Washington Commanders DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (ankle) returned to a limited practice on Thursday after he was a non-participant in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. McLaurin might need to practice in full on Friday to avoid an injury designation for the weekend, but he has a pretty good shot to play now on Sunday in the Week 17 contest versus the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football. The 29-year-old pass-catcher needs to stay in all fantasy lineups as well. He'll carry a four-game touchdown streak into this Sunday's contest. In that same span, he's caught 25 of his 30 targets for 308 yards and six total touchdowns. In the last five weeks in half-PPR scoring, McLaurin ranks as the WR10 overall. McLaurin has been thriving in 2024 as impressive rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels' No. 1 target.

According to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post, Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler (concussion) is trending the right way for a potential Week 18 return. The veteran running back has been sidelined since suffering a concussion during their Week 12 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. While he has been on the injured reserve, Brian Robinson Jr. has seen the vast majority of the snaps with Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. operating as change-of-pace options. Before his injury, Ekeler was deployed as the top third down running back and averaged a solid 11.6 PPR points across his first 11 games in the DMV. He saw 3.5 targets per game and found the back of the end zone four times. Fantasy managers should continue to expect Brian Robinson Jr. to operate in his workhorse role during their Week 17 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz caught just one of his two targets for 12 yards during their victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Ertz suffered a concussion last weekend but was able to turn the corner in time to suit up for this divisional matchup. However, Ertz took the backseat in this game as the Washington wide receivers stole the show. This was only the second time this season where Ertz caught just one pass in a single game and third time seeing only two targets. The veteran tight end will look to bounce back next weekend facing the Atlanta Falcons who have allowed the 15th-fewest PPR points to the position this season.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown (hamstring) caught four of his five targets for 56 yards during their Week 16 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Brown's five targets and yardage output were the third-most on the team, behind Olamide Zaccheaus and Terry McLaurin. Brown's longest reception of the afternoon went for 51 yards. Brown did sustain a hamstring injury in the second half and did not return after. Fantasy managers should monitor his status throughout the week, as he could be in danger of missing Week 17's tilt against the Atlanta Falcons. With Noah Brown (kidney) on Injured Reserve, Dyami Brown has emerged as a viable option in the Washington passing attack and has seen at least five targets in back-to-back outings.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Jamison Crowder caught both of his two targets for 14 yards and two scores during their victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon. Crowder caught his first TD reception of the afternoon in the opening quarter on a four-yard pass from Jayden Daniels. Crowder would then play the hero as he brought in second reception of the afternoon from nine yards out for the game-winning score with just five seconds remaining. Crowder only appeared in three games prior to Week 16 as he battled a calf injury for a majority of the season. Fantasy managers should monitor his usage going forward as he may become a starting option in a Washington passing attack that lacks proven options outside of Terry McLaurin.