Washington Commanders DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

The Washington Commanders have named rookie Jayden Daniels their starting quarterback on the season's initial depth chart, a decision many had widely anticipated. Initially, Daniels and Marcus Mariota split first-team reps, with Mariota often getting the first look. Still, as training camp progressed from July to August, Daniels took the majority of reps. Jeff Driskel is listed third on the depth chart, with undrafted rookie Sam Hartman fourth. On Saturday, Daniels will start the preseason opener against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. He's an intriguing late-round fantasy quarterback pick due to his solid supporting cast and rushing ability, and he stands out as the only FBS player in college football history with over 12,000 passing yards and more than 3,000 rushing yards. The main concern is the uncertainty of his offensive line, particularly at left tackle, where 33-year-old Cornelius Lucas or rookie Brandon Coleman will start. Nonetheless, Daniels offers significant upside as a QB1 option in later drafts, allowing you to prioritize other positions early on.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is set to play in the team's first preseason game against the New York Jets. This isn't shocking news after Daniels was taken as the No. 2 overall selection in this year's draft. He will get his first taste of NFL action next weekend as the organization is hopeful Daniels is their quarterback of the future. It's worth noting that the Commanders haven't revealed their starter for Week 1. Both Marcus Mariota and Daniels have been given first-team reps in camp. The assumption is Daniels will start the season opener, but we'll wait and see how Daniels looks in the preseason opener.

Houston Texans wide receiver Noah Brown (undisclosed) was seen wearing a red shirt on Tuesday, which seems to indicate that he's unlikely to suit up for Thursday's Hall of Fame game when the Texans square off against the Chicago Bears in Canton, OH. With Brown wearing a red shirt, which indicates non-contact, it likely gives more work to some of the depth receivers on the Texans' roster, including Xavier Hutchinson, Ben Skowronek, John Metchie, and Robert Woods. Brown has been dealing with a labrum injury suffered in the Texans' playoff game against the Browns in January. The 28-year-old Brown signed a one-year deal in the offseason to remain with the Texans and is competing for touches and time on the field after the team added Stefon Diggs to Nico Collins and Tank Dell.

The Chicago Bears signed running back Demetric Felton to a contract on Sunday. Felton, a former sixth-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2021 out of UCLA, has appeared in 24 games since his debut and has accumulated 209 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 28 touches. This signing likely aims to bolster the running back depth ahead of Thursday's Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, especially since Travis Homer and Ian Wheeler were injured in Saturday's practice. To make room for Felton, the Bears granted an international roster exemption to punter Tory Taylor, who does not count against the 90-man roster limit. This exemption will not affect the 53-man roster limit, which will come into play when the Bears make final roster cuts.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said that rookie first-round quarterback Jayden Daniels and veteran Marcus Mariota will split time with the first-team offense early in training camp. "When he's ready, we'll know," Quinn said of Daniels. Daniels, the second overall pick in April's NFL draft out of LSU, saw most of the starting work in offseason practices and is fully expected to be the starter under center in D.C. to begin his rookie season in Week 1, but the Commanders aren't forcing anything early in training camp. The Commanders naming the 23-year-old as the starter is expected to become a formality sooner than later. Daniels' dual-threat ability and a strong supporting cast in Washington give him plenty of immediate upside in fantasy, both in single-year and dynasty/keeper formats.