A questionable trade for the Dallas Cowboys and a string of injuries for the Washington Commanders never allowed either team to truly have high playoff hopes this season. As a result, a heated matchup with major playoff implications on Christmas Day has now been reduced to a race for who can get a higher pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
But even for this game, neither team is walking in fully healthy. So we are here to break down the players who are on the injury report and who will be in the starting lineup for both teams.
Inactive List for Commanders and Cowboys
Washington Commanders
- QB Jayden Daniels
- QB Marcus Mariota
- QB Sam Hartman
- RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.
- LB Nick Bellore
- T Laremy Tunsil
- DT Daron Payne
Dallas Cowboys
- WR Ryan Flournoy
- CB Caelen Carson
- RB Jaydon Blue
- DT Jay Toia
- LB DeMarvion Overshown
- DT Perrion Winfrey
Starting Lineups for Commanders vs. Cowboys
Washington Commanders
Offense:
- QB Josh Johnson
- RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt
- WR Terry McLaurin
- WR Deebo Samuel
- WR Chris Moore
- TE Ben Sinnott
- LT Brandon Coleman
- LG Chris Paul
- C Tyler Biadasz
- RG Nick Allegretti
- RT Josh Conerly Jr.
Defense:
- RDE Preston Smith
- LDT Jer’Zhan Newton
- RDT Javon Kinlaw
- LDE Jalyn Holmes
- WLB Frankie Luvu
- MLB Bobby Wagner
- SLB Kain Medrano
- RCB Mike Sainristil
- SS Jeremy Reaves
- FS Quan Martin
- LCB Jonathan Jones
Special Teams:
- PK Jake Moody
- P, H Tress Way
- PR, KR Deebo Samuel
- LS Tyler Ott
With Jayden Daniels fluctuating in and out of the lineup for most of the season, the Commanders have been able to skate by thanks to solid production from Marcus Mariota, ranked 22nd on PFSN’s QB Impact.
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However, with just two weeks left in the year, Mariota has also suffered an injury, leaving Washington to make do with third-stringer Josh Johnson.
Dallas Cowboys
Offense:
- QB Dak Prescott
- RB Javonte Williams
- WR CeeDee Lamb
- WR George Pickens
- TE Jake Ferguson
- FB Hunter Luepke
- LT Tyler Guyton
- LG Tyler Smith
- C Cooper Beebe
- RG Tyler Booker
- RT Terence Steele
Defense:
- RDE Donovan Ezeiruaku
- LDT Kenny Clark
- RDT Quinnen Williams
- LDE Jadeveon Clowney
- MLB Kenneth Murray Jr.
- SLB Shemar James
- WLB Logan Wilson
- LCB Shavon Revel Jr.
- RCB Caelen Carson
- SS Markquese Bell
- FS Donovan Wilson
Special Teams:
- PK Brandon Aubrey
- P, H Bryan Anger
- PR, KR KaVontae Turpin
- LS Trent Sieg
After some hope remained for the Cowboys to make a late-season push into the playoffs, especially with trades to improve the defense at the deadline, those dreams vanished in a hurry with consecutive losses to the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Now, the roster doesn’t have much to play for, except draft positioning and their own pride. Facing a Washington team that has been the punching bag of the NFL throughout the year, they have a chance to exploit them, especially with Daniels and Mariota ruled out for the game.
