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When will Terry McLaurin return and play? Will Terry McLaurin be back again this season? Read the latest Terry McLaurin injury updates and return date for Week 9 (2025).
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (quad) suffered a quadriceps injury in Week 3 of 2025. It's possible that he was more vulnerable to injuries after his extended contract holdout in the offseason.
He missed four games, but returned to action in Week 8. In that game, he re-injured the same quad and ended up being ruled out. It's been a tough season so far for the 30-year-old, and the Commanders have struggled in his absence.
They're now 3-5, and the outlook isn't so rosy. They need his services more than ever now that they have quarterback Jayden Daniels (hamstring), who looks like a franchise QB, on a rookie contract. But when will McLaurin return? Let's dive into an injury update and fantasy football outlook for "Scary Terry" for the 2025 NFL season.
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Terry McLaurin Injury Update
It's been confirmed that he injured the same quad he hurt in Week 3. It's frustrating to see him dealing with the same issue yet again, and we often see re-injuries be worse than the original aliment. But quadriceps problems can be nagging, annoying injuries.
They're not quite the monster than hamstring issues are, but they have a way of disappearing and coming back seemingly without reason. I myself dealt with minor quadriceps injuries in college, and there were multiple times when I thought I had fully recovered, only to strain it again.
TOE-TAP TERRY FOR THE TOUCHDOWN 🔥
Terry McLaurin with his first touchdown of the season to tie it up 👏 pic.twitter.com/EKT6iPCh1w
— ESPN (@espn) October 28, 2025
It's hard to know when the injury happened, as a quad issue could pop up on any play, especially a re-aggravation of a pre-existing issue. The nagging nature of the aliment likely means that he was cleared to return too early, though it might not be possible to avoid a re-injury with 100 percent certainty.
He wasn't placed on injured reserve, so it's possible he could return at any time. But I would expect him to miss at least two more weeks, if not more. The Commanders just handed him a huge contract and are desperate to get back in the playoff race, so that could play a factor here.
Terry McLaurin Fantasy Football Outlook
It's well-known that with Daniels playing under center McLaurin is a great fantasy asset. Last year, he finished as the WR7 overall in PPR leagues by catching 82 passes for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns. While he's not set to repeat those gaudy numbers again, he's a threat to score 15 or more PPR fantasy points every time he takes the field.
Another look at that catch by #Commanders WR Terry McLaurin. Getting the knee down before the rest of the body is ABSURD: https://t.co/bW8gHoNgWc pic.twitter.com/HRzA740c8r
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) October 28, 2025
Scary Terry is a must-start when he's playing and Daniels is healthy at quarterback. There's not much more conversation to be had there. His absence is having a big detrimental effect on the fantasy managers that drafted him.
When he returns, you shouldn't have an issues putting him back in your fantasy lineup. Washington did trade for WR Deebo Samuel Sr., and he's been effective at times, but he doesn't present a barrier to McLaurin putting up big numbers.
Samuel mostly plays a different role -- catching passes and picking up big gains with the ball in his hands by breaking tackles and eluding defenders. McLaurin is a much more technical route-runner and the team's primary downfield receiver, while he's not quite the demon after the catch that Samuel is.
JAYDEN TO TERRY AGAIN.
This time on 4th and Goal!
📺: #WASvsBAL on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/jh9GNWMthr— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024
Very few receivers reach 13 touchdowns in a season. McLaurin is clearly capable of a crazy rate of scoring, and he shouldn't be benched when healthy.
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