Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (ribs) has been one of the biggest steals of the fantasy football draft this season. Before missing most of his Week 7 game against the Carolina Panthers, he was the QB2 overall in normal QB scoring formats.
His combination of decisiveness, decision-making, arm-talent, ability to elevate a mediocre receiving corps, mobility, speed, and acceleration have combined for a lethal QB skill set second only to Ravens QB Lamar Jackson in fantasy scoring prowess so far. He's been elite on the field and in the stat sheets.
The injury is currently a concern, though. So will Daniels play on Sunday?
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Jayden Daniels Fantasy Football Injury Update
The star rookie injured his ribs in last week's game on a long run early in the first quarter. He was subsequently pulled from the game and not allowed to return. Though it was reported that his injury wasn't serious or long-term, it was expected early on that it would put his Week 8 status in jeopardy.
Jayden Daniels : 2/2 for 6 yards; 3 carries for 50 yards (Left the game in the 1st quarter due to a rib injury. His mom said on Twitter that he's okay 👍) pic.twitter.com/Sp5DbIRLtm
— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) October 20, 2024
Later reports have been pessimistic about his ability to return to the field for Sunday's game. It could be precautionary, but regardless, fantasy managers should be ready to shift to their backup plan in case he can't go. Even if he does, having a backup QB on your roster is usually a good idea.
UPDATE: Daniels is now trending toward playing. This one will come down to the wire, though.
Signs point to Commanders QB Jayden Daniels playing vs. the Bears, per league sources.https://t.co/cUyej4Cjkr
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 27, 2024
Jayden Daniels Fantasy Football Injury Impact
Washington actually did very well in his absence in Week 7. The starting quarterback's inability to finish the contest didn't seem to matter much in this case -- the Commanders continued their rout, crushing the Carolina Panthers 40-7 behind backup QB Marcus Mariota's surprisingly good play.
Marcus Mariota highlights 🔥🔥🔥
Commanders vs Panthers 10/20/24 pic.twitter.com/o5vqZTAQLQ
— MM18🎃 (@amaradventures) October 21, 2024
It's not like Washington won't miss having their starting quarterback, though. Carolina has one of the weakest defenses in the league (arguably the worst), and whichever QB starts will face a tougher challenge, as their Week 8 opponent is the Chicago Bears, who field one of the best defenses in the NFL.
If the rookie can't go, they may have a tough time. If he can, he may be forced to limit his rushing in an attempt to prevent re-aggravating his injury, which could lead to a more one-dimensional game plan.
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