The Commanders overachieved in a major way during year one of the Jayden Daniels-Dan Quinn partnership, making it all the way to the NFC Championship before the clock struck midnight on their fairytale story.

While that 55-23 loss exposed a Washington defense that was more meh than good throughout the season, there’s still little doubt that Daniels had this offense absolutely humming during his rookie campaign.

Washington Commanders in 2024:

Points per game: 28.1 (5th)

EPA per dropback: +0.21 (4th)

EPA per rush: +0.03 (4th)

Points per game against: 23 (18th)

Suddenly, expectations are much higher ahead of 2025, and for good reason: More weapons have been added to the offense (what’s up Deebo Samuel!), and the front office traded for a hopeful franchise left tackle in Laremy Tunsil.

The ceiling might as well be the roof for this squad if Daniels manages to take anything close to resembling a year-two leap.

Note: All referenced ADP (in parentheses) is Underdog, via our Fantasy Life ADP Tool. For our full fantasy football rankings as well as early Week 1 rankings, head to our rankings hub.

Commanders 2025 Team Preview

With all this in mind, today we’ll break down some of the biggest (mostly fantasy-related) questions facing the Commanders ahead of 2025.

As always: It’s a great day to be great.

What is stopping Jayden Daniels from being THE fantasy QB1 this year?

The 2024 NFL Draft’s second overall pick is fresh off turning in one of the position’s most productive rookie seasons … ever.

Most fantasy points per game from a rookie QB in NFL history (min. 8 starts):

Yes, Daniels’ lethal ability on the ground was a big reason for this: His 891 rush yards and six scores resulted in a whopping 7.8 fantasy points per game from strictly rushing production–a mark which tied Josh Allen and only trailed Anthony Richardson (7.8) and Jalen Hurts (9.8) in 2024.

Also yes, it was the rising second-year talent’s already polished passing ability that should really have fans and fantasy managers alike excited ahead of next season: Daniels posted the same EPA per dropback (+0.15) as Joe f*cking Burrow, and his +3.5% completion percentage over expected was good for the 10th highest mark in the league—better than Patrick Mahomes (+2.6%)!

Ultimately, the only players to finish as fantasy’s overall QB1 since 2018 are Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen. That’s it. Daniels’ ability to join this group is contingent on his rushing floor remaining sky high and experiencing a spike in production through the air–something that is certainly possible after posting relatively beatable marks in pass TD rate (5.2%, 8th) and yards per attempt (7.4, 13th) last season.

Jayden Daniels Fantasy Football Outlook for 2025

It’s tough to rationally rank Daniels ahead of either Jackson or Allen due to their demonstrated superior passing upside, but the potential for the Commanders franchise QB of the present and future to take a step forward in that department has at least earned him overall QB3 status over Jalen Hurts.

Is Brian Robinson a late-round RB drafter’s delight?

The Commanders were a popular dark horse player in the RB market during free agency and the draft this offseason. And yet, the only somewhat meaningful addition they wound up making was adding New Mexico/Arizona product Jacory Croskey-Merritt in Round 7.

This means Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler are once again poised to lead an offense that racked up the league’s fifth-most total rush attempts last season. Now, part of this was simply the Commanders’ ability to play with plenty of leads (their dropback over expectation rate was actually an above-average +1%), but hey, that could certainly be a reality again in 2025 should Daniels and company manage to build on their success.

Now for the tricky part: Discerning what exactly this rotation could look like in 2025 when both B-Rob and Ekeler are operating at full health. We unfortunately don’t have the best sample size for this, as the former back missed three games and was limited in others while dealing with knee, hamstring, and ankle injuries, while the latter had to sit out five full games stemming from two concussions.

Accordingly, the team’s three-game playoff stretch with both RBs healthy is probably our best bet to go off. The backfield usage was as follows:

Robinson is the thunder who has the chance to flirt with 15-plus carries when the Commanders can build a lead, and Ekeler is the lightning who should see more action when Washington is forced into a trailing game script.

Note that B-Rob easily led the way in carries inside the five-yard line (11 vs. 5) on the season, although the presence of Daniels (10) didn’t help matters for either.

