2025 Washington Commanders Fantasy Preview

2025 Washington Commanders Fantasy Preview If one needs an example of the impact that changing toxic culture can have, reference the 2024 Washington Commanders. In the first full year (second season) away from Dan Snyder, the Commanders took astonishing steps, going 12-5 and reaching the NFC championship game. After inheriting Snyder’s last staff, new owner Josh Harris hired GM Adam Peters, went against the grain and gave Dan Quinn another shot, and nabbed Kliff Kingsbury to run the offense. The results speak for themselves. Paramount for Washington’s turnaround was hitting on QB Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Daniels was sensational in Year One, throwing for 3,568 yards, tossing 25 touchdowns, and accumulating the second-most QB rushing yards (891) with an additional six scores. Daniels is firmly in the top tier of signal-callers and has vaulted to the head of the Dynasty class. The Commanders did not draft a running back before Round 7, so Brian Robinson Jr. looks like a good value pick. Robinson posted his usual numbers in 2024, but saw an increase in rushing touchdowns (8) while missing three games. Robinson ceded a lot of targets to Austin Ekeler, who is back in his age-30 season. Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez also return as reserves. In all, Washington ranked third with 154.1 rushing yards per game. Robinson and Ekeler are fine middle-round targets. Daniels formed a formidable connection with WR Terry McLaurin, who broke out with 13 touchdown receptions. What’s scary for Scary Terry is that there is still room for more. McLaurin dipped below 120 targets for the first time since his rookie campaign. Even a 10 percent boost would put McLaurin in the top five of fantasy wideouts. However, we don’t expect a repeat of those gaudy TD numbers. He’s closer to WR10 than WR6, where he finished last season. The Commanders acquired Deebo Samuel from San Francisco. Samuel adds a new wrinkle to Kingsbury’s offense and is a massive upgrade over Olamide Zaccheaus. It will be interesting to see how Samuel is employed in the attack and how many touches he takes away from McLaurin and the backs. Noah Brown returns as WR3, but keep an eye on fourth-round Virginia Tech rookie Jaylin Lane, a twitchy speedster with massive potential. Washington re-signed TE Zach Ertz after his impressive TE8 showing. Eriz ranked second on the team with 91 targets. He’ll be 35 in December, but Ertz ran a route on a career-high 92.2 percent of his snaps. His ADOT and contested catch rates also increased. Father Time is looming, but Ertz still looks like a solid TE1. Fantasy Grade: B+ QB Daniels, Jayden, WAS [QB1] In last year’s preview, we mentioned Daniels had top 5 upside. That’s precisely what happened, as Daniels showcased his immense, dual-threat value. Washington ranked 4th in pace of play, and Daniels posted 12 QB1 weekly finishes. He ranked 2nd at the position in rushing (891) and red-zone totes (39). However, he also proved to be a legitimate passing weapon, boasting a 25-to-9 TD-to-INT ratio and leading the entire NFL in completion rate versus man coverage (78 percent). Daniels was a league-winning mid-to-late round pick last season, but the price has risen significantly. Still, he’s one of the top QBs to target. ADVICE: Firmly in elite tier and worth targeting early. RB Robinson, Brian, WAS [RB1] Washington is running it back in 2025. Having added no competition before Round 7, Brian Robinson’s role as the Commanders’ lead back keeps him in the RB3 conversation. Robinson will cede some change-of-pace work to Austin Ekeler, but he will take the majority of early-down carries. He ranked 20th with 44 red-zone touches, resulting in eight scores. Also, Robinson chipped in 20 receptions with only one drop. Washington was 5th in the league with 30.8 rushes per game, so B-Rob will have ample opportunities to contribute RB3/flex numbers. ADVICE: Middle-round RB3/flex option with plus touchdown potential. RB Ekeler, Austin, WAS [RB2] The days of Austin Ekeler earning 20 touches are over, but he can still contribute as an RB3/4. Metrics highlight a decline in his efficiency: a 2.55 yards after contact per attempt and 10 forced missed tackles on 77 carries. His opportunity share stood at 41 percent, with a snap share of 55.6 percent, indicating a reduced role in the Commanders’ backfield. Despite these changes, Ekeler’s receiving prowess remained evident, maintaining a significant role in the passing game. However, with the emergence of Brian Robinson Jr. as the primary rusher, Ekeler’s fantasy value has shifted. ADVICE: Decent flex option, particularly valuable in PPR leagues due to his receiving capabilities. WR McLaurin, Terry, WAS [WR1] Terry McLaurin put together his most productive season yet in 2024, ending the year as the WR6 overall with 82 receptions, 1,110 yards, and a career-high 13 touchdowns. He flourished with rookie Jayden Daniels at quarterback, finishing as a top-24 fantasy wideout in 69 percent of his games, tied for third-best among all receivers. His breakout campaign was fueled by exceptional touchdown efficiency, and he posted the highest contested catch rate of any WR in the past six seasons. While some regression in scoring is expected, McLaurin remains a steady option in an improved Washington offense. He’s a reliable WR2 with top-20 upside. ADVICE: Stable WR2 with proven volume and ADP in the late 3rd round. WR Samuel, Deebo, WAS [WR2] As more time passes, Deebo Samuel’s breakout 2021 campaign looks like an outlier. Samuel finished as the WR3 that season with 1,405 receiving yards and 14 total TDs. His 2023 season was also strong, but Samuel has battled nagging injuries and a decreased involvement as a rusher. Now, he’s dealing with a new team, system, and quarterback. Granted, Washington isn’t a downgrade, but the Commanders funneled their offense through Terry McLaurin. And with Jayden Daniels, Samuel would, at best, be fourth in line for carries. Kliff Kingsbury is creative enough to utilize Samuel as a weapon, but can he get back

