Jun 3, 2026, 9:33 AM ET

With rookie running back Kaytron Allen lasting all the way to pick No. 187 of the 2026 NFL Draft before the Washington Commanders selected him in the sixth round, he landed in as ideal a situation as can be found for a late Day 3 pick. No running back on the roster handled more than 37% of their team's carries last season, with the Commanders' leading rusher, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, himself a seventh-round pick in 2025. No stranger to working in a committee, Allen set the all-time Penn State rushing record while playing all four of his collegiate seasons alongside 2026 fifth-round pick Nicholas Singleton. In Washington, he will be battling veteran Jeremy McNichols for the third spot in a rotation alongside Croskey-Merritt and free agent signee Rachaad White, and with White potentially making McNichols' pass-catching role redundant, the edge could go to the rookie. At RotoBaller's dynasty RB40, Allen is not a flashy pick in the middle rounds of rookie-only drafts, but he has one of the clearer paths to immediate fantasy relevance, which is not a luxury to be overlooked in a generally unexciting draft class.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 29, 2026, 2:19 PM ET

After spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, veteran running back Rachaad White signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Washington Commanders in March. White's market cratered after an uninspiring final year in Tampa in which he recorded 790 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns on 172 touches. However, the 27-year-old could have a golden opportunity to revitalize his career in 2026 with the Commanders. As currently constituted, the Washington backfield looks like an open battle for playing time between White, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Jerome Ford, Jeremy McNichols, and Kaytron Allen. Even if the high-upside Croskey-Merritt takes hold of the lead rushing role, White's extended track record as an above-average receiver out of the backfield should allow him to carve out a significant role with his new team. In dynasty formats, fantasy managers may want to consider buying low on White ahead of a possible bounce-back season.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

May 29, 2026, 12:08 PM ET

Washington Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo is trending upward after his change of scenery this past offseason. The Commanders signed Okonkwo after he spent four seasons with the Tennessee Titans. With the Titans, he managed to rank as the TE25 or higher every year. That stretch included three consecutive finishes as the overall TE21 from 2023 through 2025. He's always been a decent option for targets, and his ability to stretch the field gives him explosive upside. However, he's been relatively uninvolved near the goal line for a tight end. He caught three touchdowns as a rookie in 2022, and he had just two each of the last two seasons. We like Okonkwo's chances to find the end zone more often in Washington. During his two years as a Commander, Ertz totaled 11 touchdowns, averaging 0.37 touchdowns per game. The Washington offense has some work to do as a whole, but Okonkwo is the clear No. 1 tight end here, and he could ultimately be Jayden Daniels' second-favorite target behind Terry McLaurin. Despite finishing lower than TE20 every year, the Maryland product has jumped to TE17 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

May 28, 2026, 10:01 AM ET

Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks has been one of the most disappointing first-round picks in recent history, in both the NFL and dynasty leagues, particularly because he was taken with the 18th overall pick the Titans acquired in the 2022 deal that sent three-time Pro Bowler A.J. Brown to the Eagles. Through his first four years in the league, Burks has caught 63 passes for 829 yards and two touchdowns. Even in latching on with one of the weakest receiver rooms in the league in 2025, Burks failed to make an impact across his first eight games with the Commanders, averaging 1.3 receptions per game. Washington is expected to have Terry McLaurin back at full health to begin the 2026 season, and after using a third-round pick on slot receiver Antonio Williams and spending up in free agency to land tight end Chig Okonkwo and pass-catching running back Rachaad White, Burks' spot on the roster looks precarious at best. He will still need to overtake Luke McCaffrey and 2025 fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane for a chance at a meaningful snap share, and as RotoBaller's dynasty WR139, his time as a player who needs to be held has long passed.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 27, 2026, 4:51 PM ET

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (undisclosed) is dressed but not participating in OTAs on Wednesday, per Commanders beat writer Ben Standig. It's not clear whether Croskey-Merritt is dealing with an injury, but fantasy managers should monitor for updates on his status in the coming weeks. The 25-year-old flashed high upside as a rookie in 2025, recording 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries across 17 games. Entering 2026, he appears to be in a job battle with Rachaad White, Kaytron Allen, Jeremy McNichols, and Jerome Ford for the RB1 role in Washington. While Croskey-Merritt currently profiles as the best rusher of the group, he recorded just nine receptions as a rookie and may not be trusted to work on passing downs. Still, he could be poised for a breakout season in 2026, assuming he is not dealing with anything serious from a health perspective.--Will Brady
Source: Ben Standig