That latter variable is the primary “issue” with being overly excited about either RB ahead of 2025. Obviously Daniels is a baller, but high-volume dual-threat QBs historically haven’t been great for the fantasy success of their RBs due to: 1) Scrambling more often than they check down, and 2) Factoring into the rushing equation near the goal line.

The real path to success for either Robinson or Ekeler comes down to one of them taking over the backfield via an injury. While Washington did (annoyingly) insist on keeping guys like Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez involved when either of their top-two backs missed time, both Robinson and Ekeler did post multiple games with a snap rate north of 70%–that sort of near every-down role could go a LONG way in fantasy land inside an offense that most expect to (again) finish as a top-10 scoring unit.

Are Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler Fantasy Targets in 2025?

Robinson and Ekeler profile as poor men’s versions of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs: An evenly split backfield between RBs used differently, but we don’t feel as good about the overall offense, and have to deal with a far more mobile QB.

That said, both Commanders RBs have underappreciated “handcuff” upside if the other goes down, making each more-than-solid mid-to-late round investments on rosters that largely faded the position in early rounds.

Are Terry McLaurin *and* Deebo Samuel capable of putting up big-time fantasy numbers?

Expecting McLaurin to put up big-time numbers shouldn’t be a hot take after the 29-year-old veteran posted a career-best WR14 finish in PPR points per game last season. The high-end consistency was truly something to marvel at: McLaurin’s 11 top-18 PPR finishes surpassed even Justin Jefferson (10) and Ja’Marr Chase (10) for the position’s best mark.

Now, the artist known as Scary Terry had previously posted WR29, WR20, WR30, WR23, and WR36 season-long finishes in PPR points per game. 2024 was admittedly an outlier of sorts, although the reality that it came alongside McLaurin finally experiencing above-average QB play lends credence to the idea that the high-end production wasn’t a fluke.

I have a little bit tougher time simply writing off Samuel’s down campaign as variance. The 2024 version of Samuel simply wasn’t on par with what fans were used to seeing. Brutal efficiency numbers as both a rusher and receiver resulted in the least productive season of the 29-year-old veteran’s career.

Samuel combined receiving and rushing yards per game and total TDs by season:

2024: 53.7 yards per game, 4 total TD

2023: 74.5, 12

2022: 66.5, 5

2021: 110.6, 14

2020: 59.6, 1

2019: 64.1, 6

Of course, some context could help explain why Samuel struggled so much in 2024. Maybe Father Time simply came for the typically electric WR/RB hybrid, or maybe that September calf strain lingered more than we knew. He also suffered a rib injury during Week 8 against the Cowboys … right after he had ended up in the hospital with pneumonia!

I am NOT a doctor, but dealing with calf and rib injuries on top of an illness bad enough to require multiple nights spent inside a hospital doesn’t exactly seem ideal. Samuel averaged 77.2 total yards per game during his first five games of the season before the latter rib and illness issues, compared to just 46.7 during his final nine contests. His efficiency on per-target (10.5 vs. 6.8) and per-reception (16.8 vs. 10.8) bases told the same story.

Overall, Samuel averaged 14.1 PPR points per game (WR25) in Weeks 1-6 last season before the rib/illness issues, compared to 9.4 (WR54) in Weeks 8-17. Small sample size, sure, but then again, the latter disappointing stretch also doesn’t exactly supersede, you know, the previous five years of excellence from the longtime baller.

To summarize: Deebo wasn’t very good in 2024 after largely doing nothing but ball the hell out during the five seasons of his career, but his early-season performance does suggest that perhaps illness and rib injuries played bigger roles than we realized, and he now finds himself inside an offense that needs a YAC-monster of his caliber to make the most out of their abundance of screen opportunities.

How Do The Commanders WRs Project For Fantasy Football in 2025?

It might be tough for McLaurin to match last season’s gaudy 13 TDs, but he still profiles as the clear-cut No. 1 target for one of the league’s best young QBs. That alone makes him worthy of mid-tier WR2 treatment, while Samuel is more of a borderline WR3 who fantasy managers are hoping can get back to partying like it’s 2023 again.

That said, Deebo is still “just” 29 years old and projects for triple-digit combined carries and targets; there’s some “2024 pre-injury Chris Godwin” potential here should the motivated playmaker manage to rekindle his previous form.

Will Zach Ertz keep getting away with it?

