After an impressive 2024 season, expectations were high for the Washington Commanders in 2025. However, injuries have derailed their campaign, leaving the offense depleted and the team nearly out of playoff contention.
As they prepare for their Week 13 matchup against the Denver Broncos, the Commanders will remain without quarterback Jayden Daniels. Star receiver Terry McLaurin is expected to play, but second-year wideout Luke McCaffrey also remains sidelined.
When Will Luke McCaffrey Return?
McCaffrey went down with a shoulder injury on the opening kickoff of Washington’s Week 9 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Scans later revealed he had suffered a broken collarbone, and he was subsequently placed on injured reserve.
While the second-year wideout becomes eligible to return to practice next week, there’s no indication he’ll suit up this season, as he’s still required to sleep upright to protect his collarbone.
“For the first little bit, you have to sleep upright, stay off the collarbone,” McCaffrey said. Despite the setback, he remains optimistic: “We’ll see,” he added about a potential return.
Before the injury, McCaffrey had been making a noticeable impact, catching 11 of 15 targets for 203 yards and three touchdowns through eight games. That’s already a bigger contribution than his rookie season, when he totaled 18 receptions for 168 yards over 17 games.
Washington has had to rely on a backup offense in recent weeks, with key players like Daniels, McLaurin, and Noah Brown sidelined. Deebo Samuel Sr. has been the only consistent offensive threat. However, with both McLaurin and Brown trending toward a return, the Commanders’ offense is poised to become far more challenging to defend.
Insights For Broncos at Commanders
Broncos
QB: Bo Nix has seven touchdowns and two interceptions in the fourth quarter this season. He has 11 touchdowns and six interceptions in the first three quarters combined.
Offense: The Broncos have ranked 19th or lower in OFFi in the last three games. Denver is ranked 14th in OFFi for the season.
Defense: Since the start of last season, Denver’s opponents have registered a D+ or worse grade 15 times. Only two have graded above C+, the Bengals (B-) and Ravens (B+), both were in 2024.
Fantasy: From Weeks 1-10, RJ Harvey maxed out at a 40% snap share in any individual game. With no JK Dobbins, he played 61% of the snaps in Week 11, but only 8.0 fantasy points. The Commanders allow the 10th-most schedule-adjusted fantasy points per game to running backs.
Commanders
Team: Washington is 0-3 in November. The Commanders have not had a winless November since 2014 and only six total since 1960.
QB: Marcus Mariota has graded in the weekly top ten in QBi three times in six qualified games. His best was an 81.2 (B-) against the Raiders in Week 3. Mariota’s season rank is 16th out of 40 qualified quarterbacks.
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Offense: The Commanaders have averaged 17.0 points per game during their six-game losing streak.
Defense: Washington registered a 76.2 (C) in DEFi against the Dolphins in Week 11. It snapped a streak of two straight games with an F grade.
Fantasy: Since Week 7, Troy Franklin has four games with at least 12.9 fantasy points. Courtland Sutton has one game with over 10.7 fantasy points. Franklin has out-targeted Sutton 45-34 over that timeframe.