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 11

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 11 Last week’s AFC North Thursday night shootout more than lived up to the hype. Conversely, this week’s NFC East tilt looks like a worthy successor. The upstart Washington Commanders travel to Philadelphia to take

Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 11

Last week’s AFC North Thursday night shootout more than lived up to the hype. Conversely, this week’s NFC East tilt looks like a worthy successor. The upstart Washington Commanders travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles. Our Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 11 has everything you’ll need to know about this intriguing battle for the division lead.

The Commanders have done a 180. It’s funny how competent ownership and a terrific rookie quarterback can turn a franchise around seemingly overnight. At 7-3, Dan Quinn’s club is 3-2 on the road and 2-0 in division play.

Meanwhile, the Eagles (7-2) sit atop the division standings with a slim half-game lead. Nick Siriani has led Philly to five consecutive wins after destroying the Cowboys last week 34-6.

This game opened with the Eagles as touchdown favorites. However, a ton of action on the Commanders has driven the line down from Philadelphia -7 to just 3.5. Conversely, the total has jumped up two points to 48.5.

Matchup

TEAM	OFFENSE	PASS	RUSH	YDS/PLAY	POINTS
Washington Commanders	4	7	3	4	3
Philadelphia Eagles	6	24	2	11	9

Looking at the above stats, these teams are as evenly matched as the standings indicate. However, on defense, it is a different story.

The Eagles allow 274.1 yards per game, which ranks second overall. Philadelphia has surrendered the fifth-fewest points. They also rank second against the pass and fifth versus the run. This will be a tough matchup for Washington, who has had no problems moving the ball.

Nick Siriani’s crew doesn’t pass a ton but they don’t have to. The Eagles are content to use their ground game and take play-action shots downfield. While the Commanders have vastly improved defensively, they still allow the fourth-most rushing yards (142.7 per game).

That plays right into Philly’s hands.

This looks like a promising watch, with both teams mounting top-6 offenses that are top-10 in scoring. Therefore, the fantasy points should pile up.

Washington Offense

Jayden Daniels has more than lived up to the hype. The No. 2 pick enters Week 11 as fantasy football’s…

How will Thursday’s Commanders vs. Eagles game go?

