Washington Commaders Fantasy Outlook: Sam Howell with Terry McLaurin & Jahan Dotson Have Potential
As the season grows near it's time to start looking at each and every team in the league to find all the fantasy value you miss when looking at the league as a whole. We will be taking a look at all the key teams and players around the league. Now we wrap up the NFC East with the Washington Commanders.
Questions at Quarterback, Sam Howell or Jacoby Brissett
The theme with this team is going to be questions. We really don't know how good they are at any position perhaps with the exception of wide receiver. The biggest concern is the quarterback play. We anticipate Sam Howell getting the first shot to start over Jacoby Brissett. Anyone who tells you Brissett isn't that bad hasn't watched him play enough because you can't win with him. Howell is completely unproven. Based on his college film, we do not expect him to amount to much in the NFL, however, we will still make the case for him. He was a highly touted prospect early in his college career and could potentially have elite-level weapons on the outside this year. There is a world where he can be a serviceable fantasy QB2. There is also a world where he is awful and loses his job before the end of October.
More Questions at Running Back
The Commanders' backs initially strike you as unremarkable fantasy options, nevertheless, there is reason to believe both Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson will excel this year. Robinson was shot in the knee last summer so it stands to reason that perhaps he wasn't quite 100% last year and could be much better than he was last season after a mediocre rookie campaign. Many also have high hopes for Gibson now that Eric Bieniemy is the offensive coordinator in Washington. We have seen plenty of pass-catching backs put up monster numbers with him calling the plays. On the other hand, Robinson was never viewed as much more than an average two-down thumper coming out of college and we've watched Gibson disappoint us over and over since entering the league. Both guys have upside, but both guys are also little more than a roll of the dice.
Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson Have Huge Upside
Terry McLaurin (ADP 50) and Jahan Dotson (ADP 85) have the potential to enter the conversation as one of the top wide receiver duos in the NFL. Both men are supremely talented and could be high-end fantasy options. Scary Terry has game-breaking speed and outstanding route-running ability. He creates separation as well as anyone in the league. Dotson looked great when healthy last season and was a touchdown machine. If he can stay healthy he should be a breakout star. Currently, McLaurin is being drafted as the WR21 and Dotson the WR39. Both have the talent to far outperform their ADP. The only issue is the quarterback. If Howell does become even an average QB these two could post monster numbers and be league-winning wideouts.
Limited Value at Tight End
There isn't much value to be had at tight end for Washington. Logan Thomas projects as the top TE, however, he has been slowed down by injuries over the past few seasons. There is a chance that a guy like John Bates or Cole Turner emerge if given the opportunity, but that's impossible to project. This team has heavily featured the position in the past though so these guys may be worth keeping an eye on early in the season on the waiver wire. There is no need to draft one though.
Washington Commanders Breakout Player
The breakout player in Washington has to be Dotson. In 12 games last season, he went for over 500 yards and caught seven TD passes. Both his numbers and film were impressive and he did it with a nightmarish situation at quarterback. If the QB play is improved at all he could easily push 1,000 yards and double-digit TDs in 2023.
Washington Commanders Fantasy Sleeper
Fantasy owners will be groaning when they read this, but we are going to go with Curtis Samuel. Yes, he's still on this team. He's also still a starter on this team and last year he caught 64 passes for 656 yards, rushed for 187 yards, and scored five TDs. If his role expands as a gadget guy who gets both targets and carries, he could have sneaky value. An injury at receiver or running back could also help propel him into a very significant role similar to what we saw from Cordarrelle Patterson in Atlanta.
