson Wentz and 30-year-old Taylor Heinicke are no longer members of the organization, and the team needs to find their replacements. 

Who will that guy be? Only time will tell, but if the seasons started today, all signs point towards second-year pro-Howell. The gunslinger who played his college ball at North Carolina was the first pick of the fifth round in 2022 and started the final game of the regular season last year.

According to multiple reports and those with knowledge of the Commanders' draft process, team scouts gave the young QB grades that equated to a second-round pick, and some even as high as a late first. When he fell all the way to the start of the fifth, the organization was apparently licking its chops.

How Will Howell Perform As A Fantasy Football QB?

The answer to that question is "blowing in the wind," as they like to say, and we won't truly know until we see Howell play in more than just one NFL game. He certainly has the tools to be a solid starter in the league. However, there are doubts about whether he will be a top-echelon performer. 

In college, the 6' 1'' 220-pound slinger was best known for his mobility and playmaking skills. Doubters will say the reason he dropped to the fifth round in 2022 was because his arm strength isn't great, and his accuracy sometimes isn't razor-sharp.

Is Howell worth investing in at fantasy football draft time this fall? The answer as it stands today is a resounding no, as there isn't enough upside to excite fantasy managers who are looking for a signal caller to lead their teams to the promised land. My advice is to see how he does in training camp and, better yet, take a flyer on him late in drafts and hope he's not only the starter for Washington but also a diamond in the rough. 

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