Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels→ his ranking

Daniels began his college career at Arizona State, posting an 18-11 record over three seasons and 29 games. He threw for 6,025 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, 10 of those picks coming in 2021 alone. On the ground, he carried the ball 296 times for 1,288 yards and 13 touchdowns.

A transfer to LSU proved transformative. After a strong 2022 (3,798 combined yards, 28 touchdowns, and three interceptions), Daniels elevated his game in 2023 to claim the Heisman Trophy. Through the air, he completed passes at 11.7 yards per attempt (3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns, and four interceptions) and added 1,134 rushing yards and 10 scores on 135 carries (8.4 per carry). He went 19-7 as a Tiger.

The 2023 LSU offense was one of college football's most explosive, with Daniels operating behind a loaded receiver room: Malik Nabers (89/1,569/14), Brian Thomas Jr. (68/1,177/17), and Kyren Lacy (30/558/7) combined for 17.7 yards per catch. Daniels excelled in manipulating defenses from the pocket while using his speed and elusiveness to punish soft coverages on the ground. Improving accuracy on the move was the next area of development in his passing game.

Heading into his rookie season, Daniels drew comparisons to Lamar Jackson as a fantasy starting point, with arguably better straight-line speed and a higher passing ceiling. The key variable was whether Washington could surround him with enough receiving talent to stretch the field, open running lanes, and create big-play opportunities. The Commanders made him the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

In his first five NFL games, Daniels leaned on his legs (57 carries, 300 yards, and four touchdowns), which accounted for 42.6% of his fantasy production. His passing (1,135 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions) was efficient rather than explosive. Over this span, he posted an elite 77.1% completion rate and 8.7 yards per attempt while operating more as a game manager.

Following an early exit in Week 7, Daniels delivered his first 300-yard passing performance (326 yards and one touchdown). Scoring through the air picked up considerably from Week 12 through Week 17, but on smaller plays (6.9 yards per attempt). He saved his best passing for the postseason, going 268/2, 299/2, and 255/1 across three games, with tighter rush lanes (35 carries, 135 yards, and one touchdown — 3.9 per carry).

Daniels finished fifth among quarterbacks in four-point passing touchdown leagues (400.50 points) despite missing significant time in two games. He closed the season as a reliable rushing contributor (148 carries, 891 yards, and six touchdowns) while averaging 31.2 pass attempts per game.

In his sophomore season in the NFL, Daniels offered four playable fantasy days (22.45, 21.70, 25.75, and 20.20) over his seven starts. He had a sharp decline in his completion rate (60.6% - 69.0% in 2024) and yards per pass attempt (6.7 – 7.4 in 2024), along with a pullback in his rushing value (58/278/2). Daniels never passed for more than 231 yards in a game.

His demise was tied to multiple injuries. A knee issue cost him Weeks 3 and 4, followed by a hamstring issue, pushing him to the sidelines in Week 8. One game later, Daniels was out of action again with a left arm injury that ultimately cost him most of the remainder of the year.

When at his best, he brings a special quality that shines through in the biggest moments of games. His ceiling looks untapped while having a winning foundation season on his resume (4,459 combined yards with 31 touchdowns). I prefer to draft him at a discount just in case his health card lingers again this year.

Rachaad White→ his ranking

Tampa Bay handed White 179 touches across 17 rookie games, but he rarely made defenders miss or turned short gains into big plays (3.7 yards per rush and 5.8 yards per catch). He totaled 771 combined yards, three touchdowns, and 50 receptions, finishing 35th in PPR running back scoring (142.10). He did show some late-season reliability, scoring double-digit fantasy points in six of nine games from Week 10 through the first round of the playoffs (10.50, 19.90, 17.90, 11.70, 15.30, and 11.70).

White's role expanded significantly in 2023, giving him one of the strongest opportunity profiles at the position. He played on 77.6% of Tampa's snaps and logged 336 touches, turning them into 1,439 combined yards, nine touchdowns, and 64 catches, good for fourth in PPR running back scoring (269.90). His yards per rush dipped again (3.6 overall), but he was noticeably more effective in the second half of the year (4.2 yards per carry over his final nine games compared to 3.3 over his first 141 attempts).

From Week 7 through Week 16, White posted a 15.90-point floor across 10 games in PPR formats, averaging 21.1 touches per contest. He eclipsed 100 rushing yards twice (15/100, 25/102) and topped 100 combined yards five additional times. His receiving efficiency stood out, with an elite 91.4% catch rate and 8.6 yards per reception, with 10 of his 64 catches covering 20 or more yards.

