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Is Jayden Daniels out for the season? When is Jayden Daniels coming back? The latest Jayden Daniels injury update and fantasy football outlook heading into Week 3 of 2026.
We witnessed a devastating Week 2 for NFL teams and fandoms around the league with injuries last weekend. Unfortunately, Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders were unable to avoid the disaster.
The young franchise quarterback was well on his way to reminding the league who he is as a dynamic player before dislocating his elbow at the end of the first half.
Will Daniels play again this season? Should fantasy managers stash him on their bench? Let’s dive in!
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Is Jayden Daniels Out for the 2026 Season?
Jayden Daniels looked like he had finally knocked off the rust and was being the electric playmaker we saw in 2024. He was surgical in the pocket and making plays with his legs.
Jayden Daniels connects with Stefon Diggs for the TD!
WASvsDAL on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/rdy8jNTQrk— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026
Daniels was 11-of-17 with 96 yards and one touchdown pass through the air, and had 69 rushing yards on seven carries for 14.74 fantasy points in the first half.
The team opted to go for it on fourth down near the goal line on the final play of the half to try to tie the game and ride the momentum into halftime. Unluckily, the play led to Daniels dislocating his left elbow for the second time in his young career.
The freak play left players, fans, and the organization sick and defeated after watching their franchise quarterback go down.
"I tried to, you know, control my emotions, 'cause yeah, I mean, I had tears coming down," Rachaad White told reporters after the game. "I feel for him. That's my brother."
White and Daniels go way back to their college days at Arizona State. The thought of White reuniting with Daniels was a part of his decision to join the Commanders in free agency during the offseason.
When factoring in all the pieces of the puzzle, the injury is even more disheartening. Team reports raved about how sharp Daniels looked in training camp, and he began to protect himself outside the pocket. Daniels had been throwing the ball away and learned to slide outside of the pocket to preserve his health through six quarters to open the year.
Daniels had only missed one game between high school, college, and his rookie season before missing 10 games to three different injuries in his sophomore season. There are lots of unknowns and speculations swirling around Daniels' injury and his availability for the remainder of the season.
This is what we do know: HC Dan Quinn told reporters Daniels suffered a left elbow dislocation, and initial X-rays showed no fractures.
Daniels underwent additional imaging and plans to consult with medical specialists to determine the exact recovery path and whether a stabilization procedure might be needed. Quinn noted there is no definitive timeline yet.
The first time this injury happened last season, the team did not put him on injured reserve. Daniels missed three games but was out for four weeks because of the bye week. However, he reaggravated the injury immediately after returning to the field.
It is worth noting that Daniels' major injuries have been upper-body injuries to his non-throwing arm. They haven't been to his lower body (his legs) or his throwing arm, so the injuries shouldn't impact his ability to be a dynamic playmaker throughout the longevity of his career.
Jayden Daniels Fantasy Football Outlook
Daniels entered 2026 as a dark horse to be the QB1 in overall fantasy scoring because of his elite dual-threat ability, with some worried about his viability. Unfortunately, those worries came true, and his quest to become QB1 is on hold.
Fantasy managers who drafted Daniels can stash him on injured reserve and hope he returns after a brief absence. However, there is no way to get a real feel for his outlook until we get a decision on his future. Daniels' timeline could range from a short three-week absence to season-ending surgery.
As of now, we know that he will be out for Week 3, and Marcus Mariota will start in his place. We will get more information about Daniels' availability in the coming days. Until then, all we can do is hope for the best as we await an official announcement.
Who Should I Start Tool
Not sure who to start? Check out the Who Should I Start tool:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...
Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 3 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 3. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help you make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we'll tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 3 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 3.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our 'Who Should I Start?' tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, player news, and enhanced search results with data to compare, all in a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
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Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 3 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 3 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 3 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 3 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs compared to others:
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