Washington saw a promising night with Daniels airing it out for 211 yards and three TDs, but three turnovers sunk them in a 25-24 MNF defeat to Chicago. A Croskey-Merritt fumble and a red-zone interception by Daniels, capped by a 3rd-and-1 miscue, flipped momentum late and Chicago punched in a game-winning 38-yard FG by Moody as time expired.

Washington drops to 3-3 and remains one game behind Philadelphia in the NFC East. Week 7 brings a high-stakes test in Dallas, where ball security and play-calling rhythm must tighten in practice. Chicago rides the late-game drive and Moody’s leg to keep pace in a crowded division race, while fantasy managers weigh Daniels’ big ceiling against turnover risk.

On the commanders’ side, Payne sparked a standout special-teams moment that kept Washington in contention, but it wasn’t enough to erase the miscues. Fantasy angles center on Daniels’ high-volume ceiling with an eye on reducing mistakes, and on how Washington reallocates targets and carries as they prep for a divisional showdown.

Washington rescued Javon Kinlaw with a three-year, $45 million pact after Joe Whitt Jr. publicly admitted he wanted the defensive tackle in 2024. Kinlaw’s presence is already shaping how teams block the Commanders, freeing teammates like Dorance Armstrong and easing the load on Daron Payne. Despite modest early stats, Whitt insists Kinlaw’s impact is felt in the mismatches he creates up front and the space it opens for others. The defense has moved forward this season, despite Deitrich Wise’s season-ending injury.

Kinlaw’s addition shifts the interior pressure away from Payne, who has 12 tackles through three games, while Kinlaw has five but is drawing double teams and command attention that unlocks other rushers. The trio of Armstrong and others is seeing more chances, and the unit as a whole sits ahead of last year’s start. The Jets stint and Kinlaw’s 49ers past frame a career arc that now points to a stable Commanders front with fantasy upside beyond Kinlaw alone.

Washington opened with a 21-6 win that spotlighted Croskey-Merritt as a new rushing spark and Deebo Samuel as the primary receiving option, with Jayden Daniels showing mobility and efficiency. Samuel piled up 77 receiving yards and a 19-yard TD, while Croskey-Merritt added an early TD and a late burst to close out the win. Washington’s defense, led by Daron Payne, steadied after a penalty-heavy day but faces a tougher test at Green Bay on a short week.

The performance hints at fantasy upside for Samuel as a volume-driven receiver in this offense, and Croskey-Merritt could emerge as a season-long sleeper in the Commanders’ backfield as the competition thins. Daniels’ legs supplied additional fantasy taxi-squad value, while the defense offered week-winning upside with red-zone stops and sacks.