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2024 Washington Commanders Fantasy Preview

2024 Washington Commanders Fantasy Preview The Commanders were a disaster but they are making progress after finishing last in the NFC East in 2023. After selecting Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 pick in the draft, Washington will look quite

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NFL Week 1 Cardinals at Commanders: DFS & Fantasy Preview

NFL Week 1 Cardinals at Commanders: DFS & Fantasy Preview Betting Line: Commanders – 7 Over/Under: 39.0 The Cardinals are the favorites to finish last in the NFL in wins based on their over/under betting line (3.5). Kyler Murray is

NFL Week 1 Cardinals at Commanders: DFS & Fantasy Preview

Betting Line: Commanders – 7

Over/Under: 39.0

The Cardinals are the favorites to finish last in the NFL in wins based on their over/under betting line (3.5). Kyler Murray is on the PUP list with no clear timetable to return to the starting lineup. Incoming rookie Clayton Tune looks poised to start in Week 1 after getting drafted in the fifth round this year. James Conner is the lead back with minimal competition for snaps. Zack Ertz is trending toward a sit in Week 1. Arizona will feature Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore in the passing game. They hope Michael Wilson can handle their WR3 role at some point in the season.

Washington has a top defense with a developing quarterback (Sam Howell) who will be making his second career start. The change at offensive coordinator could lead to a bump in production at running back in the passing game, rewarding Antonio Gibson. Brian Robinson is their power running with the inside track to score in close. A turf toe issue may keep Terry McLaurin on the sideline in Week 1. For now, Jahan Dotson assumes the lead wide receiver role, and Curtis Samuel gets a bump in chances.

Note: The fantasy points per $1,000 are based on the early projections for Week 1.

The above grid shows the top players excepted to contribute in Week 1 in the fantasy games. I listed each player’s salary at DraftKings and FanDuel, plus their fantasy points expected per $1,000 of salary invested. In GPP (grand prize pools) events, the goal is to find players with a chance to score four times their salary at DraftKings ($50,000 salary cap and three times at FanDuel ($60,000 salary cap).

Arizona Cardinals

Clayton Tune

Clayton Tune was Arizona’s shot at a future quarterback. His mechanics need work to improve his accuracy under duress and on the move. He can read defenses, but his arm doesn’t always have the fire to win in tight coverage.
Over five seasons in college, Tune passed for 11,996 yards with 104 touchdowns and 41 interceptions. He was also active in the run game (412/1,256/15). In his senior year, Tune gained 4,618 combined yards with 45 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His production rushing the ball peaked in 2022 (128/544/2).
I don’t know if he will start with the Cardinals signing Joshua Dobbs and releasing Colt McCoy.
Washington had a league-average defense vs. quarterbacks in 2022 (18.84 FPPG).
Tune has to walk before being considered to start any format. I have a feeling he will make progress as the season moves on if Arizona gives him starting snaps.

James Conner

Conner finished 19th in running back scoring (201.20) in PPR formats while playing in 13 games last season. A rib issue knocked him out for three weeks early in the year, and in Week 18, he had a shin injury.
From Week 10 to Week 17, Conner delivered seven productive games (23.60, 13.40, 22.00, 23.40, 18.10, 25.00, and 14.00 fantasy points). He rushed for more than 100 yards in one matchup (25/120 with three catches for 20 yards and one score).
The Cardinals will give him 15+ touches with some value in catches. The lack of quarterback play is a significant concern for…

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2023 Washington Commanders Outlook

2023 Washington Commanders Outlook The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview

2023 Washington Commanders Outlook

The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview of all 32 teams from football legend Shawn Childs.

Also, check out Jody Smith’s NFL offensive line rankings and exclusive 2023 Strength of Schedule analysis.

Up next in our extensive NFL and fantasy football preview series is Shawn’s deep dive into the 2023 Washington Commanders Outlook.

— Quarterback —

Sam Howell

Howell threw 92 touchdowns over three seasons at North Carolina while gaining 9.2 yards per pass attempt. In 2021, he improved dramatically in the run game (183/828/11 – 4.5 yards per rush). Howell finished his college career with 10,283 passing yards, but his passing touchdowns declined each season (38, 30, and 24) while only tossing 23 interceptions.

Despite success running the ball in his final year in college, Howell didn’t win with his speed. He showed the ability to take a hit and stay upright with the vision to make extra yards. This style of play won’t translate well in the NFL, meaning that Howell will need to pick his spots better in the run game and know when to slide.

