RADIO
Washington Commanders D/ST A Sneaky Option in Week 8 Against Eagles
The Washington Commanders' defense hasn't been a fantasy DST to target so far this season. Still, a Week 8 matchup against the Tanner McKee-led Eagles, without DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (hamstring), offers some intrigue. Coordinated by Brian Flores disciple Daronte Jones, the Commanders have modeled their defensive identity after Flores, with Washington's 42.3% blitz rate trailing only the Minnesota Vikings. Despite that, Washington ranks just 21st in pressure rate (34.1%) and tied for 18th in takeaways (eight). In addition, starting defensive tackles Javon Kinlaw (knee) and Daron Payne (foot) are out for Sunday night, and Payne is likely to miss significant time. That duo has led a major improvement against the run for Washington and will be a major blow against an Eagles offensive line that's getting healthier, plus a healthy Saquon Barkley. However, with McKee under center, the Eagles had 222 yards of offense (3.6 yards per play) against the Panthers and 321 yards (5.2 yards per play) against the Cowboys. Both defenses rank in the bottom 12 for defensive EPA/play, and Washington does too. Washington could produce a similar result to those teams on Sunday night and, ideally, force a turnover or two, as they have done in four consecutive games. Washington is RotoBaller's eighth-ranked defense in Week 8.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Dan Quinn on the Hot Seat in Washington
The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has an uncertain future with the organization as the team comes out of their Week 7 bye. Quinn went into the team's Week 6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night with some heat, but the Commanders had a strong showing and made things interesting in the loss. Rapoport says that Quinn seems to have bought himself some more time with the way the Commanders played in Week 6, but if the team's performance does not improve going forward, he could be in danger of being fired before the end of the 2026 season. It will not be easy for Quinn and the Commanders from an offensive perspective with top receiver Terry McLaurin (knee) out for the rest of the season, and second-year running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) remains on Injured Reserve. It all came to a head for Quinn in the Week 5 tie against the division-rival New York Giants, when the offense botched the end of the game and failed to attempt a potential game-winning field goal in overtime.
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Dan Quinn Planning Changes During Commanders' Bye Week
Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn expects to make adjustments on both sides of the ball during the team's Week 7 bye, according to Nicki Jhabvala. Quinn stressed that the changes won't mean overhauling either system, but said the Commanders should look "more precise" when they return. Washington heads into the break at 1-4-1 following Monday's 23-17 loss to San Francisco, a game in which the 49ers built a 20-3 halftime lead and outgained the Commanders 303-90 over the first two quarters. Washington rallied in the second half but couldn't complete the comeback, which underlines the inconsistency Quinn hopes to fix. He hasn't specified any personnel or play-calling changes ahead of the team's November 1 matchup against Philadelphia.
Source: Nicki Jhabvala
Source: Nicki Jhabvala
Commanders D/ST Not A Recommended Option for Season Opener vs. Philly
The Washington Commanders' defense was a train wreck in 2025, allowing the most yards and the sixth most points in the league. Predictably, the team completely overhauled the defensive roster over the offseason, adding a new voice in defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, formerly the Vikings' defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator. Jones is expected to implement a Brian Flores-style scheme after working closely under him for the past few seasons. Key pieces like EDGE Odafe Oweh, LB Sonny Styles, and S Nick Cross are expected to be impactful additions, in addition to bounce-back seasons from CB Mike Sainristil and LB Frankie Luvu. This unit is still largely expected to be closer to the bottom 1, and will also face a new-look offense in Philadelphia for the season opener. Until proven otherwise, Washington's D/ST is not recommended as a starting option.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
