Garafolo: Jayden Daniels expected to start Week 5

Daniels appeared to be close to playing in Week 4 against the Colts before ultimately being ruled out. His being upgraded to a full participant in Thursday’s practice suggested he was a virtual lock to start in Week 5, barring any unexpected setbacks. Daniels will wear a brace on his left arm for the rest of the season in hopes of avoiding a three-peat of his dislocated elbow. Daniels will be without Stefon Diggs (hamstring) for Sunday’s game, and rainy/windy conditions are currently in the forecast. We’ll conservatively project him as a mid-to-low-end QB1 in what could be less-than-ideal conditions on Sunday.

Daniels is practicing in full and is expected to return to the lineup this week. He has suffered the same elbow dislocation twice in the past year, but his game-changing running ability is a big part of what makes Daniels a potential superstar quarterback. Blough might be more tactile with how he calls quarterback runs, but they will still be in the playbook this week. Daniels will be a low-end QB1 once he is officially cleared to play.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo already reported that Daniels is expected to play in Week 5 and a full practice to open the week all but confirms his update. With Marcus Mariota also banged up, seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis would have been the next man up. He will back Daniels up as long as the latter doesn’t suffer any setbacks. The Commanders will likely dial back the designed runs for their franchise quarterback, but fantasy managers have to start him as a low-end QB1 as long as he’s on the field.

The Commanders were forced to go to rookie seventh-rounder Athan Kaliakmanis after Mariota went down in yesterday’s game. Mariota sprained the MCL in the same knee during the preseason, and it would be surprising if Mariota was cleared in time for Week 5’s game against the Giants. If he’s unable to play, Kaliakmanis could make his first career start if Jayden Daniels (elbows) isn’t ready to return. Daniels traveled with the team to London for last week’s game and was limited in all three practices. He seemed close to playing against the Colts, and with the Commanders sitting at 1-3 and their season potentially on the line, it wouldn’t be surprising if he did suit up in a pivotal divisional matchup against the Giants.

Daniels practiced in a limited capacity this week, but will ultimately sit out the Week 4 matchup against the Colts. According to Jones, sources in Washington believe Daniels could return in Week 5 against the Giants if he gets in a full week of practice this week. While Daniels is going to play through the same elbow injury he had last year, offseason surgery hasn’t been ruled out. Marcus Mariota will continue to start under center for the Commanders in Daniels’ absence.

Daniels traveled with the team to London and was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but the team will err on the side of caution with Daniels, who is recovering from a dislocated elbow he suffered in Week 2 against the Cowboys. He’ll presumably log another limited practice on Friday, which could put him in line to return for Week 5’s game against the Giants, but it will be Marcus Mariota drawing the start on Sunday morning when the Commanders take on the Colts.

Most of the national reporters have offered real hesitation on the idea that Daniels will play this week, but that does make two practices in a row. We assume we’ll get a better idea on his long-term status late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, before they play in London. Daniels-reliant managers, as always, should have backup plans settled ahead of a breakfast kickoff.

Daniels was limited in practice on Wednesday and was on the practice field again today, presumably for another limited session. He isn’t expected to play this week, but any amount of practice this soon is a good sign. He told reporters he won’t make a final decision on surgery until after the season. He is, however, at least holding off until the offseason. Marcus Mariota will almost certainly start again this week. Daniels will then have a chance to return in Week 5 against the Giants.

It looks like Daniels will log some practice time ahead of the Commanders’ Week 4 London matchup against the Colts, less than two weeks after suffering yet another elbow injury. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Tuesday that Daniels will likely require surgery on the elbow after the season. That raises questions about whether he can return and play as he usually does in the coming months. For now it looks like Marcus Mariota will get a second straight start for Washington. He’ll be usable in superflex formats against a middling Colts coverage unit.

Schefter added that he doesn’t think Daniels will play this week but that he may play “sooner rather than later.” Dan Quinn said Daniels will practice in “some capacity this week,” but they may just be trying to understand where Daniels is at physically in these practices. This update does not augur particularly well for Daniels’ chances of staying active if the Commanders go into a tailspin or if he reaggravates the injury; it seems like he’s simply trying to play through the injury to help his team if he can.