The 2025 NFL season may have just gone from bad to worse for the Washington Commanders. Coming in with a ton of expectations after making the NFC Championship Game last year, the team has sputtered to a 3-3 start, with quarterback Jayden Daniels already missing some time with an injury.
However, upon coming back, he has looked like his usual self, leading the team to a win over the Los Angeles Chargers before losing to a last-second field goal against the Chicago Bears. But as he tried to get the team back on track against the Dallas Cowboys, he may have suffered another injury.
What Happened to Jayden Daniels?
In a high-scoring affair, the Cowboys had a commanding 27-15 lead coming out of the half. However, with the explosiveness that Washington has, it was impossible to fully count them out, especially with an entire half remaining.
Unfortunately, in less than four minutes into the third quarter, tragedy struck when Daniels was taken down by a hard tackle. Immediately clutching his leg and hamstring injury, he let out a guttural scream before limping off the field to the sideline.
When he came out of the game, last year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year was already up to 156 passing yards and a touchdown, while completing 12 of his 22 passing attempts. He had also made use of his running ability, adding 35 rushing yards and a touchdown on eight carries.
The play Jayden Daniels was injured on. pic.twitter.com/kFkzw4DnwE
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) October 19, 2025
The exact severity of his injury was unclear. For the time being, the official verdict was that he was questionable to return for the remainder of the game. However, the problems for the Commanders were only just beginning.
With injuries quickly becoming a common sight for the former second overall pick, Washington had to be thinking from a long-term perspective as well, especially after this was the third time in his career that he was missing time on the field with an ailment.
How Does Daniels’ Injury Impact Fantasy?
Daniels was just getting healthy after a short absence due to a knee injury. If this is a hamstring, that is a huge problem, as it is not only likely a multi-week injury, but Daniels is heavily reliant on his mobility.
Marcus Mariota is a competent backup, but he is an undeniable downgrade for an offense already missing a ton of offensive weapons, most notably their top three wide receivers. If and when Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel can make it back, fantasy managers have to downgrade them a bit if Mariota has to start.
The interesting part, though, is that Mariota himself is a viable fantasy streamer in the right matchup. He is essentially a lite version of Daniels. If we get bad news on Daniels, which we certainly don’t want, Mariota is a worthwhile add for fantasy managers.
