The Washington Commanders secured a decisive victory against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3, but the win came at a cost. Terry McLaurin left the game with a quad injury, creating significant uncertainty about his Week 4 availability. For fantasy football managers counting on the veteran receiver, what is the latest on his status?
Terry McLaurin Injury Update
McLaurin injured his quad with 4:47 left in the third quarter against Las Vegas when he lunged for the end zone to complete what initially appeared to be a 57-yard touchdown. He twisted to the right side and dove as corner Kyu Blu Kelly grabbed him, causing the injury. Officials initially ruled it a touchdown before replay overturned the score.
NFL insider Adam Schefter reported Monday that McLaurin’s status for Sunday’s game against Atlanta remains uncertain. “Washington WR Terry McLaurin is uncertain to play Sunday vs. Atlanta due to his quad injury, per source,” Schefter said. “He still is seeking more information about the injury.”
The situation became more concerning on Wednesday when Ian Rapoport provided additional details: “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. As of now, they believe it’s a quad injury. But more tests coming, as his status is in doubt for Sunday.”
From @GMFB: #Bucs WR Mike Evans (hamstring) will miss a few weeks, while #Commanders WR Terry McLaurin (quad) could miss this week. pic.twitter.com/bJXQKlQPtm
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 24, 2025
Players receiving multiple opinions on an injury is never a good sign. It either means the injury is more serious than initially believed or it’s an uncommon injury that’s difficult to diagnose precisely. The fact that McLaurin is consulting with a core specialist suggests this isn’t a typical quad strain, as such injuries wouldn’t normally require that level of expertise.
We did get a more optimistic outlook from head coach Dan Quinn.
Quinn said #Commanders WR Terry McLaurin getting a second opinion for his quad injury is “normal.” He targeted Friday as the deadline to make a determination about McLaurin’s status against the Falcons.
— Tashan Reed (@tashanreed) September 24, 2025
The fact that Quinn did not immediately rule McLaurin out or offer a grim projection is encouraging. Nevertheless, fantasy managers should fully expect McLaurin to miss Sunday’s game against Atlanta. Unsurprisingly, he did not pratice on Wednesday.
While Rapoport’s wording suggests this may only be a one-week absence, the nature of the medical consultations raises red flags. This still sounds like it could sideline McLaurin for multiple weeks, and fantasy managers should brace for that possibility.
Thursday Update: Unsurprisingly, McLaurin remained absent from practice. Expect the same story on Friday and for the Commanders to rule him out.
Friday Update:Â As expected, McLaurin did not practice again on Friday. He is not going to play this week, and fantasy managers should brace for a multi-week absence.
McLaurin Fantasy Outlook
McLaurin has gotten off to a slow start this season, managing just 149 receiving yards and zero touchdowns on 10 receptions through three games. He was a half yard short of his first touchdown last week, which would have improved his statistical line, but the underlying usage patterns reveal concerning trends.
Through three weeks, it’s abundantly clear the Commanders prefer Deebo Samuel Sr. as their go-to receiver, with McLaurin relegated to more of a deep threat role. His 14.4 average depth of target ranks 17th highest in the league. He’s seen only a 19.5% target share and was targeted on just 16.3% of his routes run, ranking 69th in the league. He is simply not the priority in this passing attack anymore.
Samuel has emerged as the clear WR1 with 16 receptions for 132 yards and a touchdown. He is now a locked-in fantasy WR2 for the foreseeable future, regardless of McLaurin’s status.
Who steps up in McLaurin’s absence remains unclear. Noah Brown would be the obvious next man up, but he’s dealing with his own groin injury and is uncertain to play this week.
Based on last week’s snap distribution, Chris Moore, Luke McCaffrey, and Jaylin Lane all rotated into the lineup, though it was an unusual game script where even Samuel ran only 11 routes.
For fantasy purposes, there is no immediate waiver wire action to take beyond starting Samuel if you have him. The only other Commanders pass catcher worth consideration is tight end Zach Ertz, who has emerged as a reliable target in this offense.