2024 brought a reduced workload due to the emergence of Bucky Irving, as White's snap rate dropped to 51.1% and his touch total fell by 141. Tampa directed roughly half of its running back targets his way (57 of 121), helping preserve a reliable receiving floor (51 catches, 393 yards, and six touchdowns). His rushing production was inconsistent, under 50 yards in 13 of 18 games, and he had 10 or fewer carries in 12 matchups. His two best fantasy performances (29.10 and 24.90 points) both came at home, and the Buccaneers limited him to just 20 touches over the final four games of the season.

The Buccaneers gave White RB1 snaps (50.6%) last season, helped by Bucky Irving missing seven games. He posted about league-average results in yards per carry (4.3), but Tampa created much smaller pass-catching lanes for him (5.4 yards per catch – career low). White gained 20 yards or more on only two of his 172 touches. He finished 32nd in PPR scoring (143.00), with top-three outputs coming in Week 3 (14.60), Week 5 (23.10), and Week 6 (17.60). Over his last 11 games, White scored fewer than 10.00 fantasy points in 10 games.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt→ his ranking

Croskey-Merritt spent four seasons at Alabama State before making his mark at the FBS level, accumulating 1,496 combined yards, 14 touchdowns, and 29 catches on 357 touches across 31 games. His transfer to New Mexico in 2023 produced an eye-opening season (189 carries for 1,190 yards and 17 touchdowns with seven catches for 72 yards and a score). A one-game stint at Arizona the following year (13/106/1) was brief, but he closed his college career on a high note, earning MVP honors at the East-West Shrine Bowl with 97 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries.

He entered the draft at 24 with a skill set that doesn't fit the conventional running back mold. At 5'10" and 205 pounds, Croskey-Merritt runs with instinctive vision and quickness, hitting cut-back lanes before most defenders even recognize they're developing. His 4.41 40-yard dash at the Big 12 Pro Day confirmed what the tape already suggested.

His profile projects most naturally as a change-of-pace back with third-down utility, but his minimal involvement in the passing game keeps him pigeonholed as an early-down option for now. He plays with a physical edge that shows up on contact. Croskey-Merritt fires into defenders rather than avoiding them, and has the open-field tools to make people miss when he gets a head of steam.

The same physicality that makes him effective also raises durability questions over a long career. Age was a mild concern entering the league at 24, though his relatively low career carry volume softens that somewhat. His most likely path to an early NFL role may come through the return game, where his explosiveness and competitiveness translate immediately.

By Week 1 of 2026, the Commanders cleared a path for Croskey-Merritt to get RB2 snaps by trading Brian Robinson. Three weeks later, Austin Ekeler was done for the year. Washington had their rookie back on the field for 38.6% of their snaps (most on the team). He finished with value in the run game (175/805/8 – 4.6 yards per carry), while seeing only 13 targets (9/68). His two explosive showings came in Week 5 (14/111/2 with two catches for 39 yards) and Week 17 (11/105/2).

On his down days, Croskey-Merritt scored fewer than 9.00 PPR fantasy points in 12 matchups, with eight coming consecutively from Week 6 to Week 14. Despite the appearance of weakness, he ranked 33rd at the running back position in PPR scoring (142.40).

His ADP (129) and running back ranking (43rd) in the National Fantasy Football Championship in late June suggest there is value backed into his price point. I think of him as a 10.00-point fantasy player with some upside unless Washington ups his value in the passing game.

Kaytron Allen→ his ranking

Allen spent four seasons at Penn State, sharing the backfield with Nicholas Singleton in one of college football's most evenly matched running back tandems. Allen finished with 4,670 combined yards over 54 games while Singleton posted 4,448 across 53 matchups. His most explosive season came in 2025, when he carried 210 times for 1,303 yards and 15 touchdowns at 6.2 yards per carry. Allen closed his college career on a dominant note, with three of his finest performances coming down the stretch (25/181/2, 25/160/2, and 22/226/1). His receiving work was limited to 70 career catches at just 7.0 yards per reception, reflecting a profile built around the run game.

His best quality is his processing speed. When the game accelerates, Allen slows it down, reading run lanes with patience and vision that allow him to find the right crease in tight quarters. He won't threaten defenses with top-end speed over the long field, but his foot quickness lets him beat defenders to the edge after initiating runs between the tackles. His passing game ceiling is modest despite functional pass protection skills. What Allen lacks in upside, he compensates for with experience and durability, two traits that tend to age well at the NFL level.

Terry McLaurin→ his ranking

McLaurin was a model of consistency from 2020 through 2023, catching 320 of 516 targets for 4,435 yards and 18 touchdowns over that span, an average of 4.8 catches, 67 yards, and 0.27 touchdowns per game, translating to 13.12 PPR points and a backend WR2 profile.

His 2021 season showed regression from the prior year, with a decline of 10 catches and 65 yards on four fewer targets than his 2020 output (87/1,118/4). He topped 100 yards four times (11/107/1, 6/123/2, 7/122/1, and 5/103/1) but went scoreless over his final seven starts, with his catch (23) and yardage (318) totals tailing off badly down the stretch.

