Team news: Washington Commanders

Commanders inactives:

QB Jayden Daniels
QB Marcus Mariota
QB Sam Hartman (emergency 3rd QB)
RB Chris Rodriguez
LT Laremy Tunsil
LB Nick Bellore
DT Daron Payne

Related Players: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Jeremy McNichols

Do we really want to start Croskey-Merritt on Christmas with Josh Johnson at quarterback? Bill is a fine RB3 with less competition, but the ceiling is still capped.

Commanders RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. (illness) has been added to the injury report and is questionable for today's game.

Related Players: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Jeremy McNichols

Do we really want to start Croskey-Merritt on Christmas with Josh Johnson at quarterback? Bill would be a fine RB3 if Rodriguez is unable to go.

The Commanders are signing QB Jeff Driskel off the Cardinals practice squad, per source.

Related players: Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota, Josh Johnson, Sam Hartman

Driskel served as Washington’s QB3 last season, the post pointed out. He's now back as a depth piece with Mariota (hand) uncertain for Week 17 and Daniels sidelined. Reports say Johnson could very well be the starter for Week 17 but Driskel could serve as the QB2.

Jayden Daniels will not play again in 2025.

Via Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Commanders are shutting down Daniels as he continues to recover from aggravating his dislocated left elbow.

Related players: Marcus Mariota

Rapoport notes that Daniels was re-evaluated on Monday and was not medically cleared. With the quarterback expected to be medically ruled out for Saturday’s game against Philadelphia and then a quick turnaround for a Christmas Day game against the Cowboys on a Thursday, the Commanders made the final decision to end Daniels’ second season on Monday, the story went on to say. The move makes sense with nothing to play for this season. It was a disappointing, injury-filled season for the sophomore QB who had such an impressive rookie season.

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, who suffered another left elbow injury vs. the Vikings, is out for Washington’s upcoming game vs the Giants.

Related Players: Marcus Mariota

Mariota is back up in a good matchup against a Giants defense that ranks 30th in QB aFPA. Consider him a streaming option in the top-15 range.

The Cleveland Browns have placed C Ethan Pocic (Achilles) and RB Jerome Ford (shoulder) on injured reserve.

Related players: Dylan Sampson, Quinshon Judkins

While Ford wasn't all that involved in the offense, he did have five receptions over the past two weeks on six targets. That work could end up going to Sampson, which is worth noting as we head to the fantasy playoffs. Sampson is now the clear RB2 behind Judkins and has had 7-4-9 touches over the past three weeks, including 5 catches for 64 yards last week. He's definitely worth picking up as a handcuff if you're a Judkins owner, but even in deeper leagues he may have some stand-alone value.

Jayden Daniels's elbow is "sore," Dan Quinn said, but there's no long-term concerns with the elbow.

Related players: Marcus Mariota

The post went on to say Quinn declined to say whether Daniels will play Sunday, so owners certainly can't count on him - at least at this point in the week. The Commanders take on the Giants, so it's a favorable matchup.

Dan Quinn confirms season-ending ACL for Zach Ertz.

Related players: Ben Sinnott, John Bates

It's was an awful injury to watch for the 35-year-old TE, who was visibly upset. Sinnott and Bates are next up, and while Bates has been slightly more of an offensive producer, both would be risky plays at this time of year.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn told reporters after Sunday’s game against the Vikings that is was his call to hold quarterback Jayden Daniels out following his elbow injury.

Quinn ultimately plays it safe with his franchise quarterback after he injured his left elbow, the same one that was dislocated earlier this season, during an interception return. The game got out of hand, as Washington was shutout 31-0 and the season has long been lost — Washington now sits at 3-10 and in the mix for the No. 1 pick in the draft. We’ll see how Daniels is handled during the week leading up to next week’s game against the Giants. Daniels went 9/20 for 78 yards and an interception. Marcus Mariota went 2/4 for 30 yards with an interception.

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels is questionable to return against the Vikings with another left elbow injury.

It’s not nearly as bad as his original elbow injury this season but it didn’t help that he landed on that elbow after getting knocked down during an interception return from the Vikings. Marcus Mariota, who started during Daniels’ absence, is in the game.