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Jayden Daniels Jayden Daniels Wins Offensive Rookie of the Year
Thu, Feb 6, 2025, 8:13 PM
Daniels was named the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year on Thursday, Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: Daniels completed 69 percent of his passes for 3,568 passing yards and 25 passing touchdowns while throwing nine interceptions over 17 regular-season games with Washington this season. He also added a rookie-QB record 891 rushing yards while scoring six touchdowns on the ground. It comes as no surprise that he was able to bring home the hardware as the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year, edging out fellow quarterback Bo Nix, wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas and tight end Brock Bowers for the award. |
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Michael Wiley Michael Wiley Gets future deal with Washington
Thu, Feb 6, 2025, 3:33 PM
The Commanders signed Wiley to a reserve/future contract Thursday.
Analysis: Wiley spent time on Washington's practice squad during the 2024 campaign, though the undrafted rookie didn't ultimately suit up for a single regular-season or playoff game with the team. Now, Wiley will get a chance to continue his development with the Commanders for a second consecutive offseason. |
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Chris Rodriguez Chris Rodriguez Finishes season with 173 rush yards
Thu, Feb 6, 2025, 1:31 PM
Rodriguez finished the 2024 regular season with 35 carries for 173 yards and two touchdowns and one catch for 12 yards.
Analysis: The 2023 sixth-round pick spent much of the season on Washington's practice squad and was a healthy scratch for the final two playoff games, but he also had a few chances to handle a significant role when the team was missing either Brian Robinson or Austin Ekeler, both of whom are under contract through 2025. Rodriguez is set to be an exclusive rights free agent, which means he'll likely be back with the Commanders in a depth role at the league-minimum salary for a third-year player. There is some chance Rodriguez gets an opportunity to move up the depth chart, as he's averaged 4.9 yards on 86 career carries after a prolific college career at Kentucky. |
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Austin Ekeler Austin Ekeler Tough ending to solid season
Thu, Feb 6, 2025, 1:23 PM
Ekeler finished the 2024 regular season with 77 carries for 367 yards and four touchdowns and 35 catches for 366 yards in 12 games, adding 34 touches for 173 yards in three playoff appearances.
Analysis: Ekeler mostly played well in the first season of a two-year contract, but he suffered a pair of concussions along the way and then lost a fumble in the NFC Championship Game. His future in Washington is uncertain, as the team can add $3.46 million in cap space by releasing Ekeler this offseason. Regardless of how things play out with the Commanders, his days as a top fantasy asset appear numbered, with Ekeler now trying to continue his career as a backup/passing-down specialist. He'll turn 30 in May. |
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Cole Turner Cole Turner Signs futures deal with Washington
Tue, Jan 28, 2025, 4:33 PM
Turner signed a reserve/future contract with the Commanders on Tuesday.
Analysis: Turner spent the entire 2024 season on the Commanders' practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster at the conclusion of training camp. The Nevada product has played in 22 regulars-season games since being selected by Washington in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Turner will be on the Commanders' 90-man roster at the start of the new league year, and he'll use OTAs, minicamp and training camp as an opportunity to earn a spot on the 53-man roster for the 2025 campaign. |
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Chris Moore Chris Moore Staying with Commanders
Tue, Jan 28, 2025, 4:31 PM
The Commanders signed Moore to a reserve/future contract Tuesday.
Analysis: Moore spent the 2024 regular season on the Cardinals' and Commanders' practice squads. He was elevated to Washington's active roster for the NFC wild-card game against Tampa Bay, during which he played 12 offensive snaps without drawing a target. Moore will be able to participate in OTAs, minicamp and training camp while working his way to earn a spot on the Commanders' 53-man roster for the 2025 campaign. |
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Marcus Mariota Marcus Mariota Does well with limited chances in 2024
Tue, Jan 28, 2025, 9:55 AM
Mariota completed 34 of 44 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns during the 2024 regular season, then took two rush attempts for one yard in two playoff games.
Analysis: Mariota never made a start but got the majority of playing time in two regular-season games and led the Commanders to victory both times. He then got two snaps in short-yardage situations during the playoffs, converting one and getting stuffed on the other. The 31-year-old isn't under contract for 2025, but it won't come as any surprise if he re-signs with the Commanders to back up Jayden Daniels again. |
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Ben Sinnott Ben Sinnott Buried on depth chart all season
Tue, Jan 28, 2025, 9:30 AM
Sinnott finished his rookie season with five catches for 28 yards and a touchdown on five targets, adding one catch for 23 yards on a fake punt in three playoff games.
