Rivers Names Sam Howell As Commanders' QB1

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It's no secret that the Washington Commanders have had minimal success at the quarterback position for nearly a decade. The franchise was even unsure of Kirk Cousins, making history as the only team to franchise tag a QB for back-to-back seasons. The uneasiness the franchise has had with quarterbacks has led them to have a string of starters that eventually fell to Carson Wentz last season. However, in the last game of the year, the team threw Sam Howell to the wolves and was glad to see the returns on their investment.

Moving forward, it looks like Sam Howell is the starting quarterback for the Commanders.

Sam Howell: Commanders' QB1

Taylor Heinicke took the reigns for his second stint as the Washington Commanders' starting QB after Carson Wentz failed to lead Washington to many victories. However, Heinicke's luck would soon wear thin. After a sudden decline in the win column, and the playoffs on the horizon, the team turned back to Wentz. The ill-fated return of Wentz only led to yet another miss at the postseason. So, the team turned to their rookie out of North Carolina, Sam Howell. Howell impressed in his lone game as the starter and threw for 169 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Additionally, he had 35 yards rushing, and a rushing touchdown in the contest.

While his stat sheet might seem a little underwhelming, the context of Washington's quarterback woes is needed to supplement this. Additionally, the fact that they beat their division rivals, the Cowboys, handily too, gave Ron Rivera all the evidence he needed for his QB position moving forward. The majority of previous placeholders have been seasoned veterans who never really had room to grow in the offense. Howell's arm power and age make him the perfect candidate to grow and be molded into the perfect quarterback for this offense. At least, that's what the coaching staff in Washington hopes.

Additionally, should the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, make the move to D.C., as rumored above, then Sam Howell's fantasy value could skyrocket. Plus, when looking at their free agents for this offseason, the majority of their offense should stay intact. In his small sample size, he was able to give Jahan Dotson and Terry McLaurin over 70 yards receiving.

Don't forget about free agent acquisition Curtis Samuel. With Logan Thomas holding down the TE position and the two-headed duo of Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson, the Commanders' offense is set to be formidable next season, especially if Howell lives up to the hype. Of note, with the notable QBs on the market this year, and the appetizing prospects in this year's draft class, Howell has made such a case for himself that Rivera and company won't even play with those ideas.

All things considered, his fantasy value should be closely watched, as he may be a great sleeper pick as the Washington Commanders' starting QB.