His target volume dipped to 120 in 2022, yet McLaurin somehow set a career high in receiving yards (1,191) while matching his 2021 totals in catches (77) and touchdowns (5). Six plays went for 40 or more yards, and Washington sprinkled in a handful of rushing touches (7/29). His best games came against Philadelphia twice (6/102 and 8/128), with two other 100-yard outings (6/113 and 8/105/1). The Commanders' commitment to the run game (477 rushing attempts) suppressed his opportunity, resulting in nine games with six or fewer targets.

In 2023, McLaurin saw his big-play ceiling compress, as his yards per catch fell to a career-low 12.7 after sitting at 15.5 the year before, with just one performance exceeding 90 receiving yards (6/141/1). He made up for the lack of explosiveness with week-to-week reliability; seven of eight starts from Week 2 through Week 9 produced usable fantasy numbers (16.40, 10.10, 22.60, 14.10, 15.00, 17.30, and 12.30), helping him finish 29th among wide receivers in PPR scoring at 209.20 points.

Washington's offensive makeover in 2024 brought a new quarterback, a new identity, and an unexpected surge in touchdown production for McLaurin. His target share dipped to a five-year low of 117, yet he found the end zone 13 times (nearly double his previous career high of seven) while surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the fifth straight season with 82 catches. Five games topped 100 yards (4/100/1, 4/112, 5/125, 5/113, and 5/102/1), and five more cleared 20.00 PPR fantasy points on the strength of multiple touchdowns (6/53/2, 8/73/2, 7/73/2, 8/62/1, and 7/89/1).

He scored 10 times over his final nine regular-season appearances. His efficiency and scoring were elite, but McLaurin ranked 19th in targets, with six or fewer looks in nine games, including the postseason. His increase in scoring led to McLaurin finishing seventh in PPR fantasy points (268.80).

The Commanders ponied up $96 million for three seasons to sign McLaurin last summer. Unfortunately, he posted his worst year (38/582/3 on 60 targets) while battling a lingering quad issue. Washington gave him four targets in six of his 10 starts. McLaurin met fantasy expectations in only three games (3/54/1, 7/96/1, and 3/69/1).

Antonio Williams→ his ranking

Williams made an immediate impact as a freshman at Clemson with 56 catches for 612 yards and four touchdowns, only to have his sophomore season derailed by injuries that limited him to five games and 22 catches for 224 yards and two scores. He rebounded emphatically in 2024, posting 75 receptions for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding seven carries for 101 yards and a score. Last season started poorly. A hamstring issue kept him off the stat sheet over his first three games, but Williams caught five or more passes in eight of his final nine starts, highlighted by a 10/142/1 performance, before a shoulder injury ended his year in late December.

He fits a clear need for NFL teams searching for a quality slot option, and his draft value reflects it. Williams attacks releases with early quickness and acceleration that create immediate separation, and he has the lateral agility in his routes to shake defenders in coverage. His 4.41 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Combine confirmed his speed, but his strength profile raises some questions about how he'll handle physical press coverage at the next level.

Defenses that can jam him at the line will look to do exactly that. When Williams does get clean releases, the results can be explosive. With the ball in his hands, he's a threat to make the first defender miss with a shimmy or a quick change of direction. Offenses will want to get him the ball in space near the line of scrimmage to maximize his run-after-catch ability. His 2024 tape also showed a more complete picture. Williams made plays at the intermediate and deep levels, suggesting a skill set that extends well beyond the underneath game.

Jaylin Lane→ his ranking

Washington used a fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft on Lane, a compact receiver who spent five college seasons at Middle Tennessee State and Virginia Tech. At 5'8" and 175 pounds, he's undersized for the WR position, but a 4.34 40-yard dash at the Combine puts him in elite speed territory. The technical aspects of his game (route running and release against press coverage) still need considerable work, which points toward a return specialist role as his most likely path to early contributions in Washington.

His standout college season came in 2022 at Middle Tennessee State, where he posted 69 catches for 940 yards and five touchdowns. Over two years at Virginia Tech, Lane produced 79 receptions for 1,004 yards and eight touchdowns across 24 games, with a modest rushing package mixed in (32/167/2).

Lane caught 50% of his 32 targets in his rookie season, leading to 232 combined yards. He returned 23 punts for 314 yards and two scores.

Luke McCaffrey→ his ranking

The McCaffrey name carries instant recognition in football circles (younger brother of Christian and son of Ed), and the family pedigree alone makes him worth understanding as a fantasy asset. Washington selected him in the third round of the 2024 draft following a five-year college career split between Nebraska and Rice. He tested well at the Combine with a 4.46 in the 40, and his hands should be a strength despite occasional focus lapses. Route running remains a work in progress, and winning against press coverage at the line of scrimmage is the key developmental hurdle standing between him and a higher NFL ceiling.