Analysis: Sinnott spent his entire rookie season third on the depth chart, behind Zach Ertz and blocker John Bates, neither of whom is under contract for 2025. It's possible the 2024 second-round pick gets a starting opportunity ahead of his second pro season, but the lack of playing time as a rookie still isn't the best sign for his future. Still, Sinnott's combination of size, speed and draft capital could make him a late-round sleeper for fantasy in 2025, especially if the Commanders don't re-sign Ertz or otherwise make a large investment in a receiving-focused TE. |
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John Bates John Bates Adds three catches in playoffs
Tue, Jan 28, 2025, 9:27 AM
Bates caught eight of 13 passes for 84 yards during the 2024 regular season, then added three catches for 31 yards on four targets in the playoffs.
Analysis: Bates has been Washington's No. 2 tight end ever since the team took him in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He's always been more of a blocker than pass catcher, and it's possible he finds a new home now that he's completed his rookie contract. TE Zach Ertz is also scheduled for free agency, but Bates is unlikely to have a major receiving role even if he re-signs with the Commanders while Ertz moves on. |
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Jeremy McNichols Jeremy McNichols Fumbles in NFCCG
Tue, Jan 28, 2025, 9:24 AM
McNichols finished the 2024 regular season with 55 carries for 261 yards and four touchdowns and nine catches for 27 yards, adding five carries for nine yards and a touchdown in three playoff appearances.
Analysis: McNichols got a bunch of chances to step in as Washington's No. 2 back, with Brian Robinson missing three games and Austin Ekeler five. While he mostly performed well, the enduring memory of McNichols' season for a lot of Washington fans will be be his lost fumble on a kick return during the NFC Championship Game -- a mistake that allowed the Eagles to stretch their lead from eight points to 15. The 29-year-old McNichols is scheduled for unrestricted free agency this offseason. |
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Noah Brown Noah Brown Finishes season on IR
Tue, Jan 28, 2025, 9:15 AM
Brown (kidney) was on injured reserve from Week 15 through the end of the playoffs, finishing the 2024 season with 35 catches for 453 yards and one touchdown on 56 targets in 11 games.
Analysis: Released by the Texans at the end of the preseason, Brown signed with Washington and became the team's No. 2 receiver by the end of September. He kept the role until Week 13 when a kidney laceration brought his season to an early end. Brown should be healthy before the start of offseason activities, and he's scheduled for unrestricted free agency after celebrating his 29th birthday in January. |
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K.J. Osborn K.J. Osborn Finishes season with 57 yards
Tue, Jan 28, 2025, 9:11 AM
Osborn made just one appearance after joining the Commanders in December, finishing the regular season with seven catches for 57 yards and a touchdown on 18 targets.
Analysis: All of his production came with the Patriots, for whom he played 62-75 percent of snaps in each of the first four games of the season. Osborn's role declined drastically in October, and the Patriots waived him Dec. 10 after a series of healthy scratches. He'll turn 28 in June and is scheduled for unrestricted free agency this offseason, with minimal chance to get significant guaranteed money on his next contract. |
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Luke McCaffrey Luke McCaffrey Barely contributes as rookie
Tue, Jan 28, 2025, 9:08 AM
McCaffrey finished the 2024 regular season with 18 catches for 168 yards on 24 targets, then was held without a catch on one target in three playoff appearances.
Analysis: The 2024 third-round pick started his career playing around half of Washington's snaps on offense, but he struggled to draw targets or make big plays and was getting less than one-fourth of the snaps by December/January. While his failure to emerge as a regular starter isn't a good sign for future productivity, McCaffrey may get another shot at the No. 3 receiver role in 2025, as he and Terry McLaurin are the only Washington wide receivers under contract. |
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Jamison Crowder Jamison Crowder Handles depth role and returns
Tue, Jan 28, 2025, 9:04 AM
Crowder finished the 2024 regular season with nine catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns in six games, adding three catches for 29 yards in three playoff appearances.
Analysis: Crowder's primary role was on punt returns, but he also scored two TDs in a Week 16 win over Philadelphia, including the game-winner in the final seconds. He missed 11 straight games with a calf injury from late September to mid-December, and he never went higher than 46 percent snap share on offense. Crowder will turn 32 in June and isn't under contract for 2025. |
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Olamide Zaccheaus Olamide Zaccheaus Quiet in playoffs
Tue, Jan 28, 2025, 9:00 AM
Zaccheaus finished the 2024 regular season with 45 catches for 506 yards and three touchdowns on 64 targets, then added seven catches for 45 yards on 10 targets in three playoff games.
