Washington Commanders

Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels went 17-for-24 with 184 passing yards and no scores in his regular-season debut. However, the reigning Heisman winner made his mark with his legs by tallying 88 yards and two goal-line scores on a team-high 16 carries. The Commanders did not have too much rhythm in the first half, but the former second-overall pick began to find his footing as the game progressed. In the second half, Daniels led Washington down a 60 and 70-yard touchdown drive. While his passing production did not raise his fantasy production this afternoon, his legs did. Fantasy managers should continue to start Daniels in all standard formats, given his ability to pick up points on the ground.

New England Patriots wide receiver K.J. Osborn led the team with three receptions on six targets during Week 1 versus the Cincinnati Bengals. He finished the game with a total of 21 receiving yards. The former Viking operated as the Patriots' No. 2 receiver, putting to bed any speculation that rookie Ja'Lynn Polk may open the year in that role. Even with solid volume, Osborn will be tough to trust going forward. We don't have enough confidence in this run-heavy Patriots offense yet, meaning Osborn can't be depended on for consistent production going forward.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown is a healthy scratch in Week 1. The Commanders take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the team looks to enter a new era with a new regime. Brown joined the team after being cut by the Texans at the conclusion of the preseason. He had a solid season with the Texans in 2023 with 33 receptions for 567 yards and two touchdowns in ten games. The healthy scratch is not surprising since Brown had hardly any time to become integrated with the team. He is a talented player who should be able to earn playing time as the season progresses.

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.