Washington Commanders star receiver Terry McLaurin has been sidelined for the past two weeks with an injury that’s raising serious concerns about his immediate availability and long-term health this season. The typically durable wide receiver is now facing a physical setback that has fantasy football owners scrambling to find alternatives in their lineups.
While HC Dan Quinn expressed optimism about McLaurin’s potential return for Monday night’s clash against the Chicago Bears, the mysterious nature of his absence and the team’s cautious approach suggest this situation may be more complex than initially anticipated.
With a favorable upcoming schedule including matchups against Chicago and Dallas, fantasy managers are left wondering whether their reliable WR1 will be ready to capitalize on these prime scoring opportunities or if they should be exploring trade options while his value remains uncertain.
Terry McLaurin Injury Update
Washington Commanders superstar receiver Terry McLaurin has missed Weeks 4 and 5 due to a quad injury, but he is expected to return to practice ahead of Week 6’s game against the Chicago Bears.
In his Monday press conference, head coach Dan Quinn stated that he was “optimistic” that McLaurin would return in Week 6.
McLaurin did not practice on Wednesday, October 8, but he has an extra day to prepare thanks to a Monday night matchup against the Bears this week.
— PFSN Fantasy Football Analyst Dan Fornek
McLaurin Fantasy Outlook
This quad injury is troublesome. McLaurin hadn’t missed a game in four consecutive seasons prior to Week 4, and, considering that Washington doesn’t go on bye until Week 12, I think it’s possible they take a long-term approach with their WR1.
READ MORE: Soppe’s Week 6 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em: Analysis for Every Player in Every Game
Through three games, McLaurin doesn’t yet have an end zone target and has the lowest on-field target share through four weeks of his career. If the injury report is clean, we are looking at a WR2 that I wouldn’t hesitate to plug back into lineups.
Washington gets Dallas next week, so the hope is that McLaurin doesn’t completely miss this very favorable stretch. If there is a panicked manager in your league, a “buy-low” sort of deal is very much on the table.
— PFSN Fantasy Football Analyst Kyle Soppe
