Jayden Daniels Fantasy Football Update: Full-Go Status Makes Him a Must-Start Post-Elbow Injury
In this story:
In a Thursday morning confirmation, the Commanders have emphasized that quarterback Jayden Daniels will be a "full go." In Week 5, the Commanders play host to the New York Giants in an effort to reach two wins and three losses. Given that Marcus Mariota had injured his knee, the reins would have gone to third-string Rutgers alum, Athan Kaliakmanis. Thus, Daniels' return was much needed, and now it will happen.
Fantasy Football Impact
Asked David Blough if with Jayden Daniels about if any challenges with him coming back off an injury. Any limitations to building the game plan?
— John Keim (@john_keim) October 8, 2026
"He's full go," Blough said.
The switch back to Daniels doesn't change much. In 2026, Mariota's completion percentage is roughly 8 percentage points better than Daniels'. Mariota has a TD:INT ratio of 4:0, compared to Daniels' 3:0. Mariota's passer rating is 19.6 points higher.
This is not a downgrade. Daniels is a high-upside, former No. 1 overall draft pick. As a 2024 rookie, he threw for 3,568 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions, with a 69% completion percentage. Daniels added another 890 rushing yards.
The success of this offense will come down to David Blough's play-calling. Can he get Daniels into high-leverage situations? Daniels must use his elusiveness to work the offense. He must get the ball to Stefon Diggs (if he is active), Antonio Williams, and Treylon Burks. The weapons aren't elite, but they're certainly not mid-tier by NFL standards.
I created a chart that maps how offensive play-callers perform over four weeks of the NFL season. Blough and his Commanders' offense rank 23rd out of 32 teams. Not great at all, but it could be worse.
I created a rating for NFL 2026 Offensive Play-Calling.
— Tom Carelli | Fantasy Football (@TCarelliTakes) October 8, 2026
Who is doing a GREAT job, and who is stumbling over their call sheet?
49ers/Kyle Shanahan are dominant.
Buccaneers/Zac Robinson prove why things didn't work in Atlanta.
Chargers/Mike McDaniel... the scheme does not… pic.twitter.com/ErTk9YkJKH
The league average scoring is generally about 23.0 points per game, but it varies week to week. The ESPN FPI rates offenses in correlation to that league average. The Commanders, with Daniels, have an offensive FPI rating of -1.3. That projects them to score just south of 22 points in a neutral-site game against a neutral opponent.
The Giants' defense has a defensive FPI rating of -1.2. That means that the Commanders can score right around league average. Now, let's delve into Daniels' projection.
Is Jayden Daniels Healthy?
Given that Daniels' injury was to his non-throwing elbow, he is expected to have little to no drop-off in passing ability. Fantasy managers can expect the Daniels of old. The risk is guarding his elbow and avoiding further dislocation. Daniels will wear a brace to try to prevent that.
I will expect Daniels to perform at his normal output. His original Wednesday projection was slightly cautious on his return: QB12. With the new confirmation, I have increased his expected rushing output to about four attempts for 20 yards. Daniels will be my QB8 in Week 5 fantasy football.
Next up: we will monitor the game status of Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs as Sunday approaches. Regardless, you can start Daniels in Week 5.
More Fantasy Sports On SI News:
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.