As if dropping to 3-6 wasn’t already bad enough, the Washington Commanders saw their franchise player suffer a scary injury in Week 9. Late in a 38-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, QB Jayden Daniels went down with a left arm ailment.
The gruesome fourth-quarter injury left Daniels’ arm immobilized, ending his night and bringing the rest of his sophomore campaign into question.
What’s the latest on Jayden Daniels' arm injury, and what does it mean for QB Marcus Mariota and the rest of Washington’s starters? We’ll dive into that and more below.
Jayden Daniels Elbow Injury News & Marcus Mariota Fantasy Impact
Per a Sunday night report from ESPN, Daniels has a dislocated left elbow. An MRI and subsequent testing will reveal more specifics, but he’s expected to miss multiple games as he’s “sidelined indefinitely.”
For as long as Daniels is out, the Commanders will look to QB Marcus Mariota. The veteran backup has thrown for 639 yards with 4 TDs and 4 INTs in 197 snaps this year. With 77 career starts under his belt, he offers D.C. plenty of experience.
Courtesy of FantasyPros, Mariota was fantasy QB14 during his starts in Weeks 3 and 4. His 37.5 points were more than star QBs Justin Herbert, Jared Goff, and Aaron Rodgers. He was QB19 in his most recent start — Week 8’s 28-7 loss to the Chiefs.
Up next, Washington plays the Lions then the Dolphins before a Week 12 bye. How could the shift from Daniels to Mariota affect the club’s skill position players in fantasy land?
Washington Commanders Skill Position Fantasy Outlook
Perhaps the most interesting development to watch is how rookie RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt fares without Daniels.
Merritt’s breakout didn’t happen until Daniels returned from an initial injury in Week 5. In three Mariota starts, the seventh-round pick has 24 carries for 98 yards and a TD with 3 receptions for another 15 yards. Maybe without their best player, the Commanders lean more into the run instead of their 0.5% pass rate over expected.
If so, what about the production of WR Deebo Samuel and TE Zach Ertz? After popping off for 96 total yards and a TD in Week 5, Samuel has all of 70 yards and no scores in his last three games combined. Ertz has 9 catches for 75 yards in Mariota’s 2025 starts.
The straw that stirs the drink, WR Terry McLaurin, remains out with a quad injury. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that he could miss “possibly multiple weeks.”
It’s a rough time to be a fantasy owner for just about anyone in Washington.
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