The RGIII fears continue to haunt Washington as sophomore quarterback Jayden Daniels has been ruled out for Monday night’s matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. With Daniels sidelined, veteran Marcus Mariota will return under center as the Commanders navigate an injury-plagued season for their young QB.
So, here’s the latest on Daniels’ injury and when he’s expected to return.
What’s Jayden Daniel’s Injury?
Daniels recently returned from a two-game absence caused by a knee injury sustained in Week 2 against Green Bay. He played one full game before suffering another setback during Sunday’s 44-22 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, when he was ruled out in the third quarter with a hamstring strain.
The injury occurred with 11 minutes and 53 seconds remaining in the third quarter when Cowboys linebacker Shemar James had a clear path on a sack. Daniels was attempting to throw but pulled the ball down when James hit him, causing a fumble and injuring his hamstring in the process of being tackled.
Daniels immediately grabbed the back of his right leg and limped off the field, keeping his hand on his hamstring as he was evaluated in the medical tent before heading to the locker room. Marcus Mariota replaced him but threw a pick-6 on his first series that allowed Dallas to extend their lead to 41-15.
On Monday, head coach Dan Quinn provided an encouraging update, calling the injury “not significant or long-term.” While this was reassuring, hamstring injuries for mobile quarterbacks can be unpredictable, as seen with Lamar Jackson missing three games this season with a similar strain.
And unsurprisingly, on Thursday morning, the Commanders officially ruled Daniels out of the game against the Chiefs and named Mariota as the starter. Quinn said the team is targeting Week 9 against the Seahawks for Daniels’ return, though there’s no guarantee he’ll be ready after missing practice all week.
Through five games this season, Daniels has averaged 206.2 passing yards per game, throwing for eight touchdowns against just one interception. He’s also been a threat on the ground, rushing for 211 yards and one touchdown on 44 carries. However, his third- and fourth-down conversion rate sits at 37.0%, with a 36.7% success rate on third downs, ranking him 23rd in PFSN’s QB Impact metric.
Meanwhile, Mariota has started two games this season, throwing for 426 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions. The Commanders split those games 1-1, and they’ll hope Mariota can step up again against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
Marcus Mariota and Others’ Fantasy Outlook
Here’s what PFSN’s Kyle Soppe wrote on Mariota and other Commanders players’ fantasy outlooks for the Week 8 game against the Chiefs:
Marcus Mariota
Marcus Mariota is averaging one rush attempt for every 3.5 completions this season, and that’s what has the potential to make him interesting whenever he gets the call. I’m passing if at all possible on Monday night.
Only once has a QB scored 17 fantasy points against the Chiefs since Week 1 and Mariota with a group of dinged up pass catchers doesn’t exactly profile as the type to break that mold.
In his last start, Mariota spread the ball around, targeting seven different players multiple times despite throwing just 27 passes. Fading players opposing Kansas City is good practice as it is, and that train of thought is magnified for a limited player like this trying to navigate various injuries.
Deebo Samuel Sr.
We weren’t sure this heel injury would cost Deebo Samuel time, but he sat out last week and should be approached with caution.
He’s looked great for the majority of this season (TD or 10 targets in four of six games), though some of that production has come with Terry McLaurin sidelined.
The hope is that this offense is close to full strength this week, though it’s obviously something you need to track as the weekend nears. This Chiefs defense is among the best in the game, but Samuel’s versatility gives him paths to success in virtually any spot.
If all health concerns fade, Samuel will check in as a reasonable flex play for me in Week 8.
Terry McLaurin
This annoying quad injury has now cost Terry McLaurin four straight games, though reports indicate he is making progress.
That’s obviously great to hear, but I don’t care. If he returns this week, I’m looking for an excuse to go elsewhere. A month of missed time is a lot and carries with it reinjury risk, not to mention this being one of the better defensive units in the league.
McLaurin’s aDOT is pacing for his highest mark since his rookie campaign, and if he’s limited physically, a cardio-centric outing is certainly within the range of outcomes.
Pay attention to his practice habits as the weekend approaches; it’s possible that, with six teams on bye, you’re really short on options. With this game being the last one of the week, I’d need more than a questionable label come Sunday action to sit active receivers for McLaurin this week.
