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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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Terry McLaurin Terry McLaurin Not playing Saturday
Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 11:03 AM
McLaurin (contract) won't play in Saturday's preseason game against Baltimore, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: McLaurin would be rested for the game even if he'd been active in training camp (rather than sitting out due to an ankle injury and contract dispute). The Commanders cleared him from a health standpoint Aug. 16, removing McLaurin from the PUP list, but it's unclear if he'll start practicing soon and where he stands with his prior trade request. He was present at practice Thursday, but merely as an observer in a hoodie. While he'll presumably need time to ramp up before playing, the larger concern right now is that McLaurin might consider skipping games due to displeasure with his contract. His trade request was widely seen as a sign of frustration, or a negotiating tactic, with reports suggesting the Commanders have no desire to trade him and McLaurin still prefers to stay in Washington (if he can get a contract he's happy with). It's incredibly rare nowadays for a player under contract to skip games, but that's something that needs to be considered at this point, if only as a fringe possibility. |
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Zach Ertz Zach Ertz Held out ahead of Week 1
Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 10:53 AM
Ertz won't play in Saturday's preseason game against Baltimore, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: Ertz and John Bates are both being rested -- in Ertz's case for a third straight week -- while 2024 second-round pick Ben Sinnott isn't among the 33 names being held out. It's the latest sign that Sinnott has made no real progress toward usurping Ertz, although there's perhaps still some risk it eventually happens. In any case, Ertz gets a solid target projection for Week 1 against the Giants, putting him in play as a lineup option even though he was drafted as a backup (or not at all) in most fantasy leagues. The uncertainty surrounding Terry McLaurin (contract) and Noah Brown (undisclosed injury) could further boost Ertz's volume outlook as the opener draws near, with the wideouts potentially having workload limitations even if they both end up playing (following prolonged absences this summer). |
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Austin Ekeler Austin Ekeler Resting for Week 1
Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 10:48 AM
Ekeler won't play in Saturday's preseason game against Baltimore, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: Ekeler and rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt are the two running backs on Washington's list of players that won't participate. It's a sign they'll share work come Week 1 against the Giants, although there's also talk of Chris Rodriguez having a role, which might include short-yardage carries. The Commanders traded Brian Robinson to San Francisco for a sixth-round pick Friday, showing confidence in some combination of Ekeler, Croskey-Merritt, Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols to form a committee. Ekeler's receiving skills make his role the most secure, although he's on the downside of his career and has fumbled 18 times (including playoffs) in 63 games over the past four season. |
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Jaylin Lane Jaylin Lane Resting up for Week 1
Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 10:42 AM
Lane won't play in Saturday's preseason game against Baltimore, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: With no injury reported, it's a sign that the Commanders are more interested in keeping Lane healthy than evaluating him further. The rookie fourth-round pick caught three of seven targets for 42 yards this preseason, and while he probably won't be an immediate starter, the uncertainty surrounding Terry McLaurin (contract) and Noah Brown (undisclosed) could free up snaps for Lane in Week 1 against the Giants. Lane may also get work on special teams, considering he had two return TDs in college and then ran a 4.34 40 at the 2025 NFL Combine. |
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John Bates John Bates Resting Saturday
Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 9:48 AM
Bates won't play in Saturday's preseason game against Baltimore, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: The Commanders are resting most of the players with secure roles -- a group that includes Bates, but apparently not fellow tight end Ben Sinnott (a 2024 second-round pick). Zach Ertz is also resting in anticipation of being the team's top receiving threat at tight end, while Bates figures to continue in his familiar role as a blocking-focused No. 2 TE when Washington open the regular season against the Giants on Sun., Sept. 7. |
