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When will Jayden Daniels return and play? Will Jayden Daniels be back again this season? Read the latest Jayden Daniels injury updates and return date for Week 5 (2025).
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (knee) has now missed two straight contests with a knee injury. He was able to play in all 17 of his team's contests in 2024.
Daniels suffered the injury in Week 2, and though he was able to finish the game, his ailment was later deemed serious enough that he needed to miss some time.
Daniels' running style is often reckless, and it's been well-documented that he's taken unnecessary hits since his college days. But will he make it back for Week 5, or will he miss even more time?
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Jayden Daniels Injury Update
Daniels is currently dealing with a knee sprain. The good news is that he's unlikely to miss more time -- the latest reports indicate that he's set to return in Week 5. While we'll have to wait for final confirmation, of course, as his status hasn't been updated, things are looking good.
The Insiders on @NFLGameDay Kickoff with @JudyBattista, @TomPelissero, and @MikeGarafolo: On #Steelers WR DK Metcalf’s YAC; #Commanders QB Jayden Daniels expected back next week; #Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr takes ownership; #Eagles offense finding the right formula. pic.twitter.com/aN22MEzLaC
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 28, 2025
This news comes via NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, so it's likely to be accurate. Be sure to stay updated on his situation, but if you have him on your fantasy rosters, be sure to put him back in your starting lineups.
Jayden Daniels Fantasy Football Outlook
Though the Commanders' offense has appeared to take a step back in comparison to last year, Daniels still has plenty of upside and is easily a must-start in all fantasy leagues. His rushing ability makes him incredibly valuable in fantasy leagues, and in two contests this year, he scored 20.1 and 19.7 PPR fantasy points.
He has easy top-5 potential, and consistently functions well as both a passer and a runner. And as his top wide receiver, Terry McLaurin (quad), is also set to return, the Commanders' offense should be near full strength once again.
Jayden Daniels stands on business pic.twitter.com/6cSiC20FWY
— Steven Patton (@PattonAnalytics) December 30, 2024
Daniels was the Offensive Rookie of the Year after a remarkable freshman season, and while sophomore slumps are common, his running ability insulates him in fantasy football. It's entirely possible his team isn't able to perform as well this year, but for fantasy purposes, it's likely irrelevant.
Dan Quinn indicated Jayden Daniels was hurt on this play, at the start of the fourth quarter in Green Bay. You can see Daniels reach for his left knee after going down. pic.twitter.com/TLTlQLaYAh
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) September 15, 2025
You should continue locking him into your lineups, as he's a solid QB1 for the rest of the season. There's not much else to say beyond that. But as you can see from the above play, things aren't all sunshine and roses moving forward. Daniels' high rushing upside comes at a cost.
The play in which he got hurt was a run play in which he collided with a defender who hit his legs pretty hard. It's not an uncommon sight, either. Though No. 5 was able to stay healthy throughout his rookie season, it's been a struggle this year.
If you're in a league where you don't have a solid backup quarterback and have deep benches, you might want to consider stashing backup Marcus Mariota. He's played well in the absence of Daniels so far, and he had two solid games in Week 3 and Week 4.
Who Should I Start Tool
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
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.
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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 to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Looking for a replacement? Below are some popular Week 5 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Jayden Daniels, Justin Fields, Drake Maye, Jared Goff, Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Dak Prescott compared to others:
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