Ben Sinnott truthers were forced to watch the twitchy second-rounder catch just five passes all season long, failing to beat out John Bates on the depth chart, let alone old man Zach Ertz.

The 34-year-old veteran is fresh off posting his best numbers since 2021, as his 66-654-7 receiving line was good for TE10 status in PPR points per game. Ertz’s season-ending 11-104-0 revenge game special against the Eagles was more evidence that the old man still has some gas in the tank.

Even more wild was the reality that Ertz actively functioned as Jayden Daniels’ No. 2 pass-game option throughout the season. Obviously Terry McLaurin (117 targets) easily led the way, but Ertz (91) finished far ahead of Olamide Zaccheaus (64) and Noah Brown (56).

Say what you will about Ertz’s after-the-catch ability (he did hurdle a man!), but he’s consistently managed to demand targets at a high level even in his later years. Just look at 2023 with the Cardinals when Ertz managed to post a 23.4% target per route run (6th!) before getting injured and giving way to Trey McBride.

Is Zach Ertz A Late-Round TE Sleeper?

35 next November, Ertz’s best football is certainly in the rear-view mirror; just realize he’s still good enough to out-slow plenty of linebackers around the league and accordingly is capable of keeping a younger, more exciting TE firmly on the bench (see: Sinnott, Ben).

Don’t be surprised to see him on the cover of Week 2 Waiver Wire articles after catching seven passes for 53 yards and a TD.

How much easier does a dual-threat QB make life for a team’s run blocking?

Offenses’ willingness to utilize the read option has made dual-threat QBs more dangerous than ever in recent years due to the gravity that they tend to have on the football field. Think about a fast QB like a deadly three-point shooter in basketball: Defenses need to be aware of where they are at all moments, and their sheer threat of doing something cool accordingly pulls defenders out of position.

To try and measure this, I went ahead and looked at every team’s RB yards before contact ranks for the ~10 best dual-threat QBs of the last 10 years when they were able to start at least eight games. I just used career rushing yards per game to get 40 qualified seasons, and the results were as follows:

The average rank in team RB yards before contact per carry in our baller dual-threat QB group: 11.4

The median rank: 9.5

28 of the 40 qualified seasons (70%) put forward an above-average rank

Bottom line: Last year’s Commanders ranked 10th–don’t be surprised if Robinson and Ekeler again have plenty of space to run, thanks in large part to defenders continuing to be awfully worried about Daniels skirting free around the edge.

Washington Commanders 2025 Prediction

Expectations for the Commanders are suddenly quite high and reflected in their 9.5 win total ahead of 2025. This is the second-highest mark in the NFC East behind only the Eagles (11.5).

Based on Daniels’ ascension and overall roster improvements, I’m taking OVER 9.5 wins for this aggressive-minded team who didn’t back down from any challenges in 2024.

My bold fantasy-specific take is that Robinson will score 12-plus total touchdowns on his way to a top-20 finish in PPR points per game. Hail to the Commanders!

Washington Commanders

32 of 32

AP Photo/Derik Hamilton Commanders QB Jayden Daniels

2024 record: 12-5

The Washington Commanders made the biggest leap between 2023 and 2024, considering their playoff run to the NFC Championship Game. Quarterback Jayden Daniels won the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year award in a season of spectacular plays and late-game heroics.

With a stronger supporting cast, Daniels will continue to ascend as one of the league’s top young quarterbacks.

Washington strengthened its pass protection, acquiring five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil from the Houston Texans and taking offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round of the draft, though the latter has to transition from the left to the right side of the line.

Deebo Samuel will be the Commanders’ X-factor this season. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury can get creative with Samuel’s versatile skill set, lining him up out wide and in the backfield.

While the Commanders offense looks better than last year’s group on paper, the club will struggle to match up against top offensive attacks with its lackluster pass-rushing unit.

Washington lost its 2024 sack leader, Dante Fowler Jr., in free agency. The Commanders will need more than Dorance Armstrong Jr. and Deatrich Wise to collapse the pocket on the edges. Frankie Luvu and Daron Payne must be active near the line of scrimmage on passing downs.

Keep in mind that the Commanders played a fourth-place team schedule last season. This year, Washington will face seven postseason teams from the previous term: the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles (twice).

In 2025, the Commanders have a difficult pathway to the playoffs, but they will remain in the mix with another double-digit-win campaign.

