Jayden Daniels injury update: Where Commanders and fantasy football managers go from here

Washington Commanders fans are feeling deja vu. Not just for the second straight season, but for another franchise quarterback. Remember Robert Griffin III’s torn ACL that upended his career? Daniels suffering yet another dislocated elbow injury to the same elbow he injured last season is the last thing the Commanders wanted to see happen amid a season with a lot of playoff promise. 

The full extent of Daniels’ injury is still unknown outside of having a dislocated elbow, but it’s clear that Daniels will miss some time and it could have lingering effects. Of course this not only puts his 2026 season in jeopardy, but it also puts the Commanders’ season in jeopardy too. Along with that, fantasy football owners now have to turn to a backup option in the interim and potentially longer. Here’s how fantasy football managers and the Commanders can approach what looks to be quite a bit of time without Daniels on the field. 

How the Washington Commanders move forward with looming Jayden Daniels injury

The Commanders have to be dumbfounded at how this happened again. Yes, it’s Daniels’ non-throwing arm, but it’s also a near-identical injury to last year. Injuries are clearly impacting his career and at some point, the Commanders are going to have to look at some short-term solutions. Last year, they played Marcus Mariota and it got them five wins. With all the money they spent this offseason, they have to find a better solution. Who they turn to is another question.

The first person that comes to mind is maybe J.J. McCarthy. I know he has some developmental issues he needs to work through and probably doesn’t need to be starting with the pressure of taking a team to the playoffs, but it might not be a bad idea. I think a better solution is trading for someone like Kirk Cousins or maybe Joe Flacco if they wanted more veteran experience. Their best option could be Mac Jones. However the Commanders move forward, they have to be thinking of all options, including not turning to Mariota. 

Until the Commanders know the extent of Daniels’ injury, they don’t need to make any erratic decisions. If Daniels’ injury won’t keep him out more than a month, it’s worth just relying on Mariota to not lose you any games. If it’s longer, there may be better short-term options for the season that will keep Washington competitive in the NFC East. 

What does Jayden Daniels injury mean for fantasy football managers?

If you have or even start Jayden Daniels in fantasy football, it might be time to start looking for some options. I don’t know if Daniels has a trade market so waiving him is the move for now, especially if he does miss some significant time. In turn, here’s who you should turn to for immediate help for your team. 

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

Tyler Shough has had a really strong start to his second season in the NFL. He had more than 400 passing yards in his 2026 debut and had 252 passing yards against the Baltimore Ravens in the comeback win in Week 2. If you don’t have him on your roster already, it’s time to land him. He’s reliable, averaging 22 fantasy points per week. With Daniel’s availability uncertain, he’s a great waiver option. 

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young is averaging 27.76 fantasy points per week, which is the type of production you’d love to add off the waiver. According to ESPN, Young is only rostered on 34 percent of teams. That means if you have a good waiver wire spot, he’s worth taking if Daniels is your starting quarterback. Young has finally looked like an NFL quarterback this year and as a fantasy football manager, you better cash in now to bolster your quarterback room.

Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks

Who would have thought we’d be talking about Drew Lock at this point, let alone as a fantasy option. Lock is playing really well in relief of Sam Darnold and he’s worth looking at as a short term option for Jayden Daniels. Lock is 17 fantasy points per week. More than that, the Commanders and Los Angeles Chargers are the next two opponents for Seattle. Those are two defenses Lock could have a similar game in as he did in Week 2 against Arizona.

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