NFL: Washington Redskins QB competition up for grabs

There's an adage that some football circles that if you have two starting quarterbacks, you have no starting quarterbacks. The Washington Redskins have three starting quarterbacks.

Redskins training camp opened Thursday, and coach Jay Gruden said the team's three QBs on the roster -- Colt McCoy, Case Keenum and Dwayne Haskins -- have an equal shot at being the man behind center on Sept. 8 when the Redskins take on the Philadelphia Eagles to open the 2019 NFL season.

Expected starting QB Alex Smith won't play all year -- and may never play again after his ugly leg injury suffered last year.

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The three available QBs each have upside. McCoy, entering his sixth season as a Redskins' backup, is the only one who has worked in Gruden's system. Keenum, who the team traded for in the off-season, started the last two seasons for the Vikings and Broncos and has the most on-field experience of the trio. Haskins, meanwhile, was the team's first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and is likely the QB of the future for the franchise. The future may begin Week 1.

"We have time to give these guys ample opportunity as we do every position," Gruden said. "We got to give these guys opportunities to make plays. Which one's the best? It might come down to the wire. It might come down to Saturday before the (season opener). Who knows? But I feel confident in every one of our quarterbacks."

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When it comes to fantasy football, experts believe Haskins will be the guy come Week 1.

"Keenum is listed as the presumptive starter, but it seems like only a matter of time before Haskins is handed the starting reins," SportsLine fantasy insider Jody Smith said. "Unless Haskins is a disaster in August, he's the favorite to open the season under center."

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SportsLine's Ben Gretch has posted his projections, as well. Of the 37 QBs worth considering, Haskins has the slight edge, ranked 31st compared to Keenum at No. 34. McCoy is unranked.