The Washington Commanders secured a decisive victory against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3, but the win came at a cost. An already shorthanded offense is now in danger of losing another key player after Terry McLaurin left the game with a quad injury, leaving fans to wonder if the team can sustain its momentum.
How Will Terry McLaurin’s Injury Affect the Commanders’ Offense?
During their impressive victory over the Raiders, the Commanders showed resilience as backup quarterback Marcus Mariota stepped in and adequately filled Jayden Daniels’s shoes.
Despite leaving the game early, McLaurin still led the team with 74 receiving yards. Now, his status for the upcoming games is uncertain.
NFL insider Adam Schefter provided an update on the 6-foot wideout, casting doubt on his availability for Washington’s next contest against the Atlanta Falcons.
“Washington WR Terry McLaurin is uncertain to play Sunday vs. Atlanta due to his quad injury, per source,” he said. “He still is seeking more information about the injury.”
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network revealed that McLaurin is meeting with a core muscle expert.
“Terry McLaurin will receive another opinion on his quad today, and he’s received several — including from Dr. Williams Meyers, the nation’s expert in core muscle injuries,” he posted. “As of now, they believe it’s a quad injury. But more tests coming, as his status is in doubt for Sunday.”
McLaurin didn’t practice on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Friday, the Commanders announced their star receiver will not play this week.
The Commanders just announced that doctors did not clear QB Jayden Daniels this week and WR Terry McLaurin is still week-to-week,” wrote NFL insider Josina Anderson. “Thus both players are OUT vs the #Falcons this Sunday.
While the Commanders have started the 2025 season with a 2-1 record, the Ohio State product has been surprisingly quiet so far.
Is McLaurin Underperforming After His Massive Offseason Deal?
After negotiations that stretched for nearly the entire summer, McLaurin and the Commanders finally agreed to a massive extension. The deal provides the 30-year-old pass catcher with a three-year, $96 million contract.
With five consecutive seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards, the investment seemed like a no-brainer. However, through three games in 2025, McLaurin has recorded just 149 receiving yards and zero touchdowns on 10 receptions.
Behind the former third-round pick, Deebo Samuel is having a strong start with his new team. The former San Francisco 49er has 132 receiving yards and a touchdown on a team-leading 16 receptions.
This situation is further complicated by the health of Washington’s starting quarterback. Daniels is undoubtedly eager to return to the lineup after he sustained a knee sprain in Washington’s Week 2 loss to Green Bay. The second-year QB remains day-to-day with his recovery.
While certain players’ statistics may not jump off the page early in the season, the Commanders have played well as a collective unit. The offense, one of the most exciting from a season ago, is back at it, averaging just under 30 points per game through three weeks.
McLaurin’s Fantasy Outlook Going Forward
For my money, that’s a touchdown.
McLaurin left last week’s win over the Raiders with a quad injury, but before that, he made a play on what looked like a 57-yard touchdown, extending the ball to the goal line while being dragged down.
Review overturned the ball, and if you lost your fantasy matchup by 6.1 points or fewer, that’s tough to swallow.
That’s in the past though. The future involves a few moving pieces. The health of Daniels is obviously a concern along with the availability of his WR1. I’m hopeful that McLaurin can suit up this week (he hasn’t sat out a game since 2020) because he needs to rediscover the magic with his dynamic QB.
Weeks 1-2, 2025: 18.8% target share
2024: 23.2% target share
That may not seem like the greatest difference in the world, but with seemingly inevitable regression in the touchdown department, McLaurin managers need high levels of volume in order to pay off this investment.
The dual nature of health concerns have me down a bit on him this week, ranking as more of a reasonable flex than anything against the Falcons (if he plays). I think he still offers top-20 production at the position from this point forward, but there’s no shying away from an increase in risk as we prepare for Week 4.
