Washington Commanders

Washington Commanders wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley had his best game of the preseason on Sunday evening as he caught four passes for 37 yards. This starkly contrasts the previous two games, as he was held off the scoresheet against the Jets and caught only two passes for eight yards last week against the Dolphins. While he did not stand out during the first two games, his performance on Sunday evening may have earned him a spot on the final roster. Tinsley made the Washington roster as an undrafted free agent last summer after a big preseason but made only three minor appearances during the regular season. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to who will emerge as the No.2 wideout opposite of Terry McLaurin during the early parts of the season, as that role is still unknown as we enter the opening week of the regular season.

Washington Commanders rookie running back Michael Wiley tallied 26 yards on the ground with a rushing score on Sunday evening. This was his second rushing score of the preseason, and he ran for 67 yards over the past three weeks. Wiley joined the Commanders as an undrafted free agent this offseason and could have earned a spot on the final roster, given his strong performance on Sunday. The Arizona product may eventually slot in as the No. 3 or 4 option on the depth chart as Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. have fallen short of expectations this preseason. Wiley remains a name to watch in deeper leagues but will likely not be fantasy-relevant during his rookie campaign.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jeff Driskel got the starting nod in Sunday's preseason finale as the Commanders opted to rest starting quarterback Jayden Daniels and backup Marcus Mariota. Driskel tallied 73 passing yards while going 12-for-18 with an interception and no scores. His longest pass of the evening was for 12 yards to wideout Mitchell Tinsley. While his performance was quite underwhelming, he faced many New England starters. Over the previous two preseason games, the 31-year-old totaled 169 passing yards with 68 rushing yards. Driskel is currently listed as the number three option on the depth chart, and seeing him get the starting nod in this game solidifies his position on the depth chart. Driskel has a tough path to being fantasy-relevant in 2024 and will only get an opportunity in the regular season due to injuries to the other two passers on the roster.

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (groin) will not play Sunday in the team's preseason finale against the New England Patriots. Mariota was seen on the side during 11-on-11s and is trending toward practicing in full next week. Jeff Driskel will likely get the bulk of the work at quarterback for the Commanders this weekend, and Sam Hartman (shoulder) could mix in if he's recovered enough from his injury. With Jayden Daniels officially named as the team's starter heading into Week 1, Washington head coach Dan Quinn is opting not to push Mariota at this time and allow him to recover fully. While they would prefer not to have to go to him, it would be beneficial for him to be healthy in 2024, as he'll be the primary backup for Daniels to start the year.

Washington Commanders rookie first-round quarterback Jayden Daniels will not play in the preseason finale on Sunday night against the New England Patriots. It doesn't come as much of a surprise after the Commanders named the second overall pick as their starting QB on Aug. 19. Daniels ended up going 12-for-15 for 123 yards while carrying the ball three times for 16 yards and a touchdown in the two preseason games he appeared in. The 23-year-old signal-caller has done nothing but impress on and off the field this summer, which made the team's decision to name him the starter pretty easy. Washington's receiving depth is very thin beyond WR1 Terry McLaurin, which could be an issue for Daniels in his first NFL season, but his high-upside dual-threat abilities still put him on the QB1/2 borderline. Ideally, fantasy managers will be able to roster him as a high-end backup.