Washington Commanders DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) was officially listed as questionable for the Week 5 contest against the Cleveland Browns. Robinson popped up on the injury report this week and was unable to practice on Wednesday and Thursday. However, he returned to the field with a limited practice on Friday to give himself a chance to play this weekend. He's expected to be a game-time decision, but the good news is he's "trending in the right direction" to be active, and we'll know whether he's active or not before the first slate of games kicks off on Sunday. Austin Ekeler is returning after a one-game absence due to a concussion, so if Robinson is active against Cleveland, he'll definitely have more competition for touches, making him more of an RB3/flex in fantasy. If B-Rob is inactive, expect Jeremy McNichols, who scored two rushing touchdowns last week, to split the backfield with Ekeler.

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz tallied a season-low 22 yards in their Week 4 victory over the Arizona Cardinals but remains a solid low-end TE1 this weekend. Throughout the early part of the season, the veteran tight end has seen at least three targets in every game and averaged 7.5 PPR points. He caught a season-high 62 yards in Week 2, and a season-high five catches the following week. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels continues to improve as a passer every week, and all Washington pass catchers should eventually benefit from this. With several top options at the position on their byes (Dallas Goedert and Sam LaPorta) this week, Ertz is worth a look as he could see an uptick in opportunities with Noah Brown (groin) ruled out.

Washington Commanders rookie wide receiver Luke McCaffrey could be deployed as the No. 2 wideout on Sunday afternoon with Noah Brown (groin) ruled out. Last week, Brown was deployed alongside Terry McLaurin, which limited McCaffrey's opportunities. However, fantasy managers should expect the Rice product to see regular playing time against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. After tallying a season-high 44 yards in Week 3, McCaffrey took a step back in Week 4 and caught only one pass. The 23-year-old remains a desperation flex play in 14-plus-team leagues, as he has yet to show much consistency, but he could enjoy a breakout game with Brown sidelined.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin has put his slow start behind him as he has found the end zone in each of the past two games. During this stretch, McLaurin has seen at least six targets his way, including a season-high ten last week. In addition, the top wideout averaged 19.1 PPR points during this stretch, contrasting with the 5.9 he averaged during weeks 1 and 2. Seeing how quickly Jayden Daniels has become comfortable at the helm of the offense, McLaurin's fantasy stock continues to rise weekly. Facing a tough Browns defense, he should be viewed as a WR2 with upside.

Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols is coming off the best game of his career and could continue to carve out a role in the Washington offense with Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) questionable for Sunday's game. Last week, the former Titan found the end zone twice on just eight carries. He totaled 68 yards. Fantasy managers in deeper formats looking for an upside running back should consider stashing McNichols over the weekend, as he could see a similar workload if Robinson cannot suit up. Austin Ekeler typically sees passing work, which could open the door for McNichols to receive double-digit carries.