Is Sam Howell Worth a Flier in Fantasy Football in 2023?
To say the Quarterback situation for the Washington Commanders has been rough in recent years is an understatement. Since 2018, they have started 12 different QBs, with the most recent being Taylor Heinicke. With him moving onto Atlanta this off-season, the starting job appears to belong to second-year man Sam Howell out of North Carolina. Is he worth a late-round flier in your fantasy football leagues in 2023? I believe he is.
Let’s talk about his play style. Sam Howell has a good-great arm. When making throws down the field, he has the ability to drop it in the bucket for his receiver with ease. He had some accuracy concerns entering the draft but he has a college season at 68.1 percent.
Plus, sitting for a year and learning the NFL game should help. But the big thing is his rushing. Howell rushed for over 1,000 yards during his time at UNC and finished with 17 touchdowns on the ground. He is your prototypical dual-threat Quarterback.
Maybe the biggest thing he might have going for him is the offense in place. With new offensive coordinator Eric Beinemy and a cast of weapons, I think Howell could do some damage in this quick-throw offense. Throwing in quick reads and RPOs and letting the game come to Sam Howell just might be a recipe for success for the Commanders. Howell might never be a 5,000-yard passer like Patrick Mahomes in this offense, but he might be able to make some similar plays.
Sam Howell is currently QB28 in redraft leagues, with an ADP of 192.0. I think he has the potential to finish inside the top 20 in his first full year as the starter. He’s ranked behind guys like Trey Lance, who might not start a game this year, and Jordan Love, who is probably going to absolutely stink this year.
I’m taking Howell over those guys every day of the week. Karl Heiser might have a reason to smile watching his Washington Commanders again, as they might have a dude in Howell. The real question is, can you draft a guy who only eats chicken nuggets?
