Fantasy Football Injury Update: Jayden Daniels May Return Sooner Than Expected After Foregoing Surgery

Jayden Daniels appears to be ready to return from his elbow injury faster than expected, which would be a welcomed sight for Daniels Fantasy managers.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) throws during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Washington Commanders pulled off the upset of the week with a 33-31 win over the reiginging Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks. The Commanders could be inline for more good news as starting quarterback Jayden Daniels may return sooner than expected after suffering a gruesome elbow injury in week 2.

Jayden Daniels will forgo surgery until the end of the season and will practice this week, according to Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. Daniels' return will not only impact Daniels' Fantasy outlook, but changes the Fantasy outlook for multiple Commanders skill players.

Jayden Daniels' Injury Fantasy Impact

Daniels hasn't lived up to lofty ADP expectations as injuries continue to hamper the former Hesiman winner's Fantasy production. A quick return from the gruesome injury could change Daniels Fantasy outlook for the rest of the season.

The former second-overall pick is using his running ability early on in the season with an six rush attempts per game, fourth-most among all quarterbacks. Daniels would be in contention to be on the top of the list near Josh Allen if Daniels didn't leave the Dallas Cowboys game at halftime with his injury.

In terms of passing, Daniels hasn't popped out in the box score. Despite trailing in both games, Daniels failed to crack the 200 passing yards mark. It's obviously a small sample size, but no matter if Daniels or Marcus Mariota are in at quarterback, the Commanders are emphasizing running the ball. The NFC-East outfit, pass the ball at a 51.76% clip through three games, which ranks 23rd in the NFL.

There is some concern surrounding Daniels returning way earlier than anticipated given the visual of his injury, but for Daniels Fantasy managers, the return is well welcomed. Daniels' rushing ability always makes the Commanders QB a threat and should be started if a Fantasy manager invested a high draft pick for Daniels

Which Commanders Receiver Benefits the Most with Daniels' Return?

Stefon Diggs was Daniels' favorite target in the small sample size of games early on in the season. Out of Daniels' 51 pass attempts, 12 targets have went Diggs' direction, which accounts for a decent 23.5% target share. Where the Daniels-Diggs connection really shines is in the red zone, where the duo have connected for a touchdown in each game.

Diggs has been consistent across both Commanders quarterback, but one Commanders wide receiver's Fantasy performances prefers Mariota in at quarterback compared to Daniels.

Stefon Diggs first Commanders TD, first Commanders celebration penaltypic.twitter.com/2Yr4wcgc2A

— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 13, 2026

Terry McLaurin struggled in the first two games with Daniels as a starter. McLaurin finished with 10.4 PPR points with Daniels as a starter, compared to a 19.7 PPR points performance against the Seattle Seahawks with Mariota under center.

What really stood out in the Daniels-McLaurin connection was the lack of targets for McLaurin in week 1, which led to 3.4 PPR points. When asked about the lack of targets towards McLaurin, Daniels responded, "I’m not going to force-feed Terry the ball. I’m still going to go through my reads." Daniels return would be a sight for sore eyes for many Commanders' Fantasy outlook, but McLaurin may be better off with Mariota in at QB Fantasy wise.

Terry McLaurin is good at football. pic.twitter.com/STYyTyeafm

— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) September 27, 2026

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