May 27, 2026, 4:50 PM ET

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is participating in OTAs, per Zach Selby of Commanders.com. Daniels battled through myriad injury issues in 2025, as elbow, hamstring, and knee ailments limited him to just seven games played. However, it appears as though the 25-year-old is healthy and fully ready to go entering 2026. Daniels lit up fantasy football with his dual-threat ability as a rookie in 2024, throwing for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns and rushing for 891 yards and six scores. If he can stay on the field, he projects as a high-end fantasy QB1 with number one overall quarterback upside. However, Daniels has a track record of shaky health that dates back to his time in college. Washington will also implement a new offensive system in 2026 under new play-caller David Blough and may prioritize keeping Daniels healthy by limiting his rushing attempts. All in all, Daniels projects as a high-risk, high-reward quarterback option for fantasy managers entering 2026.--Will Brady
Source: Commanders.com - Zach Selby

May 27, 2026, 9:50 AM ET

Washington Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown signed a one-year deal this offseason to return to the team that drafted him in 2021. Brown's single season with Jacksonville in 2025 was an unproductive one, finishing the year with only 227 yards on 20 receptions, and even though the receiver room he rejoins in Washington doesn't boast the top-to-bottom target competition of the one he left in Duval, expectations remain low from a fantasy perspective, reflected by his standing as WR129 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings. Veteran Terry McLaurin is all but locked in as the top option in new coordinator David Blough's offense, and free agent additions Chig Okonkwo and Rachaad White are expected to see a healthy dose of receiving work from their respective tight end and running back positions. 2026 third-round pick Antonio Williams projects to eventually earn a full-time role in the slot, leaving Brown in competition with Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane for additional targets in what has been one of the league's run-heaviest offenses since Dan Quinn took over as head coach. Having never topped 308 receiving yards or three total touchdowns in a season, Brown is not a player who needs to be rostered heading into 2026.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 26, 2026, 5:00 PM ET

After spending the first four years of his career with the Cleveland Browns, veteran running back Jerome Ford signed a one-year contract with the Washington Commanders for the 2026 season. Ford is coming off a down year in Cleveland, as he collected just 176 yards from scrimmage on 50 touches across 13 games played. The Commanders' backfield is unsettled at the top entering 2026, and could offer Ford a chance to reclaim significant playing time. However, Washington has several capable backs between Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, Jeremy McNichols, and 2026 sixth-rounder Kaytron Allen. Given the crowded depth chart around him, Ford could completely fall out of the mix for backfield touches early on in 2026. In dynasty formats, fantasy managers should consider moving on from Ford as he enters his age-27 season.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

May 26, 2026, 9:25 AM ET

Commanders rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams was a productive option out of the slot across three healthy seasons at Clemson, and his landing spot in Washington could allow him to see the field immediately in an offense helmed by one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the league. In a rookie class with very few prospects to get genuinely excited about, those are at least reasons to look his way in dynasty rookie drafts. A third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Williams ran almost 80% of his routes from the slot, and in Washington, his biggest barriers to immediate playing time are Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane, neither of whom has produced significantly across their three combined seasons with the Commanders. David Blough steps into the offensive coordinator position after two years as the team's assistant quarterbacks coach, so his play-calling tendencies are still a bit of a question mark, but whoever earns the primary slot role could still struggle to find meaningful work in an offense expected to run through Terry McLaurin and a league trending towards heavier personnel usage. Williams is RotoBaller's rookie WR7, and while he was never a true dominator in college, he at least has a path to step in as the second or third receiving option in an uptrending Washington offense, making him a worthwhile selection at the end of the first or early-second round of rookie drafts.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 26, 2026, 12:05 AM ET

Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey (collarbone) entered his second year in the NFL in 2025 with the hope that he'd take a big second-year leap. The 25-year-old former third-rounder (100th overall) in 2024 out of Rice was off to a solid start, catching eight of his 10 targets for 179 yards and three touchdowns in the first six games. McCaffrey was also a force on special teams as a return man. Unfortunately, his second year in the league was cut short by a season-ending broken collarbone, and he finished Year 2 with just 11 catches on 15 targets for 203 yards and three touchdowns in nine games (zero starts). He added 769 kick-return yards. The good news is that the younger brother of San Francisco 49ers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey should be fully healthy for the start of the 2026 season. Veteran Deebo Samuel Sr. is gone, but the Commanders signed Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson in free agency and drafted rookie Antonio Williams. There will be more competition for touches in D.C. in McCaffrey's third season, potentially limiting him to strictly a return specialist and infrequently-used deep threat. McCaffrey's dynasty stock took a massive hit after his injury last year, and fantasy managers in dynasty/keeper leagues should consider moving on. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 138 WR in dynasty formats.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pro Football Reference

