Seahawks' Sam Howell: Efficient in second exhibition game
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Howell completed 11 of 14 passes for 153 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in Saturday's 16-15 preseason loss to the Titans. He added two rushes for 11 yards.
The Seahawks have shown little interest in playing their starters this preseason, leaving Howell to handle the majority of the exhibition contests. He played a clean game Saturday and dropped a beautiful pass into the arms of Easop Winston late in the first quarter for a 23-yard touchdown. Geno Smith remains the clear starter in Seattle, but Howell has looked like a very serviceable backup.
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Seahawks' Sam Howell: Headed for Seattle
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The Commanders are sending Howell, a fourth-round draft pick and a sixth-rounder to the Seahawks in exchange for third and fifth-round draft choices, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
With Howell no longer in the mix, Washington figures to use the No. 2 overall pick in April's NFL Draft on a new franchise QB. Meanwhile, Howell, who started all 17 of the Commanders' regular-season games in 2023, fills the void created by Drew Lock's departure in free agency and gives the Seahawks an alternative to incumbent No. 1 signal-caller Geno Smith.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Picked off twice in finale
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Howell completed 19 of 27 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions in Sunday's 38-10 loss to the Cowboys.
It was a fittingly rough end to a poor season for Washington, and Howell wraps up his first -- and possibly last -- season as the team's starting quarterback with a 21:21 TD:INT over 17 games, with the interceptions being the most in the NFL. The 2022 fifth-round selection is expected to get serious competition for the starting job in the offseason, likely from whoever the Commanders select with the second overall pick in the 2024 Draft, and Howell is likely to head into Week 1 of next year in the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: QBs to Sit
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Howell will start again for the Commanders in Week 18, but I'm not sure he's even a good starting option in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues. Howell hasn't scored 20 Fantasy points in a game since Week 11, and he's combined for 17.2 Fantasy points in his past three outings against the Rams, Jets and 49ers. He was benched in two of those games, and this has been a disastrous finish for the second-year quarterback. He scored 17.3 Fantasy points at Dallas in Week 12 when he passed for 300 yards, no touchdowns and one interception and ran for 13 yards and a touchdown, and this Cowboys defense has been tough on opposing quarterbacks all season. In their past four games, Dallas has limited Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa and Jared Goff to 17.9 Fantasy points or less in each outing.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: QBs to Start
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Howell will start again for the Commanders in Week 18, but I'm not sure he's even a good starting option in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues. Howell hasn't scored 20 Fantasy points in a game since Week 11, and he's combined for 17.2 Fantasy points in his past three outings against the Rams, Jets and 49ers. He was benched in two of those games, and this has been a disastrous finish for the second-year quarterback. He scored 17.3 Fantasy points at Dallas in Week 12 when he passed for 300 yards, no touchdowns and one interception and ran for 13 yards and a touchdown, and this Cowboys defense has been tough on opposing quarterbacks all season. In their past four games, Dallas has limited Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa and Jared Goff to 17.9 Fantasy points or less in each outing.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Struggles in blowout loss
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Howell completed 17 of 28 passes for 169 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in Sunday's 27-10 loss to the 49ers.