2025 projection: 10-7

College football statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.

2025 Projection Has Scary Outlook For Commanders’ Jayden Daniels originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

We have spoken at length all offseason about the Washington Commanders’ offensive line and its ability to protect Jayden Daniels.

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Coming off a superb rookie season, the only blight on Daniels was the 47 sacks he took, which was the sixth-most in the league.

Given Jayden’s slender build, that is just asking for the injury bug to come and sink its teeth into him. But this offseason, general manager Adam Peters traded for five-time Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil to help fortify Daniels’ protection.

The thought being that keeping Jayden upright will lead to the Commanders’ offense running like a well-oiled machine en route to what the franchise hopes is a Super Bowl win.

However, not everyone is convinced that the front five will protect Jayden, and one of those is ESPN’s Mike Clay.

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In his 2025 projections, Clay has Daniels being sacked 43 times, just four shy of last season – that’s nightmare fuel, my friends.

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith Jr. (3) sacks Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5).© Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

So based on Clay’s projections, the addition of Tunsil and the shift to right tackle for Brandon Coleman do little to stop Daniels from being tackled into the turf regularly.

Granted, Clay also projects Daniels to have 146 rushing attempts for 810 yards and seven touchdowns, which is nearly identical to his numbers from 2024.

Still, those sack projections scare us as we don’t have to look too far back at Andrew Luck to see the pile-on effect of taking hits regularly.

Yes, we know it is a projection, and Daniels’ sack numbers could plummet in Year 2, and in truth, if the Commanders are to get to where they want to go in 2025, they will have to.

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Related: Commanders’ Magic Johnson Speaks Out on Los Angeles Lakers Blockbuster Sale

Related: Commanders Reveal Injury Update on ‘Dog-Ass Competitor Noah Brown

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.

Washington Commanders superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels is football’s hottest property. The rookie’s play on the gridiron catapulted him into stardom, which means he is a target for big brands and celebrities who want to associate with him. Thankfully, he has his mother, Regina Jackson, as his agent.

Usually, agents associated with established sports management organizations push players to sign deals that will be mutually beneficial. Sometimes, those brands may not be the ideal fit, but the desire to earn commissions has seen those players willingly or unwillingly sign on the dotted line.

The same can be said about mingling with different people in power. Some athletes tend to focus on certain celebrities who can help them in other business ventures. But knowing who is better for the long term is a gamble every athlete takes.

Having his mother by his side means Jayden Daniels can make constructive decisions based on a long-term outlook. She would not be generally motivated by commissions. Rather, as a mother, she would want what is best for her son’s existence.

Regina Jackson has clarified that she will ensure her son is focused throughout his NFL career. That saw her issue a stern warning to gold-digging women who might want to benefit from her son. Now, football fans have witnessed two instances where she has been there to ensure her son does not get entangled with the wrong woman.

𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: Jayden Daniels has gone viral with fans confused about why his mother is third wheeling his dinner date in Miami 😳😳

She even tried to hide from the paparazzi… pic.twitter.com/StcWPj8szH — Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 6, 2025

She was at a college basketball game where she interrupted her son’s conversations with superstar JuJu Watkins. Another clip uploaded on social media earlier shows she was in the SUV along with her son and a possible date. This clip has now gone viral since it involves Jackson allegedly meddling again.

Fans lose it watching Regina Jackson third wheel on a date

Football fans watching this clip had mixed reactions. Some believe that as a mother, she is doing the right thing, protecting her son. There are enough instances of athletes being forced to pay child support to numerous women who allegedly trapped them.

On the other hand, some believe she is not letting her 24-year-old son enjoy life on his terms. He is old enough to make his own decisions and she should give him some leeway, especially when it comes to his personal life. Examples of those mixed emotions can be seen below.

She’s nuts, and he is brainwashed.

