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Chris Moore Chris Moore Reverts to practice squad
Mon, Sep 8, 2025, 8:03 PM
Moore reverted to the Commanders' practice squad Monday.
Analysis: Moore played 19 snaps on offense and eight on special teams and ended up hauling in his only target for 34 yards during Sunday's win over the Giants. He could be elevated again for the team's Week 2 matchup versus the Packers as he outplayed Luke McCaffrey on Sunday. |
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Noah Brown Noah Brown Limited on practice estimate
Mon, Sep 8, 2025, 4:41 PM
Brown (knee) was listed as limited on Monday's practice estimate.
Analysis: Brown also was listed on the Commanders' Week 1 injury report while managing a knee issue, but he approached the team's season-opening win over the Giants without an injury designation and caught two of his three targets for 27 yards while logging a 47 percent snap share in the contest. Assuming no setbacks, it looks like the wideout's listed limitations Monday could be maintenance-related, with added context regarding Brown's status for Thursday night's game against the Packers set to arrive no later than Tuesday's practice report. |
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Austin Ekeler Austin Ekeler Estimated as limited in practice
Mon, Sep 8, 2025, 4:30 PM
Ekeler (shoulder) was listed as limited on Monday's practice estimate.
Analysis: The Commanders held a walkthrough Monday on the heels of Sunday's 21-6 win over the Giants. In that contest, Ekeler logged 33 of a possible 70 snaps on offense, while carrying six times for 26 yards and catching all three of his targets for 31 yards. Now that he's managing a shoulder issue, however, Ekeler's status should be tracked ahead of Thursday night's game against the Packers. If he's available, Ekeler would be in line to continue to share backfield work with Jacory Croskey-Merritt (10 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown Sunday) and Jeremy McNichols (four carries for 25 yards). Of the the trio, Ekeler was the only one to record a catch Week 1. |
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Zach Ertz Zach Ertz Picks up where he left off with TD
Sun, Sep 7, 2025, 7:45 PM
Ertz caught three of five targets for 26 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 21-6 win over the Giants.
Analysis: After scoring six touchdowns in the last seven games of the 2024 regular season, Ertz picked up where he left off with a seven-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. The 34-year-old tight end remains a reliable red-zone target for Jayden Daniels in an explosive Commanders offense. Ertz will try to continue his scoring binge Thursday in Green Bay. |
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Jacory Croskey-Merritt Jacory Croskey-Merritt Racks up 82 yards, TD in debut
Sun, Sep 7, 2025, 5:13 PM
Croskey-Merritt rushed 10 times for 82 yards and a touchdown while failing to catch his only target in Sunday's 21-6 win over the Giants.
Analysis: Croskey-Merritt got as many rushing attempts as Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols combined. The highlights of the rookie seventh-round pick's NFL debut were a six-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a 42-yard run in the fourth. Croskey-Merritt looks like the team's go-to option on early downs heading into Thursday's Week 2 game at Green Bay, but his lack of pass-catching ability should allow Ekeler to stay involved in passing situations. |
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Austin Ekeler Austin Ekeler Nine touches in Week 1 win
Sun, Sep 7, 2025, 5:12 PM
Ekeler rushed six times for 26 yards and caught all three of his targets for 31 yards in Sunday's 21-6 win over the Giants.
Analysis: Ekeler finished third on the team in rushing yards and third in receiving yards, working as a secondary option in the offense out of the backfield. Rookie seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt led the rushing attack with 10 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown while Jeremy McNichols mixed in for 25 yards on four carries, but neither of those running backs had a catch Sunday. Ekeler's likely to play primarily in passing situations, and that role could yield greater dividends in games that require Washington to play catch-up, which may be the case on the road in Week 2 against the Packers on Thursday. |
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Deebo Samuel Deebo Samuel Leading receiver in WAS debut
Sun, Sep 7, 2025, 5:10 PM
Samuel caught seven of 10 targets for 77 yards while scoring a 19-yard touchdown on his only rushing attempt in Sunday's 21-6 win over the Giants.
