Okonkwo (hamstring) not practicing on Wednesday

Okonkwo did not log a practice this week after suffering a hamstring injury in the second half of last week’s game against the Eagles. His absence will leave the Commanders noticeably thin at tight end as far as pass-catchers are concerned, as the next man up on the depth chart is blocking TE John Bates, followed by third-year TE Ben Sinnott, who could see an uptick in the passing game after running 10 routes in Week 1. Fantasy managers should avoid this tight end room altogether despite a plus matchup against the Cowboys. In addition to Okonkwo, the Commanders have also ruled out LB Frankie Luvu (groin).

Okonkwo missed most of the second half of Week 1 and has not been spotted at practice since. There are probably better TE2 bets to lay for Week 2 even if he does suit up in some form on Friday.

Okonkwo’s name will be one to look for on Wednesday when the Commanders release their first injury report. The 27-year-old tight end exited in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Eagles and did not return to the field. If he’s unable to play in Week 2 against the Cowboys, the Commanders would be looking at using John Bates and unproven third-year tight end Ben Sinnott as their top two options. Neither should be trusted for fantasy purposes if Okonkwo is out.

Okonkwo exited late in the third quarter with a hamstring injury and did not play in the fourth quarter. Okonkwo’s biggest play came on a 15-yard gain in the third quarter, but he was otherwise held in check by an Eagles defense that gave the Commanders fits all afternoon. His injury status will be one to monitor heading into next week’s game against the Cowboys, where he’ll be a boom-or-bust TE2 if active.

Okonkwo exited in the third quarter, and at the start of the fourth quarter, it was revealed that the Commanders’ TE1 would be questionable to return. Okonkwo has caught two passes for 16 yards so far, as the Commanders have struggled to generate much through the air.

If the Commanders actually decide to make a move on Stefon Diggs, perhaps this will change, but right now Okonkwo stands to have an excellent shot at being fantasy-viable. He’s essentially free in most standard leagues, going off after the top 110 picks by ADP on almost all sites.

Bates strained his hamstring in practice on Thursday. The veteran blocking tight end’s absence likely won’t change much as long as it doesn’t linger into the season. Ben Sinnott will likely get more opportunities in training camp.

Zach Ertz was second on the team with 72 targets last year, but after that you have to slide all the way down to John Bates at 16 to find another tight end. Chig Okonkwo is certainly in the TE2 tier at the moment, but this would appear to give him a path to low-end TE1 upside. Keim does say it’s not only Okonkwo who will have a bigger role, and the role may shrink a bit if and when the Commanders finally bring in Brandon Aiyuk or another veteran WR2. Still, Okonkwo’s range of outcomes is much better than it was last year in Tennessee.

Keim went as far as to say that a league source was confused when the Commanders drafted Sinnott at No. 53 overall a year ago because he didn’t think the tight end was a fit for Kingsbury’s system. That source was spot on. Sinnott managed just 16 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns through two seasons. Kingbury has since been fired and replaced by Blough, who previously held the title of assistant quarterbacks coach. Keim called out a deep shot and an intermediate throw over the middle to Sinnott as plays that are indicative of how Blough will use his tight ends in the regular season. Though free agent addition Chig Okonkwo is penciled in as the starter, Sinnott should get more run in his third season. Dynasty managers can leave the light on for him, even if he isn’t a consideration in redraft leagues.

Okonkwo, who in March signed a three-year deal worth up to $30 million, has been an offensive highlight for Washington under first-year OC David Blough. “He has rare speed and versatility, and his knack for collecting yards after the catch only adds to his appeal,” Jhabvala said, adding that the Commanders could “use a heavy dose of multiple tight end sets” under Blough this season. While last year in Tennessee was a down season for Okonkwo — he ranked 30th among tight ends in yards per route run — he has proven to be efficient in the past. Over four seasons with the Titans he was targeted on 19 percent of his pass routes. Okonkwo could be a 12-team fantasy option in 2026 if Jayden Daniels stays healthy.