Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota made his return Sunday after having missed the team’s last two games with a knee injury. And he did so in a huge way, having a career game in the Titans’ 34-28 overtime win against the New Orleans Saints.
Fantasy football waiver wire advice: Marcus Mariota feasts on Saints
The rookie quarterback had easily the best game of his career Sunday. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Mariota had totaled 31 fantasy points since Week 2, including three starts, a bye and two games missed to injury. Sunday, he put up 32 in one game, as the rookie went 28-of-39 passing for 371 yards and four touchdowns. He also had one rush for five yards. Mariota connected for two scores with tight end Delanie Walker, one with tight end Anthony Fasano and one with wide receiver Justin Hunter.
Fantasy impact: One of Walker’s two touchdowns was on a total fluke play where two different Saints should have intercepted the ball and instead batted it into the waiting arms of the tight end, but whatever, this was a monster game for a rookie who had fallen on hard times.
That said, it was a huge game against the Saints. Eli Manning had his biggest game of the season against the Saints. Andrew Luck had his second-best game. Matt Ryan had his third, Sam Bradford his second, Brandon Weeden his best, Cam Newton his second, Jameis Winston his second. Carson Palmer opened his season against New Orleans with the best game he played until Week 8.
There’s no taking Mariota’s huge game away from him, and he’ll rank better heading into next week against Carolina, but any huge game by a quarterback against the porous Saints defense has to be taken with a grain of salt.