Analysis: Samuel gave the Commanders some breathing room with a 19-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to extend Washington's lead to 21-6. He also led the team in targets, catches and receiving yards, while no teammate had more than five targets, three catches or 34 receiving yards. Samuel's set to be a key playmaker for the Commanders after coming over from San Francisco in an offseason trade. Up next for Samuel is a Week 2 trip to Green Bay on Thursday. |
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Terry McLaurin Terry McLaurin Two catches in Week 1 win
Sun, Sep 7, 2025, 4:02 PM
McLaurin caught two of four targets for 27 yards in Sunday's 21-6 win over the Giants.
Analysis: Perhaps a lack of training camp reps due to an ankle injury and since-resolved contract dispute threw off McLaurin's timing in the season opener, though he also got off to a slow start last season, with just 39 yards through Week 2. McLaurin will try to avoid the same fate Thursday when the Commanders travel to Green Bay. He had a boom-or-bust season in 2024, with four multi-touchdown performances in the regular season, as well as five games with fewer than 30 receiving yards. |
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Jayden Daniels Jayden Daniels Passing TD, 68 rush yards Week 1
Sun, Sep 7, 2025, 4:00 PM
Daniels completed 19 of 30 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown while rushing 11 times for 68 yards in Sunday's 21-6 win over the Giants.
Analysis: Daniels gave the Commanders a 7-0 lead with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Zach Ertz in the first quarter, and Washington took a 14-3 lead into the locker room, but it could have been larger if not for an intentional grounding penalty on Daniels from the Giants' four-yard line that resulted in a half-ending 10-second runoff. Washington's defense continued to stifle the Giants in the second half, so Daniels wasn't asked to do too much, though he still topped the 60-yard rushing mark for the seventh time in 18 regular-season NFL starts. Daniels' ability to contribute with both his arm and legs makes the second-year pro an elite fantasy option heading into Thursday's Week 2 trip to Green Bay. |
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Josh Johnson Josh Johnson Inactive as emergency QB in Week 1
Sun, Sep 7, 2025, 11:13 AM
Johnson (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Giants and will serve as Washington's emergency third quarterback.
Analysis: Johnson is third on the QB depth chart behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, so he could serve as the emergency QB frequently this season. It would take both Daniels and Mariota becoming unavailable due to injury, illness or ejection for Johnson to be eligible to enter Sunday's matchup. |
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Chris Rodriguez Chris Rodriguez Healthy scratch Sunday
Sun, Sep 7, 2025, 10:52 AM
Rodriguez (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Giants.
Analysis: Rodriguez thus is the odd man out in a Commanders backfield that will be playing without Brian Robinson following his trade to the 49ers on Aug. 22. Instead, some combination of Austin Ekeler, rookie seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols will be Washington's available running backs Sunday. Rodriguez's next chance to suit up will be Thursday at Green Bay. |
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Chris Moore Chris Moore Elevated for Week 1
Sat, Sep 6, 2025, 5:27 PM
The Commanders elevated Moore from the practice squad Saturday.
Analysis: Moore will provide wideout and special-teams depth for the Commanders during their Week 1 matchup with the Giants on Sunday. |
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Noah Brown Noah Brown Avoids injury designation
Fri, Sep 5, 2025, 3:16 PM
Brown (knee/rest) didn't practice Friday but doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Giants, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
Analysis: Listed as a limited participant the previous two days, Brown apparently showed enough to gain clearance for the season opener, although his knee requires maintenance. It's unclear if missing most of the summer will impact his depth-chart standing for Week 1; he entered training camp as the favorite for the No. 3 WR job but now could lose work to Jaylin Lane and/or Luke McCaffrey. Either way, Brown isn't likely to see many targets while both Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel remain healthy. |
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Noah Brown Noah Brown Remains limited Thursday
Thu, Sep 4, 2025, 3:25 PM
Brown (knee) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
Analysis: Brown has been limited in both of the Commanders' first two Week 1 sessions, so he may need to upgrade to full participation Friday to avoid carrying a designation into Sunday's game against the Giants. The 29-year-old projects to open the season as the Commanders' No. 3 wideout behind Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel, a role that may not translate to consistent target volume on a weekly basis. |
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Marcus Mariota Marcus Mariota Practices fully
Wed, Sep 3, 2025, 3:16 PM