After the Commanders announced that Howell would be benched early in the week, he was forced into the starting role with Jacoby Brissett (hamstring) sidelined. He struggled in a tough matchup, averaging only 6.0 yards per attempt while turning the ball over twice. Howell did have positive moments, as he completed three passes of at least 20 yards and also connected with Terry McLaurin for a three-yard touchdown late in the second quarter. It's unclear whether Howell will get the chance to start in Week 18 against the Cowboys, but he has now failed to throw for multiple touchdowns in six straight games.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: In line to start Sunday
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Howell is slated to start Sunday's game against the 49ers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Per Rapoport, Jacoby Brissett (hamstring) is in line to be deemed inactive as the team's third QB following a pre-game workout Sunday. Howell, who was originally on track to give way to Brissett in Week 17, is thus slated to get the start and now represents a fantasy lineup option for those in need of signal-caller help this week.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Still in mix to start Week 17
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Howell would start Sunday's game against the 49ers if Jacoby Brissett (hamstring) -- who is listed as questionable -- doesn't play, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Brissett was added to the injury report Friday due to hamstring tightness. Howell started Washington's first 15 games of the season but was set to move to a backup role after being benched mid-game in both of his last two outings. If Brissett is unable to play this weekend, Howell will make his 16th start of the season, though the second-year signal-caller is unlikely to bounce back against the tough 49ers defense after posting a 2:8 TD:INT over his last five starts.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Demoted to backup role
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Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said Wednesday that Howell won't start Sunday's game against the 49ers, with Jacoby Brissett set to lead Washington's offense moving forward, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Howell has started each of Washington's first 15 games, but he's unraveled over the last three outings. In losses to the Dolphins, Rams and Jets, Howell has been pulled early in favor of Brissett on two occasions and completed just 29 of 71 attempts (40.8 percent) for 285 yards (4.0 YPA) while throwing for one touchdown against four interceptions and taking five sacks. Brissett, meanwhile, nearly led the Commanders to a come-from-behind win after entering in the third quarter of this past Sunday's 30-28 loss to the Jets, and the coaching staff now looks ready to give him a look in the starting role for the final two games of the season. Unless Howell is used off the bench, he'll finish the 2023 campaign with a 63.2 percent completion rate for 6.5 YPA and a 19:17 TD:INT to go with 265 rushing yards and five scores on the ground.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Benched again in Week 16
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Howell completed six of 22 passes for 56 yards and two interceptions before being replaced by Jacoby Brissett in the third quarter of Sunday's 30-28 loss to the Jets.
The quarterback's poor play helped put the Commanders in a 27-7 hole at halftime, and after Howell tossed his second INT of the day, coach Ron Rivera benched him for the second straight week. With Brissett having played well both times he's come on in relief, and Howell having been picked off in five straight games with a 2:8 TD:INT during that stretch, Rivera has a full-blown QB controversy on his hands heading into a Week 17 clash with the 49ers.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: QBs to Sit
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Howell is expected to remain the Commanders starter in Week 16 at the Jets after he was benched in Week 15 at the Rams. I thought he would play well given the matchup, but he struggled at Los Angeles with 11-of-26 passing for 102 yards, one touchdown and one interception, along with 22 rushing yards, and he was benched for Jacoby Brissett. Hopefully, Howell can play well enough to stay in the game in Week 16, but this is a brutal matchup against the Jets, who are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks at 14.7 per game. Howell also has scored fewer than 20 Fantasy points in four games in a row coming into this contest.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Sleeper QBs
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There's a lot to like about Howell this week against the Dolphins. He's passed for at least 300 yards in four of his past five games. He's attempted at least 42 passes in six games in a row. And he's been below 19 Fantasy points just once in his past five outings, which was at Dallas on Thanksgiving. The Dolphins have only allowed three quarterbacks to score more than 19.8 Fantasy points this season, but Miami just lost one of its best pass rushers after Jaelen Phillips (Achilles) was hurt in Week 12 at the Jets. Howell should be considered a low-end No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues in this matchup.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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There's a lot to like about Howell this week against the Dolphins. He's passed for at least 300 yards in four of his past five games. He's attempted at least 42 passes in six games in a row. And he's been below 19 Fantasy points just once in his past five outings, which was at Dallas on Thanksgiving. The Dolphins have only allowed three quarterbacks to score more than 19.8 Fantasy points this season, but Miami just lost one of its best pass rushers after Jaelen Phillips (Achilles) was hurt in Week 12 at the Jets. Howell should be considered a low-end No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues in this matchup.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Tosses 300 yards in loss
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Howell completed 28 of 44 passes for 300 yards and an interception while adding 13 rushing yards and a touchdown on two carries in Thursday's 45-10 loss to the Cowboys.
