Commanders WR Jahan Dotson 'Building That Chemistry' With QB Taylor Heinicke
Washington Commanders rookie receiver Jahan Dotson got his NFL career going strong with 12 catches, 152 yards, and four touchdowns in his first four games.
Unfortunately, he left that fourth game with a hamstring injury and missed the next five.
By the time he returned, his starting quarterback was injured and he had a new one, Taylor Heinicke.
And the lack of chemistry was evident, as the two connected just twice in his first three games back. Neither of those was for a score, although each delivered a gain of more than 10 yards.
So the potential was there, they just needed time.
And now, Dotson says he and his new starting quarterback are getting into a rhythm, five games into their on-field relationship.
"At the beginning, it was just me really getting back into the groove of things (and) really working myself back into the offense," Dotson said. "Each and every day me and Taylor we're building that chemistry in practice, getting those reps in so that on Sundays it looks like we've been there before."
It should have been expected there'd be a ramp-up period for Dotson's production to catch up to his demonstrated talent.
After all, it's hard enough to transition from college to the NFL without two starting quarterbacks, an evolving offensive scheme, and injury stacked on top of it.
But Dotson is starting to get comfortable again and is doing the little things the Commanders need him to do, in order to get back to winning.
"I feel like it's getting the playbook down, making sure I'm not making any mental mistakes (that are) hurting the team," Dotson said. "And I feel like I'm doing that at a very good level."
His nine catches, 159 yards, and two touchdowns in the past two games are the best two-game stretch of his rookie season.
And his six touchdown catches leads the team by double the next-highest receivers Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel.
All while sitting sixth on the team in receptions.
His production this year has Dotson just one score away from tying McLaurin's first-year total, and two away from the Washington franchise record for a rookie at their position.
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