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Jacory Croskey-Merritt Jacory Croskey-Merritt Resting for preseason finale
Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 9:46 AM
Croskey-Merritt won't play in Saturday's preseason game against Baltimore, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: Assuming a minor injury isn't at play, this is the latest hint that Croskey-Merritt is on track for not only a roster spot but also a Week 1 role on offense. The Commanders traded Brian Robinson to the 49ers on Friday, leaving Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez as the favorites to split backfield work with Austin Ekeler, although Jeremy McNichols could also factor in a bit. Ekeler is also listed among the 33 Commanders that won't play Saturday, but Rodriguez and McNichols aren't. |
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Deebo Samuel Deebo Samuel Not playing Saturday
Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 9:43 AM
Samuel and most other starters won't play in Saturday's preseason game against Baltimore, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: Samuel made one appearance this preseason, taking a carry for 19 yards. By all accounts, he's been a favorite target of Jayden Daniels this summer, displaying strong chemistry with the young QB throughout training camp. Samuel's volume projection for Week 1 against the Giants is nonetheless partially dependent on the availability of fellow wideout Terry McLaurin, who missed all of camp due to some combination of an ankle injury and contract negotiations. |
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Jayden Daniels Jayden Daniels Not playing Saturday
Sat, Aug 23, 2025, 9:41 AM
Daniels and most other starters won't play in Saturday's preseason game against Baltimore, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Analysis: There's a list of 33 players that won't take part Saturday, including Daniels, Marcus Mariota, Austin Ekeler, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Terry McLaurin (contract), Deebo Samuel, Noah Brown (undisclosed), Jaylin Lane, Zach Ertz and John Bates. The next time we see most of them will be a Week 1 home game against the Giants. |
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Jacory Croskey-Merritt Jacory Croskey-Merritt Moving up depth chart
Fri, Aug 22, 2025, 12:45 PM
Croskey-Merritt's impressive summer contributed to Washington's decision to trade Brian Robinson to the 49ers on Friday, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: A trade was rumored all week, with Robinson even held out of Monday's preseason loss to Cincinnati. RB Chris Rodriguez started that game and had a 40-yard run on the second snap, before Croskey-Merritt stepped up on the second drive with a 27-yard TD. Those two are the favorites to replace Robinson when a power runner is needed, but Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols are also candidates to take over some of the snaps Robinson handled last year. It'll be one of the key backfields to monitor Week 1, with no guarantee that Croskey-Merritt's rising ADP leads to a fantasy-friendly role in the opener. The usage in September won't necessarily be the same as that later in the season, of course, and positive reports on Croskey-Merritt throughout the summer suggest he has a shot to emerge as the lead runner. |
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Austin Ekeler Austin Ekeler Set to lead backfield?
Fri, Aug 22, 2025, 11:17 AM
The Commanders likely will trade or release Brian Robinson, leaving Ekeler to split backfield work with some combination of Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the New York Times.
Analysis: The decision to move on from Robinson hints at confidence in Washington's backfield alternatives, although Robinson's non-guaranteed $3.4 million salary is also a factor. It remains to be seen if Ekeler will capture some of the work that went to Robinson last season, as there's been talk of Croskey-Merritt potentially getting a lot of carries and Rodriguez taking short-yardage work. Ekeler averaged 4.8 yards on 77 carries and 10.5 yards on 35 catches in the regular season last year, but he missed five games with injuries and fumbled three times (later fumbling a fourth time during the NFC Championship Game). |
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Chris Rodriguez Chris Rodriguez Favorite for goal-line work?
Fri, Aug 22, 2025, 8:20 AM
Commanders coach Dan Quinn said Thursday that Rodriguez could be the team's goal-line back, although Quinn also commented that the team won't necessarily have traditional backfield roles, Commanders writer Ben Standig reports.