The second-year quarterback played relatively mistake-free ball until a desperation drive late in the fourth quarter ended on a pick-six by DaRon Bland. It's the fourth time in the last five games Howell has thrown for at least 300 yards, but that yardage has come on sky-high volume -- he's attempted more than 40 passes in six straight contests and eight of the last nine as the Commanders' offense tries to compensate for its porous defense. That formula doesn't figure to change much in Week 13 against the Dolphins.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Start Him (Lineup Decisions)
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Howell proved last week that he can crush good defenses when he isn't pressured, now he's taking on one of the least pressuring defenses in the league. He also should throw a good amount of the time, possibly seeing 35 attempts because the Commanders run game could struggle. Howell fits in as a top-10 Fantasy quarterback this week. I'd start him over Derek Carr, Gardner Minshew, Will Levis and Geno Smith.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Top DFS Play
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Howell was already averaging a league-high 46 dropbacks per game. With Montez Sweat and Chase Young shipped at the deadline, that number may go even higher as the Commanders won't be able to stop anyone. Howell is the favorite to lead the league in pass attempts rest of season and that's not a bad thing for Fantasy when you've got Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson to throw to.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Standout numbers in defeat
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Howell completed 39 of 52 passes for 397 yards with four touchdowns and one interception in the Commanders' 38-31 loss to the Eagles on Sunday. He also rushed three times for 11 yards and committed a fumble that was recovered by Washington.
Howell enjoyed a career-best day in defeat, with both his yardage and touchdown totals serving as new single-game highs for the second-year signal-caller. Howell impressively spread the ball around to nine different targets, connecting with Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Logan Thomas and Jamison Crowder for touchdown tosses of 26, 21, seven and 26 yards, respectively. However, Howell was unable to keep up with Jalen Hurts and his air attack in the fourth quarter, when Philadelphia outscored Washington by a 21-14 margin. The sophomore quarterback nevertheless should draw plenty of confidence from nearly knocking off the defending NFC champions for a second time this season and will next face the Patriots on the road in a Week 9 matchup.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Sit Him (Lineup Decisions)
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After starting the week interested in Howell because of his anticipated pass attempts, I've backed off. I am nervous about trusting not only him but the Commanders playcalling to find answers against an Eagles defense that should deliver pressure even without blitzing and just improved its secondary. After all, the DOLPHINS were stymied by the Eagles defense last week. I know the Commanders have played the Eagles close in recent years but I can't trust Howell on a week when no one is on bye. I've relented and will now start Jordan Love, Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo over Howell.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: QBs to Sit
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Howell had a solid game at Philadelphia in Week 4 with 21.6 Fantasy points, but I don't expect him to do well in the rematch. The Eagles should be able to harass him in this game, and the addition of safety Kevin Byard is a huge boost to the secondary. Howell will likely struggle to avoid the Eagles pass rush, and he's been sacked 40 times already in 2023, putting him on pace to set a new NFL record. Philadelphia just held Tua Tagovailoa to 12.3 Fantasy points in Week 7, and the Eagles should make this a tough day for Howell, even at home. Howell is only worth starting in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues in Week 8.
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Commanders' Sam Howell: Under constant pressure in loss
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Howell completed 22 of 42 passes for 249 yards with an interception in Sunday's 14-7 loss to the Giants.
He also picked up 15 rushing yards on two carries. The second-year QB took another beating in the pocket, getting sacked six times, and while Howell had a little more success in the second half, he still failed to throw a TD for the second time in seven starts this season. Howell's been sacked 40 times already in 2023, putting him on pace to set a new NFL record, and the Commanders will need to solve their protection issues soon if the team doesn't want to stunt the young quarterback's development -- the current holder of the record is Derek Carr's older brother David, the first overall pick in the 2002 draft who never really recovered after being sacked 76 times as a rookie. Howell faces an even more dangerous Eagles front seven in Week 8.
