Is Jayden Daniels Playing Sunday? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Colts vs. Commanders in NFL Week 4)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is dealing with a dislocated elbow, and he's officially been ruled out for Sunday's Week 4 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

That paves the way for veteran Marcus Mariota to get his second straight start for Washington.

Commanders quarterback, Jayden Daniels officially is out Sunday.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 2, 2026

While Daniels will not play against the Colts, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn did offer a positive update on the quarterback's status, praising his work to get back in the lineup as soon as possible.

Daniels was a limited participant in practice in the lead up to Week 4, and he seems to have a shot to play in Washington's Week 5 matchup against the New York Giants.

Jayden Daniels will not play Sunday, via Dan Quinn just now. pic.twitter.com/BCvZxLJ2td
— Grant Paulsen (@GrantPaulsen) October 2, 2026

"That's a huge positive step," Quinn said. "For us and for him. We'll assess where we are next week when you get a full week of practice all the way through. But it's typical of him working incredibly hard to get back doing everything that he can behind the scenes to go do that as fast as he can."

Daniels is certainly trending in the right direction, and the Commanders could make it even easier on his rehab if they win on Sunday and get to 2-2. That may allow the team to be cautious with Daniels' return, especially since it was reported earlier in the week that he'll eventually need surgery to fix his elbow issue.

DraftKings Sportsbook has shifted the Commanders' odds for Week 4 with Daniels officially ruled out. Washington was a 3.5-point underdog earlier in the week and set at +154 to win this game, but that has since shifted to +164 with Washington now a 4.5-point underdog in a "home" game in London.

Mariota showed in Week 3 that he's capable of leading this Washington team to wins, as he completed 19 of his 31 passes for 183 yards and three scores while adding five carries for 11 yards on the ground against the defending champion Seattle Seahawks. The veteran may need another big game against a Colts team that has struggled on defense this season, ranking 31st in the league in EPA/Play.

Prior to going down against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2, Daniels had completed 11 of 17 passes against for 96 yards and a score. He also threw a pair of touchdowns in the Week 1 loss to Philadelphia and has completed 56.9 percent of his passes for 260 yards in the 2026 season.

Washington's playoff chances in the NFC would likely see a boost if the team is able to get .500 before Daniels returns to the lineup. The Commanders are favored in the lookahead line for Week 5 against the Giants, which is a good sign for Daniels' chances of playing in that matchup.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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