Analysis: With Brian Robinson reportedly on the trade block and perhaps even at risk of being released, there's been a lot of recent discussion about what Washington's backfield might look like. Austin Ekeler is the safest bet for snaps and touches, but he's unlikely to handle a huge workload, leaving paths for Rodriguez, Jacory Croskey-Merritt and/or Jeremy McNichols to get involved. Most of the fantasy discussion has centered on Croskey-Merritt this summer, but Rodriguez got the start alongside QB Jayden Daniels in Washington's second preseason game and promptly broke off a 40-yard run on the opening drive. Croskey-Merritt then came on for the second series, while Ekeler was held out and McNichols played later on. A three-way committee between Ekeler, Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt is the most likely outcome for Week 1 against the Giants, regardless of various judgements and opinions on how things might play out from there. Rodriguez is worthy of a fantasy bench spot in most leagues while we wait to see just how things play out in Washington's backfield. |
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Marcus Mariota Marcus Mariota Managing Achilles tendinitis
Thu, Aug 21, 2025, 1:50 PM
Mariota said Thursday that he's dealing with Achilles tendinitis but expects to be ready for Week 1, JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington reports.
Analysis: Mariota made his return to the practice field Wednesday, per Zach Selby of the Commanders' official site, but his activity level still appears to be limited. The veteran backup quarterback has already missed both Washington's preseason affairs to date, and it looks like he could again be held out of Saturday's exhibition finale against Baltimore even if the expectation is that he'll be fully healthy in time for Week 1. |
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Brian Robinson Brian Robinson Excused from practice
Wed, Aug 20, 2025, 12:41 PM
Robinson is not practicing Wednesday and his absence is excused, Commanders writer Ben Standig reports.
Analysis: Robinson also sat out Monday's preseason loss to the Bengals, a mutual decision between himself and Washington. Head coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday he hopes for a resolution soon, but Robinson's absence lends further credence to the building rumors that he's been placed on the trade block. Now on the final year of his year of his rookie deal, Robinson is set out to play the 2025 season with a $3.4 million salary, though he carries under $300,000 in dead cap. As a proven between-the-tackles contributor who averaged 4.1 yards per carry over the last three seasons, Robinson figures to draw at least modest interest around the league from teams in need of a competent big-bodied ballcarrier. |
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Noah Brown Noah Brown Not practicing
Wed, Aug 20, 2025, 9:43 AM
Brown (undisclosed) remains absent from practice, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Brown initially was injured during June minicamp, and while he returned for the start of training camp as a limited participant, he either never made it back to full participation or was quickly sidelined again. Whatever the case, he hasn't played this preseason and seems uncertain for Week 1, which is especially concerning for a Commanders offense that also has Terry McLaurin (contract) absent from practice. Brown was viewed as at least a slight favorite for the No. 3 WR role earlier this offseason, potentially facing competition from Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane, K.J. Osborn or Michael Gallup. It's unclear at this point who besides Deebo Samuel will take WR snaps come Week 1. |
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Luke McCaffrey Luke McCaffrey Finishes without a catch
Mon, Aug 18, 2025, 11:08 PM
McCaffrey started Monday's preseason game against the Bengals but finished without a target.
Analysis: McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and Jaylin Lane took the WR snaps on Jayden Daniels' lone drive -- a four-play TD march on four rushes. Reports from Washington beat writers suggest McCaffrey has made progress since a disappointing rookie season, and strong work in practice could put him in the mix for Week 1 snaps, especially if Terry McLaurin's contract situation impacts his availability (or September workload). Deebo Samuel is locked in for one starting job, but not much else is clear in Washington's WR room unless McLaurin comes back in a hurry. |
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Jeremy McNichols Jeremy McNichols Takes four touches for 13 yards
Mon, Aug 18, 2025, 11:05 PM
McNichols took three carries for 10 yards and one catch for three yards in Monday's preseason loss to the Bengals.
Analysis: He was the third RB into the game for Washington for a second straight week, behind Chris Rodriguez and Jacory Croskey-Merritt (while Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler didn't play). There's nonetheless a chance McNichols makes the Week 1 roster, as he's familiar with Kliff Kingsbury's offense and will bump up a spot on the depth chart if the Robinson trade rumors come to fruition. It does seem Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt are more likely to take over Robinson's role, but McNichols helped fill the gap when Robinson or Ekeler was out last year. |
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