Mariota (Achilles) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
Analysis: Mariota spent much of training camp and the preseason managing Achilles tendinitis, but as expected, he's ready to rock for Week 1. The veteran signal-caller will operate as Jayden Daniels' backup versus the Giants on Sunday, while Josh Johnson handles emergency quarterback duties. |
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Noah Brown Noah Brown Limited in practice
Wed, Sep 3, 2025, 3:04 PM
Brown (knee) was limited in practice Wednesday, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
Analysis: Brown picked up an injury during June minicamp, and despite opening training camp as a full participant, he was held off the practice field late August. It's encouraging for Brown's odds of playing Week 1 to now see him back on the field, though he'll have only two more chances to upgrade to full participation ahead of Sunday's regular-season opener against the Giants. |
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Terry McLaurin Terry McLaurin Gets extension, ending hold-in
Mon, Aug 25, 2025, 10:42 AM
McLaurin and the Commanders agreed to terms Monday on a three-year contract extension, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: McLaurin officially came off the active/PUP list Aug. 16, but he'd been sitting out practice and preseason action until such time as an agreement was finally reached on a new contract. The soon-to-be 30-year-old wideout officially will end his hold-in and suit up for on-field practices with Washington, with just under two weeks to go before the team's regular-season opener against the Giants on Sunday, Sept. 7. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, McLaurin's new deal is a three-year, $96 million extension. Fantasy managers may still have trouble shaking lingering concerns about McLaurin having missed all of training camp and the preseason, but he remains solidified as Jayden Daniels' clear No. 1 wideout in a passing game that appears primed to take another step forward with the star signal-caller entering Year 2 and Deebo Samuel upgrading the No. 2 receiver role. |
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Luke McCaffrey Luke McCaffrey Catches five passes for 23 yards
Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 1:59 PM
McCaffrey caught each of his five targets for 23 yards in Saturday's preseason loss to Baltimore.
Analysis: Deebo Samuel and rookie fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane were among the many players rested, while Terry McLaurin (contract) and Noah Brown (undisclosed injury) remain unavailable for other reasons. There may be an opening for someone unexpected to step up early in the season, but McCaffrey's presence on the field Saturday (and unimpressive preseason overall) suggest it's unlikely to be him. The Commanders have a slew of WRs competing for the final few spots, including veterans Chris Moore, Michael Gallup and K.J. Osborn. McCaffrey, a 2024 third-round pick, has been disappointing so far, but he at least seems to be toward the front of the group, though perhaps not quite a roster lock. |
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Jeremy McNichols Jeremy McNichols Stuffed in preseason finale
Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 1:54 PM
McNichols took three carries for a loss of four yards in Saturday's 30-3 preseason loss to Baltimore.
Analysis: He was the second running back to get a touch, with Chris Rodriguez starting while both Austin Ekeler and Jacory Croskey-Merritt rested. It looks like the decision for cutdown day will be whether or not to keep McNichols as the fourth running back, as Rodriguez mostly worked ahead of him this preseason and took 17 carries for 118 yards. McNichols finishes with nine carries for 24 yards, showing a glimpse of why he's mostly viewed as a passing-down back. If he ends up on Washington's roster or practice squad, any shot at fantasy value will probably depend on Ekeler missing time (which would open up the passing-down role). |
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Chris Rodriguez Chris Rodriguez Starts preseason finale
Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 1:48 PM
Rodriguez started Saturday's 30-3 preseason loss to Baltimore and took five carries for 34 yards.
Analysis: All five carries came on the opening drive, after which Jeremy McNichols came on. Rodriguez played well again, after ripping off a 40-yard gain the week before, but it's perhaps not the best sign for his Week 1 role that he was playing at all (while both Austin Ekeler and Jacory Croskey-Merritt were rested). There's been much speculation about the nature of Washington's likely backfield committee, with Brian Robinson recently traded to San Francisco after averaging 13.4 carries and 1.8 targets across 36.1 snaps in 14 regular-season games last year (958 total yards and eight TDs). Most of the fantasy interest centers on Ekeler and Croskey-Merritt, with Rodriguez potentially playing a spoiler role by handling some of the power running. Coach Dan Quinn was asked Thursday about Rodriguez handling short-yardage work and acknowledged the possibility, although Quinn also cautioned against assuming traditional backfield roles. |
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