May 19, 2026, 9:25 AM ET

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin missed seven games in 2025 and finished as the fantasy WR54 in half-PPR formats. Soon to be 31 years old, he has fallen to WR38 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings, but when last seen playing a complete slate of games with a fully healthy Jayden Daniels, he reeled in 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns on 82 receptions. Having averaged only five scores per game in his five prior seasons, he was a clear regression candidate heading into 2025, but the rash of injuries and resulting disarray to Washington's offense have caused the pendulum to swing too far, leaving McLaurin as an underpriced buy candidate for contending managers. The Commanders have added complementary pass catchers in tight end Chig Okonkwo, running back Rachaad White, and third-round draft pick Antonio Williams, all of whom should help to draw coverage in service of new offensive coordinator David Blough's stated goal of building the offense around McLaurin. The eighth-year veteran had been remarkably durable before hitting the wrong side of 30, and while age-related maintenance now must be viewed as part of his profile, if 2025 proves to be more of a blip than a true decline, McLaurin could become one of the best bargains in dynasty leagues.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 15, 2026, 12:12 PM ET

Fantasy managers holding Washington Commanders tight end Ben Sinnott were hoping that he'd be next in line to replace veteran Zach Ertz (knee) as the team's top pass-catching tight end going into the 2026 season. However, the Commanders signed Chig Okonkwo in free agency (three years for $30 million), and he figures to get the first crack as Washington's TE1 in 2026. Sinnott, the 53rd overall pick in the second round in 2024 out of Kansas State, caught just five passes for 28 yards and a touchdown in 17 games in his first year in the NFL. The 23-year-old only slightly improved on those statistics in Year 2, catching 11 of 13 targets for 114 yards and another TD in 16 games (three starts) last year. With Okonkwo now in D.C., both Sinnott and John Bates will likely be limited to primarily blocking duties, dropping Sinnott's value in both dynasty and redraft formats in 2026. In dynasty formats, Sinnott is all the way down as the No. 55 TE, behind the aging Darren Waller.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pro Football Reference

May 15, 2026, 9:25 AM ET

One year removed from an Offensive Rookie of the Year-winning season that had him in the conversation as the No. 1 overall asset in superflex dynasty leagues, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has fallen notably in consensus rankings, often lasting to the 1-2 turn in dynasty startups. Unlike Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who saw a similar fall from grace after a historic rookie season, most of Daniels' sophomore struggles can be blamed on injuries, both to himself and to his already thin receiving core. Heading into 2026, both Daniels and Terry McLaurin are projected at full health, and the Commanders have surrounded their third-year quarterback with an interesting group of pass-catchers, adding tight end Chig Okonkwo and running back Rachaad White through free agency before spending a third-round pick on slot receiver Antonio Williams. With the offense around him arguably the strongest it's been since coming into the league as the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Daniels current ranking of RotoBaller's QB4 could represent a floor that he may not return to for several years, making him by no means a low-cost buy, but a potentially undervalued one.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller

May 14, 2026, 1:59 PM ET

Washington Commanders second-year running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (also known as Bill) came into his rookie campaign in D.C. as a sexy sleeper at the position in 2025, and his path to regular playing time in his first year in the NFL was wide open when veteran Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles early on. The 25-year-old ended up leading the team with 175 carries for 805 rushing yards (4.6 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns in 17 games (seven starts). He didn't contribute much in the passing game, though, with only nine receptions on 13 targets for 68 yards, and he fumbled four times (two lost). JCM was the RB29 in half-PPR scoring, which has to be considered a success after Washington took him in the seventh round in 2025. The 5-foot-11, 208-pounder from New Mexico is a big-bodied, big-play back whose dynasty stock is on the rise going into his sophomore season. However, to take the next step, he'll need to improve as a pass-catcher. If he cannot make strides out wide, the Commanders have both Rachaad White and Jeremy McNichols to contribute in the passing game. With a clear path to RB1 duties, Croskey-Merritt is a dynasty riser as RotoBaller's RB42, and he's considered an RB3/flex in redraft leagues with at least the team's early down role in his grasp.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Pro Football Reference

May 14, 2026, 12:39 PM ET

Washington Commanders running back Kaytron Allen is regarded as one of the biggest steals of the 2026 NFL Draft, and he could have an immediate impact in fantasy football. Allen fell to the sixth round despite setting the all-time rushing yards record at Penn State, where Saquon Barkley played. He had at least 980 scrimmage yards in each of his four seasons at school, and he set career-bests in 2025 with 1,371 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns. The 23-year-old was probably going to be a steal wherever he ended up in the draft, but the landing spot in Washington is even more ideal than others. The Commanders lost Chris Rodriguez Jr. in free agency, so Allen should come in and immediately compete with Jacory Croskey-Merritt for a significant workload every week. Croskey-Merritt was a 2025 seventh-round pick who finished his rookie season with 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, and we wouldn't be surprised to see Allen follow a similar path from Day 3 pick to rookie standout. Allen currently projects as an early third-round pick in 2026 rookie drafts, but managers shouldn't rule out taking him in the second, especially since he could be a top-36 fantasy running back as a rookie.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller