Washington Commanders News

Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown (ribs) has been ruled out for the remainder of his team's Week 15 matchup against the New York Giants due to a rib injury. Brown suffered a back injury earlier in the game that he was able to return from, but his day is now done due to a rib ailment. The 29-year-old recorded one catch for 28 yards on one target before exiting the game. It's been an injury-marred 2025 for Brown, as he's appeared in just four games for Washington this season. Without him, Commanders wideouts Jaylin Lane and Treylon Burks could both see more playing time alongside star wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr.

Washington Commanders left tackle Laremy Tunsil (shoulder) is officially questionable to return to his team's Week 15 matchup against the New York Giants due to a shoulder injury. The 31-year-old has started all 14 of Washington's games to this point in 2025. Tunsil is generally considered one of the best left tackles in the NFL and is in the midst of another excellent season. Entering Week 15, Pro Football Focus graded Tunsil as the third-best pass-blocking tackle and eighth-best player overall at the position out of 81 qualified players. If he's unable to return, Brandon Coleman would likely handle left tackle duties for Washington for the remainder of Week 15.

The Washington Commanders deemed wide receiver Noah Brown (back) questionable to return to their Week 15 game against the New York Giants. The 29-year-old receiver has been used sparingly this season, but did connect with backup quarterback Marcus Mariota for a 28-yard gain on Sunday. Fellow receiver Luke McCaffrey (collarbone) remains on injured reserve, opening the door for midseason addition Treylon Burks to step into a larger role. For fantasy purposes, Brown is already in a depth role that doesn't warrant a roster spot in the majority of formats.

Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (groin) is inactive for Sunday's Week 15 contest against the New York Giants. He had been listed as questionable and was believed to be a true game-time decision. After Rodriguez tested his injury in pregame workouts, the team decided he wasn't healthy enough to suit up. The 26-year-old had been leading Washington's backfield lately with 37 touches and 4.8 yards per carry over his last three games. Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols should split touches in his absence, with McNichols likely getting more involved on passing downs. Neither back is a surefire top-36 fantasy option for Week 15, despite a favorable matchup against New York's bottom-tier run defense.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (illness) is officially active for Sunday's Week 15 contest against the New York Giants. He had been listed as questionable after missing Friday's practice. Samuel has played in 12 games this year, amassing 62 catches, 561 receiving yards, and five receiving touchdowns. He filled in admirably as one of Washington's top targets with Terry McLaurin sidelined. Although McLaurin is back, the Commanders lost Zach Ertz (knee) to a season-ending ACL tear last week, which means Samuel should earn more targets where he excels most: in the short to intermediate passing game. The 29-year-old ranks as a low-end fantasy WR2 and should remain involved while catching passes from Marcus Mariota on Sunday.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin will look to bounce back following last week's underwhelming fantasy performance against the Minnesota Vikings. He's trending in the right direction with a more favorable matchup in Week 15 against the New York Giants. The Giants have allowed the fourth-most receiving yards and fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in 2025. McLaurin has played in just six games this season, averaging 3.8 catches, 56.7 yards, and 0.3 touchdowns per contest. He'll be dealing with a change in quarterback this week as Marcus Mariota starts in place of Jayden Daniels (elbow), but that shouldn't have a significant effect on his fantasy value. McLaurin's best fantasy performance of the year came in Week 13 with Mariota under center, when the 30-year-old pass catcher had seven catches, 96 yards, and a touchdown in the Commanders' upset win over the Broncos. With a favorable matchup on tap, McLaurin should be viewed as a high-end WR2 in most leagues.

Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (groin) will be a game-time decision for Sunday's Week 15 contest against the New York Giants. Rodriguez is listed as questionable after logging back-to-back limited practices. The 26-year-old has taken on a much larger role lately, amassing 37 touches over his last three games. During that span, he's averaging an impressive 4.8 yards per carry and has also scored a touchdown. If Rodriguez is active, he'll rank as a low-end RB2 against a Giants defense that has allowed the second-most rushing yards and second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs in 2025. However, if he doesn't suit up, the Commanders would give increased snaps to Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols out of the backfield.

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt has taken a back seat in the rushing attack recently, causing his value to slide ahead of the fantasy playoffs. The rookie garnered a ton of hype this summer and began the season as the clear leader of Washington's backfield. However, a significant dip in efficiency starting back in Week 6 has been a death knell for the 24-year-old's workload. Over that time frame, Croskey-Merritt has eclipsed 3.5 yards per carry in a given game on just three occasions. Conversely, teammate Chris Rodriguez Jr. (groin) has boasted double-digit carries in four of the last five games, marking a shift in the team's game plan. With Rodriguez Jr. questionable for Sunday's outing with the Giants, Croskey-Merritt may see a modest uptick in touch load. Still, he's clearly fallen out of favor with the coaching staff and can be avoided outside of a stash in dynasty formats.

Washington Commanders tight end Colson Yankoff should slide up to No. 3 on the TE depth chart with Zach Ertz (knee) suffering a torn ACL last week against the Minnesota Vikings. Yankoff has played predominantly as a special-teamer in his two seasons in the league, and he's posted an 11.7% snap share on offense this season. The 25-year-old has earned a target in each of the past three games, recording two receptions for 18 yards. Yankoff and fellow second-year tight end Ben Sinnott profile better than John Bates to step into Ertz's role as the primary receiving tight end, but it remains to be seen who will see the most opportunities on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants. The former undrafted free agent has some intriguing athletic traits as a former highly-touted, dual-threat quarterback in high school, and he could be a name to monitor as a potential player to fill Ertz's void in Washington's passing game the rest of the season.

Washington Commanders tight end Ben Sinnott is expected to see an uptick in snaps after Zach Ertz (knee) tore his ACL in last week's blowout loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The 2024 second-round pick hasn't seen many opportunities as a receiver since being drafted, with Ertz locking down that role and not missing any games. But the door has opened for Sinnott to earn more opportunities and potentially establish himself as Washington's tight end of the future. The Kansas State product has caught all nine of his career targets for 69 yards and two touchdowns in 29 games. It will be interesting to see if Sinnott sees the bulk of the snaps as the receiving tight end, or if Washington opts to split the reps between Sinnott, John Bates, and Colson Yankoff. For the season, Sinnott ranks firmly behind Bates as the TE3 in snaps and routes, with a 27.6% snap share and a 10.9% route share. Bates is used primarily as a blocker, and with Sinott being a high second-round pick last year, it seems like a great opportunity for the Commanders to see what they have in the athletic tight end. It remains to be seen what Sinnott's role will look like on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants. Sinnott is a solid speculative addition off the waiver wire in deeper fantasy leagues, but he profiles as a desperation TE streamer in Week 15.

Washington Commanders tight end John Bates has served as the team's No. 2 option behind Zach Ertz this season, primarily as a blocker. With Ertz now out for the season with a torn ACL, Bates could be in line to take on more responsibility as a receiver. However, Washington could look to keep Bates in his normal role as one of the league's best blocking tight ends, a strength that earned him a three-year, $21 million contract extension this offseason. The Commanders could rely more on 2024 second-round pick Ben Sinnott as a receiver, who has the athletic traits and yards-after-the-catch ability to step into Ertz's role as the primary receiving option at tight end. The 28-year-old Bates has played more snaps and run more routes than Sinnott and fourth-string tight end Colson Yankoff, but he's not considered a legitimate receiving threat. He's collected eight catches for 71 yards on 12 targets in 11 games this season. With Washington's tight end situation murky in the wake of Ertz's injury, Bates shouldn't be considered as a fantasy option in Week 15 against the New York Giants.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks saw his playing time crater in Week 14's game against the Minnesota Vikings with the return of Noah Brown from Injured Reserve. The former 2022 first-round pick played a season-high 65.9% of the snaps in Week 13 against the Broncos, recording one catch for five yards and a touchdown on four targets. With Brown back in the lineup for the first time since Week 2, Burks only drew one target, and his snap share slid to 34.7% against the Vikings last week, ranking fourth among Washington's receivers. The 25-year-old will likely be limited to a depth role again on Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants. Burks hasn't shown enough in his first games in Washington to be considered as a fantasy option just yet, and that probably won't change before the year is over.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown returned from his 10-game absence in Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings, hauling in one of his two targets for 19 yards. The 29-year-old wideout posted his highest snap share in the three games he's suited up for this season, leading all Commanders wide receivers at 63.3%. Brown doesn't carry much upside as the No. 3 receiver behind Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel Sr., (illness) but he should run a decent number of routes every week now that he is healthy. He has a favorable matchup on Sunday against the New York Giants, who have allowed the fourth-most PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers. However, Brown is tough to trust as anything more than a deep league flex option for Week 15.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (illness) has posted at least four receptions in five straight games, averaging 12.7 PPR points per game over that stretch. Samuel was added to the injury report on Friday after missing practice with an illness, and he's currently listed as questionable for Sunday's divisional game against the New York Giants. The veteran should be considered likely to suit up on Sunday, barring something changing. The former San Francisco 49er had an excellent fantasy outing in his Week 1 matchup against the Giants, hauling in seven of 10 targets for 77 yards while adding one carry for a 19-yard touchdown. If he's active, Samuel profiles as a solid WR3 option in Week 15 against a Giants defense that has allowed the fourth most PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin recorded three catches for 41 yards on six targets in last week's blowout loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The 30-year-old wideout was unable to build on his season-best performance in Week 13 against a stout Denver Broncos secondary, where he hauled in seven of 14 targets for 96 yards and a touchdown with Marcus Mariota at the helm. McLaurin will be catching passes from Mariota again in Week 15's divisional matchup against the New York Giants after Jayden Daniels (elbow) aggravated his elbow injury in last week's loss. The veteran collected just two catches (four targets) for 27 yards in Week 1 against the Giants, but snagged two touchdowns against them last season in their Week 9 meeting. The Giants' defense has struggled in all areas this season and has allowed the fourth-most PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers this season. McLaurin ranks as RotoBaller's WR15 in PPR leagues in Week 15.

Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols recorded only one reception for two yards in last week's blowout loss to the Minnesota Vikings. It marked the third game this season where he's had fewer than two touches in a game. The 29-year-old had compiled 20 total touches for 88 yards in the three games leading up to Week 14, and even in a negative game script, McNichols didn't see much work. The veteran has held down the pass-down duties in Washington's backfield for most of the season since Austin Ekeler (Achilles) went down in Week 2. McNichols should see similar usage on Sunday against the New York Giants with the possibility for more touches if Chris Rodriguez Jr. (groin), who is listed as questionable, is unable to play. He profiles as a deep league flex option at best in Week 15.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (illness) missed Friday's practice with an illness and is listed as questionable for Sunday's divisional matchup against the New York Giants. It's not ideal that Samuel was added to the injury report late in the week, but it'd be a surprise if his illness ultimately prevents him from suiting up in Week 15. Fantasy managers will want to keep tabs on the injury report come Sunday morning. The former San Francisco 49ers wideout is coming off a quiet game against the Minnesota Vikings, with four catches for 27 yards on six targets. He's had a solid first season overall in Washington, hauling in 62 of his 81 targets for 561 yards and five touchdowns to go with 13 carries for 49 yards and a touchdown in 12 games. Samuel will profile as a solid WR3/flex option on Sunday if he's active, but Terry McLaurin's presence certainly lowers his fantasy ceiling and floor.

Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (groin) is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's divisional game against the New York Giants. Rodriguez was a non-participant on Wednesday, but he was able to practice in a limited capacity on Thursday and Friday. The third-year running back has operated as Washington's lead back in recent weeks, handling double-digit carries in four of the past games. He exited early with a shoulder injury during the first half of the Week 10 game against the Lions after recording six carries for 16 yards and a touchdown. Rodriguez has totaled 54 carries for 253 yards with three rushing scores since then. He'll profile as a solid flex option in a favorable Week 15 matchup against the Giants if he's active, while rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols would handle the work if Rodriguez is unable to go.

Correcting a previous report, Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said on Friday that quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow) has not been cleared for contact yet, per The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala. Daniels suffered a dislocated left (non-throwing) elbow in Week 9 and didn't return until last week's blowout loss to the Minnesota Vikings, when Daniels aggravated his elbow injury. The Commanders already ruled Daniels out for the Week 15 game this Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants, but they are saying that the door is still open for him to play in the final three weeks of the season if he gains clearance from doctors. In what has been an injury-plagued season for the 24-year-old QB -- the former second overall pick has played in only seven games due to elbow, hamstring, and knee injuries -- it makes sense for the Commanders to just shut him down. For at least another week, veteran Marcus Mariota will make the start under center for the team.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said on Friday that quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow) has been cleared for contact and "his health will be the driving factor" in determining his status for the final three games of the season, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Daniels returned to action for the first time since dislocating his left (non-throwing) elbow in Week 9 in last Sunday's blowout loss to the Minnesota Vikings and aggravated his elbow. The 24-year-old second-year signal-caller will not play this Sunday against the division-rival New York Giants, but Washington isn't ruling him out for the final three weeks. After a phenomenal rookie campaign in which he led the Commanders to the NFC Championship, Daniels has been bitten by the injury bug in 2025, playing in only seven games due to elbow, hamstring, and knee ailments. If Daniels does return in the final three weeks, he'll be on the QB1/2 borderline in fantasy football.