On the positive, he will be a dual threat to score near the goal line. The Tarheels lined him out of the shotgun almost exclusively. Howell has the arm to fire deep downfield on time. He was willing to use his tight ends. Also, some speedy wideouts helped his success in big plays. His next step is removing some wasted motion in his release (ball taps) on some plays. Howell handles himself well in the pocket, thanks to his legs.

In his rookie season, The Commanders only had Howell on the field for one game (204 combined yards with two touchdowns and one interception). Four of his 11 completions gained 20 yards or more.

Fantasy Outlook: The keys to Washington’s offense are in the hands of Howell. First, he has a slickness to his movements with the look of a competitive passer in the NFL. Secondly, the Commanders have three viable options at wide receiver, and Dyami Brown had his best seasons (51/1,034/12 and 55/1,099/8) at college with Howell throwing him the ball. He projects as a backend QB2 in the fantasy market. Finally, I’m intrigued, but Washington will taper his passing chances in his rookie season. With a 75/300/2 line in the run game, Howell should gain more than 4,000 combined yards with only a league-average ceiling in touchdowns.

Other Options: Jacoby Brissett, Jake Fromm, Tim DeMorat

— Running Backs —

The running back position had a significant part of the Commanders’ offense in 2022. They set three-year highs in rushing attempts (483), and rushing yards (1,926), leading to 2,552 combined yards with 10 touchdowns and 89 catches (23.79 FPPG in PPR formats) on 572 touches. The offensive philosophy change led to a pullback in the passing chances (89/626/3).

Brian Robinson

Robinson worked his way into a high-volume role in his fifth season at Alabama. He finished with 306 touches, leading to 1,639 combined yards with 16 touchdowns and 35 catches. Over his first four years, Robinson gained a combined 1,511 yards with 15 touchdowns and 17 catches. In 2021, he didn’t score a touchdown over his final five games while struggling in three matchups (16/71, 16/55, and 22/68) in the run game.

There is something to be said for a running back gaining experience in touches. Robinson is a power back with the ability to make yards after contact. He runs with patience while having the drive to cut fast into daylight at the line of scrimmage. When asked to pass block, Robinson understands his role and stays in tune with his quarterback to become a late passing option out of the backfield. Also, his improved opportunity in 2021 should only make him better in the NFL.

An unfortunate gunshot injury led Robinson missing on the first four games with Washington. By his second game, the Commanders gave him a bulk of carries, leading to a productive final 11 weeks (196/775/2 with nine catches for 60 yards and one score). He gained more than 100 yards in three consecutive starts from Week 12 to Week 14. His season ended with a knee injury in Week 18.

Fantasy Outlook: Washington will rotate two running backs in 2023. Robinson had nine catches for 60 yards and one score last year, with higher usage in the passing game (35/296/2) in his final year at Alabama. The Commander should give him between 17 to 20 touches this year, pointing to 1,200 combined yards, six to eight touchdowns, and about 20 catches. As the 36th running back drafted, Robinson is on a path to post an RB2 season in PPR formats.

Antonio Gibson

In his sophomore year with the Commanders, Gibson gained 1,331 combined yards with 10 scores and 42 catches on 300 touches over 16 games. However, he missed Week 17 with Covid-19. On the downside, Gibson gained only 4.0 yards per carry. Also, only four of his 258 rushes gained 20 yards or more. Washington gave him a high-volume opportunity (23.4 touches per game) in seven of his final eight starts, leading to 687 yards with five touchdowns and 23 catches. His only two games with over 100 yards rushing came in Week 12 (29/111 with seven catches for 35 yards) and Week 18 (21/146/1 with one catch for five yards).

Gibson failed to take advantage of the four games (56/179/2 – 3.2 yards per rush with 16 catches for 134 yards) missed by Brian Robinson to start 2022, leading to him working as Washington’s RB2 over his final 11 matchups (missed Week 17 and 18 with knee and foot issues). He finished the year with 899 combined yards with five touchdowns and 46 catches (28th in running back scoring in PPR leagues). Also, Gibson had foot surgery after the season.

Fantasy Outlook: With J.D. McKissic no longer on the roster…

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE COMMANDERS IN 2023?

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