Team Profile
Washington Commanders
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0.1% 20thOff DVOA
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27.6% 12thPassing DVOA
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0.8% 14thRushing DVOA
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35.8% 32ndDef DVOA
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72.7% 32ndDef Passing DVOA
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-12.6% 11thDef Rushing DVOA
2024 Team Stats
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Points For20.5 18th
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Points Against27.5 29th
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Yards Per Game362.0 10th
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Yards Allowed Per Game348.0 22nd
The Washington Commanders have placed quarterback Marcus Mariota (chest) on injured reserve and have signed quarterback Sam Hartman from their practice squad. Mariota, who sustained a chest injury during Wednesday's practice, will be sidelined until at least early October. Washington had signed Mariota to a one-year, $6 million contract before drafting Jayden Daniels with their second-round pick. Mariota, a former No. 2 overall pick in 2015, had agreed to either mentor or start as needed for the team. This marks Mariota's first season with the Commanders after previous stints with the Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, and Philadelphia Eagles. The rookie from Notre Dame will step in as the third-string quarterback behind Daniels, the starter, and Jeff Driskel, the new backup, for the start of the season.
Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (chest, pectoral) has officially been ruled out for Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had been limited on Wednesday but then did not practice on Thursday or Friday. His absence means that Washington will head into its first game of the year with Jeff Driskel backing up Jayden Daniels. Of course, Daniels, this year's No. 1 pick, is the only Washington quarterback worth rostering in fantasy football. He's a mid-to-low QB1 option against the Buccaneers.
Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz could see a hefty amount of targets his way in the season opener, making him a high-end TE2 in all leagues. With many questions surrounding the No.2 receiver in Washington, Ertz could fill that role in the short term. Last season, the veteran appeared in just seven games before suffering a season-ending quadriceps injury. During this span, Ertz averaged a mere 7.4 PPR points but was targeted on 23.2% of his routes. Through his first taste of the regular season, rookie Jayden Daniels may lock on to Ertz in the middle of the field instead of pushing the ball outside. However, if the 33-year-old cannot perform, he may soon be replaced by rookie Ben Sinnott, who the Commanders selected in the second round of this year's draft. Facing the Buccaneers, who allowed the third-most fantasy points to tight ends last season, Ertz might be a sneaky play in DFS formats and a high-end TE2 in deeper leagues.
Washington Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown looks to emerge as the No. 2 wideout in the season opener but should be left out of your starting lineups this weekend. Brown flashed some upside during the preseason, especially in the opening game, where he caught a 42-yard pass from quarterback Jayden Daniels. In the second game, he continued to build a connection with Daniels by seeing three targets on just one drive. Through his first three seasons in Washington, the UNC product totaled only 476 yards and three scores, making him a boom-or-bust option in Week 1. However, if Brown can claim the No. 2 spot on the depth chart, he could become a solid flex play as the season progresses as Daniels develops as a passer.
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin should be expected to see the vast majority of targets on Sunday afternoon and should be treated as a high-end WR2 in Week 1. Currently, the Commanders depth chart outside of the Ohio State product is looking quite bleak, with several unproven wideouts. Even after catching passes from multiple QBs every season of his career, the former third-round pick has posted a 1,000-yard campaign in all but one of his five professional campaigns. He now hopes to continue that same success with the new franchise QB in the nation's capital. In a matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who surrendered the fifth-most 248.9 passing yards per game last year, McLaurin could be in store for a big game and get off to an excellent start as he looks to be the focal point of the Washington offense yet again.