Is Jayden Daniels playing today? Injury update for Commanders QB ahead of Week 8 vs. Bears

It would be a crime if the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and the No. 2 overall pick didn’t get to face off against each other. This is the matchup football fans and both teams have been looking forward to (and one that could be the de-facto decider of who takes home Rookie of the Year honors, too). But it's a possibility on Sunday as the Chicago Bears and the Washington Commanders face off. 

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels was knocked out of last week’s game against the Carolina Panthers with a rib injury. He missed practice all week and was limited on Friday, but while he looked closer to out than active a few days, one NFL insider said it’s possible he suits up after all for this huge rookie quarterback clash. 

Is Jayden Daniels playing today? What one NFL insider said about Daniels’ availability

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, all signs are pointing toward Daniels playing against the Bears in Week 8. Schefter said it will basically be the ultimate game-time decision as they’ll see how he looks and feels in warmups. 

One one hand, Daniels certainly gives the Commanders the best chance to win (hence why they drafted him). This season, he’s thrown for 1,410 yards and six touchdowns with just two picks while also adding 372 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. But with how Marcus Mariota played in relief, albeit against an awful Panthers defense, the Commanders do appear to have a reasonable fallback option if they don't want to risk the health of the future of the franchise.

That said, Daniels wouldn’t miss the chance to prove he’s the better rookie quarterback. Caleb Williams has played well since struggling to start the season. The Bears have won the last three games, and the former USC star has racked up 1,317 passing yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. 

It’s the showdown everyone’s been excited for this week. Especially when both teams went from the top two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft to two of the NFL’s best teams. We won’t know officially until right before game time, but it’s clear Daniels doesn’t plan on missing this game.