The Washington Commanders began their 2025 season on a high note, defeating the New York Giants 21-6. It was a strong start for second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels, who threw for 233 yards and one touchdown and showed complete command of the offense.
He then missed time due to an injury, but he is ready to play against the Chicago Bears in Week 6 on Monday Night Football. Washington is 3-2 heading into this game, while Chicago is coming off a bye week and is 2-2 on the season.
What’s the Story Behind the Japanese Flag on Jayden Daniels’ Helmet?
Daniels had a Japanese flag decal on his helmet for the season opener and said he will continue to wear it to support his great-grandmother, who was Japanese. While Daniels’ Japanese heritage is a few generations removed, he qualifies as one of the few quarterbacks in NFL history with that background.
After the game against the Giants, Daniels was asked about the flag on his helmet. “My great-grandmother is Japanese, so I’m showing love to her,” he said. The grandmother he mentioned comes from his mother’s side. His mom, Regina Jackson, is an NFLPA-certified agent who also serves as his representative.
According to Sporting News, only one other quarterback of Japanese heritage has played in the league: Arthur Matsu in 1928.
Matsu played for the Dayton Triangles, a team that competed in the APFA, the precursor to the NFL. That technically makes Daniels the first quarterback in NFL history with Japanese bloodlines.
Daniels is already one of the league’s most recognizable quarterbacks, and his gesture highlights a unique family history not often seen in the NFL.
Commanders Players’ Fantasy Outlook for Week 6
Here’s what PFSN’s Kyle Soppe wrote about the Commanders players’ fantasy outlooks for the Week 6 game against the Chicago Bears:
Jayden Daniels
I saw everything I needed and then some from Jayden Daniels in his return from the knee injury that cost him two games. In the win over the Chargers last week, he ran eight times for 39 yards and closed the deal with something of a fadeaway pass, out of the pocket, right on the money to Deebo Samuel in the end zone.
Chicago owns a vulnerable defense and an offense with some upside. I expect this to be a fun end to the week, and I have both QBs ranked as top-eight options for that reason.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt
Jacory Croskey-Merritt has a 4.7% Boom vs. Bust rate this season, and among players with at least 40 carries, that’s the top mark by a decent amount. “Boom vs. Bust” is simply the difference in percentage of carries that “boom” (gain 10-plus yards) against the percentage of carries that “bust” (fail to gain yardage).
His carry count is smaller, so drastic swings can happen, but through five weeks, his rate is more than double that of Jonathan Taylor, the running back drawing LaDainian Tomlinson comparisons.
The advanced metrics, like the one they call “Bill” before his big Week 5 performance against the Chargers, aren’t backing down. His usage is likely to tick up after the breakout game, and with 72.1% of his carries resulting in more yards after contact than the positional average, I see no reason to pump the brakes.
He’s my favorite running back in this game, and I could see a scenario where you have to decide between him and Derrick Henry this week… I have Croskey-Merritt ranked one spot higher. What a world.
Deebo Samuel Sr.
The prevailing narrative this summer was that the Commanders overspent on a veteran receiver, and while it may help them win games, the fantasy impact would be minimal.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Washington is bouncing him in and out of the slot with all sorts of success. His target rate sits at 26%, and while some of that is due to Terry McLaurin’s health, he has looked great physically.
Last season, 19.8% of his targets came deep downfield, a mark that has increased to 34.2% through five weeks. The touchdown against the Chargers was a great display of nonverbal communication with Jahan Dotson, and that’s the type of thing we love to see.
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The versatility is hit-and-miss (three carries in two games this season, one total rush attempt in the other three), but if he’s going to be good for six catches per game, any value added on the ground is a bonus.
His value would be dinged a touch if McLaurin returns to action, but he’ll be a top-20 receiver for me regardless, with the second-worst completion percentage defense on the slate.
