Commanders signing free agent WR Stefon Diggs

It was a forgettable first game of the season for McLaurin, who saw two of his four targets come on the Commanders’ final drive of the game. Those two targets resulted in his only two catches, as McLaurin picked up gains of eight and six yards on the drive, with his six-yard catch coming on a fourth-and-two. McLaurin and the Commanders faced stiff coverage from the Eagles all afternoon. Stefon Diggs, who joined the Commanders during training camp, led the way with nine targets and could prove to be a legitimate threat to McLaurin’s target share this season if today is any indication. It’s only one game, but McLaurin now totaled four or fewer targets in seven of his last 11 games dating back to last season. We expect him to have a more productive outing next week against the Cowboys, where he’ll profile as a fringe WR2/WR3.

Diggs’ nine targets led all Commanders players, while his 55 receiving yards were second to rookie Antonio Williams. He had two crucial drops earlier in the game, but Diggs (somewhat) made up for them when he hauled in a 10-yard receiving touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Commanders were attempting to draw even with the Eagles. Unfortunately, a careless unsportsmanlike penalty by Diggs after the touchdown moved the Commanders out of position to consider going for a two-point conversion while trailing 17-15, instead forcing them to go for a long 47-yard PAT. Diggs’ nine targets were an encouraging sign for him in his Commanders debut, but it’s worth noting that Terry McLaurin saw only four targets after being bottled up for most of the day. That said, Diggs has commanded targets wherever he plays, and could have some value as a WR3 in next week’s game against the Titans.

It was a rough first outing for Daniels and the Commanders. Washington managed just 65 passing yards through the first three quarters, while Daniels completed 9-of-23 passes. In the fourth quarter, however, Daniels was far more effective, completing 9-of-11 passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns, with his first coming on a 10-yard pass to Stefon Diggs. On the following drive, Daniels would connect with rookie Antonio Williams twice, with the second resulting in a one-yard touchdown pass that Williams scraped off the turf but was ruled a touchdown after review. Needing a two-point conversion to tie the game, the Commanders ran a shovel pass to tight end John Bates that came up well short of the end zone, giving Philly the win after they recovered an onside kick attempt. Daniels was far from sharp in this one, but the Eagles deserve plenty of credit for keeping him in the pocket, forcing him off his spot, and making him uncomfortable. Of the five rush attempts Daniels managed on Sunday, only two came on designed runs. Five rush attempts feel like the floor for Daniels in any given week, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the Commanders were more intentional about limiting designed run calls after last year’s injury-plagued season. Daniels will be a high-end QB1 next week when the Commanders take on the Cowboys in Dallas.

Beat writers for the Commanders were aghast at what they saw during Wednesday’s joint practice, a dominant performance for Baltimore against an overmatched Washington offensive line. This is the worst I’ve ever seen the Commanders’ offense in years,” Jhabvala said. “Inoperable offensive line.” Washington this summer lost standout LT Laremy Tunsil to a tricep injury that will keep him sidelined throughout the regular season. The Commanders on Tuesday signed free agent OT DJ Humphries. If the team’s blocking issues are not adequately addressed in the coming weeks, it could be bad news for Jayden Daniels and the rest of the Commanders’ fantasy-relevant players. Last year Washington ranked 18th in pass blocking win rate and 21st in run blocking win rate.

In addition to Daniels, the Commanders are also expected to play Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs, giving us the first look at the team’s revamped passing game under new offensive coordinator David Blough, with most of its starters on the field. We wouldn’t expect Daniels and company to play more than a series or two, but this will be Daniels’ first game since Week 14 of last season.

Breer adds that third-year Commanders WR Luke McCaffrey has “taken another step.” Perhaps this receiving corps is slightly better than one may have thought a few months ago. Both players are behind WR Terry McLaurin and WR Stefon Diggs, who has “immediately stepped into a leadership role” on his new team, but receiving depth is a plus for QB Jayden Daniels.

One of the bigger storylines out of Commanders camp this offseason has been the switch to a scheme that is expected to put Daniels under center far more often than he did in his first two seasons with Kliff Kingsbury. Daniels has played 94 percent of his snaps from shotgun since 2024, per TruMedia, which is similar to how he also played in college. According to Jhabvala, Daniels has adjusted well to playing more from under center, saying, “the footwork that so often seems to trip up young quarterbacks doesn’t seem to be an issue at all for (Daniels),” while adding that his timing with his pass-catchers has been “really sharp.” Daniels struggled in his second season as a pro. While a multitude of injuries certainly played a role, he struggled at times with his accuracy last season and was more prone to take off and run than he was as a rookie. With several new additions on offense, Daniels could be in line for a big fantasy season and profiles as a high-end QB1.

Perhaps more notable is that Keim pointed out “other free agents don’t appear to be on their radar,” with Brandon Aiyuk presumably the “other” in this scenario. Diggs has long been linked to the Commanders as a potential fit, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported last week that “Washington is intriguing” to Diggs, so there’s a good chance some mutual interest exists. The Commanders’ receiver room is headlined by Terry McLaurin, but behind him is an unproven group in Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey, Dyami Brown, and rookie Antonio Williams. It feels like only a matter of time before the Commanders eventually make a move to upgrade their receiving corps, and Diggs would provide a solid option opposite McLaurin after going for 85-1,013-4 with the Patriots last season.

The opportunity to play with Jayden Daniels and spend a season playing in front of his hometown could be enough to entice Diggs, a DMV native, to join the Commanders. There are reportedly four other teams that have also expressed interest in the 32-year-old receiver, but a signing does not appear imminent at this time. Diggs is nearly two years removed from the torn ACL that ended his 2024 season, and he still managed to post an 85-1,013-4 line in his lone season with the Patriots while appearing on just 55 percent of the team’s offensive snaps. We would expect the veteran receiver to find a new home sooner than later, especially with all teams set to being training camp later this week.

Fowler said a team could sign Diggs ahead of training camp, but didn’t do us the courtesy of naming any of those teams beyond the Commanders. He also pointed at the Ravens as a team that attacks late free agency often. Diggs is one of several unsigned receivers still waiting for a home as we near the start of training camp, and there’s a belief in his camp that he’ll be even better this year now that he’s shed a snap count he was on while managing 2024’s torn ACL recovery.