Analysis: Zaccheaus was Washington's third or fourth WR for most of the year, and he came on strong at the end of the regular season, with the final three games accounting for 41 percent of his receiving yardage (206) and all three TDs. He had far less success in the playoffs, while teammate Dyami Brown had 229 receiving yards in the three games -- nearly as many as his total from the regular season (308). Both Zaccheaus and Brown are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this offseason, and the same goes for fellow veterans Noah Brown (kidney), Jamison Crowder and K.J. Osborn. That leaves Terry McLaurin and Luke McCaffrey as the only Washington wideouts under contract for 2025, which could put the team in the market for a major upgrade via free agency and/or the draft. If Zaccheaus returns, he'll likely be somewhere between third and fifth on the depth chart. |
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Dyami Brown Dyami Brown Maintains key role
Sun, Jan 26, 2025, 8:58 PM
Brown recorded three receptions on five targets for 42 yards in Sunday's 55-23 loss to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. He also lost a fumble.
Analysis: Brown had emerged as a key contributor in the Washington offense during the team's unlikely postseason run. He took a slight step back in Sunday's loss, as he had a mixed performance that included both positives and negatives. Brown accounted for the team's second-longest play from scrimmage with a 24-yard catch, but he also lost a fumble late in the first quarter to set up a Philadelphia touchdown. The Commanders will likely look to add to their pass-catching corps this offseason, though Brown's unexpected emergence is still intriguing heading into the 2025 campaign. |
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Zach Ertz Zach Ertz Dominates targets
Sun, Jan 26, 2025, 8:36 PM
Ertz recorded 11 receptions on 16 targets for 104 yards in Sunday's 55-23 loss to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
Analysis: Ertz was Jayden Daniels' favorite target throughout the game, allowing him to post the first 100-yard performance of his career in the postseason as well as his first overall since Week 9 of the 2019 season. He was particularly productive throughout the second half, tallying long gains of 21 and 16 yards. Ertz will enter the offseason as a free agent, though he had a resurgent season and will likely land a short-term deal in Washington or elsewhere around the league. |
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Terry McLaurin Terry McLaurin Finds end zone to conclude season
Sun, Jan 26, 2025, 8:16 PM
McLaurin recorded three receptions on seven targets for 51 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 55-23 NFC Championship Game loss to the Eagles.
Analysis: McLaurin was predictably the focus of the strong Philadelphia secondary and was blanketed by Quinyon Mitchell for much of the game. That led to a subpar performance, though he did manage an impressive 36-yard touchdown catch and run midway through the second quarter to account for the majority of his production. Though his campaign ended on a sour note, McLaurin managed a career-best 13 touchdowns while also tallying his highest catch total (82) since 2020 across 17 regular-season games. |
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Brian Robinson Brian Robinson Bottled up in loss
Sun, Jan 26, 2025, 8:02 PM
Robinson rushed the ball 11 times for 36 yards in Sunday's 55-23 loss to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
Analysis: Robinson led the Commanders' backfield in carries, though he saw limited work overall. Austin Ekeler and Jayden Daniels earned eight and six rushing attempts respectively, and Ekeler also accounted for all of the pass-catching work out of the backfield. As a result, with Washington chasing points for most of the contest, Ekeler took over as the lead back in the final two quarters. Robinson ended the season on a slide in production, as he was held to 50 or fewer total yards in four of the team's last seven games including the postseason. That casts doubt over his potential role in 2025 despite topping 175 carries in all three seasons as a pro. |
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Jayden Daniels Jayden Daniels Excellent rookie season concludes
Sun, Jan 26, 2025, 7:45 PM
Daniels completed 29 of 48 passes for 255 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Sunday's 55-23 NFC Championship Game loss to the Eagles. He added six rushes for 48 yards and an additional score.
Analysis: It wasn't Daniels' most efficient performance, and his potential comeback attempt was cut short by four total turnovers from the Commanders -- though he accounted for only one on an interception late in the fourth quarter with the contest already decided. He still managed to lead five total scoring drives, highlighted by a 36-yard touchdown throw and a 10-yard rush. Though Daniels' rookie season concluded short of the Super Bowl, he exceeded any realistic expectations both from an individual and team perspective. Across 19 total games, he accounted for 35 total touchdowns while turning the ball over only nine times, and he will enter the 2025 season as a top fantasy option at the QB position. |
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