His college path was unconventional. McCaffrey spent his first three seasons working at the quarterback position, throwing for 921 yards with five touchdowns and 10 interceptions while adding 662 rushing yards and six scores on 130 carries. Rice moved him to wide receiver for his final two seasons, and the transition paid off quickly (129 catches for 1,715 yards and 19 touchdowns, with 27 carries for 265 yards and another score).

Washington eased him into the NFL with a WR4 role at 32.7% of snaps in his rookie year, and his production reflected the limited opportunity (18 catches for 168 yards on 24 targets). The second half of the season was even quieter, with just seven catches for 65 yards after Week 6.

The Commanders gave McCaffrey only 14 targets over his first eight games. He turned three of his eight catches into touchdowns, giving him WR3/Flex stats (3/56/1, 2/21/1, and 1/33/1). A broken collarbone ended his season in Week 9.

Chigoziem Okonkwo

Okonkwo arrived in Tennessee with a modest college resume (77 catches for 717 yards and eight touchdowns on 117 targets across 30 games at Maryland), but handled his rookie year with poise after being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 draft.

The first half of his debut season was largely invisible, with just eight catches for 172 yards and a score on 15 targets through 10 games. His big-play flashed in that stretch (1/48, 1/41, and 1/31) were enough to earn him a larger role down the stretch, and Okonkwo responded with four fantasy-viable weeks over the final seven games (4/68, 6/45/1, 4/54, and 3/42/1). Most of his work came over the shorter areas (11.6 yards per catch), but his target rate improved to 4.4 per game, and his catch rate climbed to 77.4%. His big-play element was real; seven of his 32 catches covered 20 or more yards, and three reached the 40-yard mark, accounting for 21.9% of his receptions.

2024 offered more of the same. Tennessee gave him a comparable opportunity (52 catches for 479 yards and two touchdowns on 70 targets), but his yards per reception continued to erode to 9.2. Through 13 games, Okonkwo had just 30 catches for 297 yards and two scores before the Titans unlocked his fantasy value over the final weeks of the regular season (8/59, 9/81, and 5/59 on 28 combined targets). His year ended abruptly when he left the final game after three snaps with an abdominal injury.

Okonkwo comes off career-highs in catches (56), receiving yards (560), and targets (79), with minimal change in his yards per catch (10.0). His two scores came in Week 16 (6/44/1) and Week 17 (3/55/1) while offering playable stats in only two other matchups (5/66 and 6/46). He finished 21st in PPR tight end scoring (124.00).

Ben Sinnott→ his ranking

Washington made Sinnott a second-round investment in the 2024 draft, betting on him as the long-term answer at tight end. His final two seasons at Kansas State validated the optimism (80 catches for 1,123 yards and 10 touchdowns at 14.0 yards per reception), capped by career highs across the board in 2023 with 49 catches for 676 yards and six scores.

His physical tools are there and improving, but his blocking at the point of attack was a work in progress. What stands out on tape is his route running, clean, decisive, and paired with the speed and after-catch athleticism to turn completions into chunk gains.

Washington eased him in as a rookie, limiting him to 23.1% of offensive snaps. He made the most of his five targets, catching all of them for 28 yards and a touchdown.

His highlights tell a clear story: Sinnott thrives at the intermediate level, the same area where Zach Ertz has visibly declined with age. His receiving skill set carries a Jason Witten feel: reliable, technically sound, and likely to grow even more dangerous with a mobile quarterback unlocking his full range of routes.

Washington caught 11 of 13 targets last season for 114 yards and one touchdown. Sinnott has never posted a playable fantasy game in his career.

Jake Moody

Over his final two seasons at Michigan, Moody made 54 of his 60 field goals. All of his 116 extra-point tries went through the uprights. His leg projected well from long range.

His transition to the NFL worked well in his rookie season. He made 21 of his 25 field goals (84.0%) while missing one of his 61 extra points. The 49ers gave him three chances from 50 yards or more (2-for-3).

Moody put his job at risk in 2024 by making only 70.6% of his 34 field goals, with all 10 of his misses coming from 40 yards or more. He went 4-for-9 from long range. Moody made all but one of his 33 extra points. An ankle injury cost him three games.

2025 didn’t go well for Moody over the first half of the year. After one game with the 49ers (1-for-3 in his field goal tries), he was released. Chicago carried him on their practice squad for a month before giving him a two-week test drive (8-for-9 in field goals) while their starting kicker was injured. Washington signed him in mid-November off the Bears’ practice squad. Moody made 10 of his 11 field goals for the Commanders, with two successful kicks from 50 yards or more.