She’s the mom from water boy… pic.twitter.com/8qu2XPva1V — fatty patty (@theonlydyl_) May 6, 2025

I’m sure if Jayden didn’t want his mother to be there she wouldn’t be there. — Bella Noches ♍️ (@beautynbullshit) May 6, 2025

Mama gonna sit shawty down and ask what are your intentions with her son 😭 — Mel ♓️ (@MB_cali) May 6, 2025

That lady need to get a damn life tf — Blasianmuva (@blasianmuva2) May 6, 2025

She’s making sure nobody is latching on before that second contract😂😂😂 she knows that contract is gonna break records — The Boys Do Sports – Podcast (@TheBoysDoSports) May 6, 2025

Gotta fight off the gold diggers — Da Hook (@OffDaHook35) May 7, 2025

Yikes , Jayden’s mom is psychotic — Captain Caleb (@captaincaleb18) May 6, 2025

Dude never gone have a solid relationship if mom always around lurking..fellas women dont like mama boyz — CooUnderPressure™ (@Coonopressure) May 7, 2025

Jayden Daniels, though, has not projected any negativity towards his mother’s control over his life. He was smiling in that interview, even expecting what she would say. That could indicate that he knows why his mother wants to ensure he lives a life without the usual perils of an average NFL athlete.

If he continues to perform the way he did in his rookie season, the Washington Commanders might award him with the richest contract extension. By the time he is eligible, the average salary of top QBs might exceed $65 million a year. Regina Jackson knows many people might want a piece of that pie.

Jayden Daniels has made the Commanders relevant again

The Washington Commanders were not viewed as a serious Super Bowl contender for more than three decades. There have been instances when the team played well enough to make it to the playoffs, but they always fell short, despite having some talented players on their roster.

Jayden Daniels has the Washington Commanders buzzing (Image via Bleacher Report/X)

Had they not drafted Daniels with the second overall pick, the Commanders, and the Redskins before them, did not have a QB worthy of leaning on. Robert Griffin III came in with a lot of hype, but fizzled out sooner than anyone expected.

With Daniels, the hype has been justified. Many viewed him as the best quarterback in last season’s draft class, and his performances seemingly proved that. Heading into year two, there is a buzz around the team.

Having a confident, young elite quarterback on the roster is a blessing not many teams can claim to have. The Commanders, who could change their name if they listen to Donald Trump, now have the base to build on. Now, top free agents want to sign with them, which means they are relevant once again.

Also Read:

Everyone associated with the Washington Commanders is eagerly anticipating the 2025 NFL schedule release. And one analyst made a bold proclomation that signifies how far this ambitious project has come in a short space of time.

The Commanders went from a bottom-feeder to the final four with head coach Dan Quinn leading the charge in 2025. This represented a remarkable turnaround in fortunes, one that captivated the fanbase and put Washington’s football franchise back on the national stage for all the right reasons.

Commanders predicted by analyst to become prime-time darling in 2025

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz from USA Today believes this will be reflected on the NFL’s prime-time schedule. The analyst is expecting the Commanders to feature heavily as the league looks to showcase its new quarterback superstar, Jayden Daniels. But with added exposure comes increased expectations that Quinn and his players must match to cement their status among the elite.

“This might be your new prime-time darling for 2025. With the opportunity to spotlight one of the league’s most exciting young quarterbacks in [Jayden] Daniels, expect the league to make the Commanders a fixture of the evening slate. And beyond the two divisional tilts against the defending-champion Philadelphia Eagles, taking on the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium and hosting the Detroit Lions should help reveal whether [Dan] Quinn’s crew is ready to affirm its place among the select few capable of seizing the conference crown.” Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

The Commanders are already rumored to be taking on the Miami Dolphins in the first international game to be held in Madrid, Spain. Nothing has been confirmed as yet, but the momentum surrounding them suggests a few prime-time games will be on the schedule for fans to savor.

Whether that’ll be Thursday Night Football, Monday Night Football, Thankgiving, or even Christmas Day remains to be seen. Either way, it’s been decades since the Commanders were held in this sort of regard around the league.

The dark cloud of Dan Snyder is gone, replaced by professionalism, ambition, and everything in between. A new stadium in D.C., pending city council approval, and the 2027 NFL Draft coming to Washington are just two recent examples of the turning tide. It’s a tidal wave of positivity that has fans buzzing.

It would be surprising if the Commanders weren’t featured more with the national spotlight glaring in 2025. They deserve it after achieving so much last season, and the aggressive moves made by Adam Peters throughout his second recruitment period suggest this could be the start of something truly special.

Fans don’t have much longer to wait before finding out for sure. And the excitement is palpable.

More Commanders news and analysis