Jer'Zhan Newton jumped off the page in Washington's Week 5 win, lifting a defense that struggled in Week 4. A chase down on a Chargers reverse and a late-ball deflection that set up Sainristil's interception reshaped momentum. Newton's energy and timing signal a potential breakout arc beyond a single game.

Through five games, Newton has eight tackles (six solo), one sack, one pass defensed and two stuffs, hinting at a longer-term influence on Washington's front. With the offense finding footing behind a rookie-ground-game plan, the defense's uptick could anchor fantasy rosters and real-game outcomes alike.

As Jayden Daniels returned and Washington leaned into a rugged, opportunistic defense, Newton's relentless motor offered a blueprint for how the unit can sustain pressure and elevate the entire team going forward.

Washington shifted horizons Friday, flying to California a day early and practicing at the Coliseum to prep for Week 5 against Los Angeles. Deebo Samuel headlines the captains, with Javon Kinlaw anchoring the defense and Jeremy McNichols guiding special teams. Samuel leads the offense in targets, receptions, and yards through four games, though a heel issue kept him from full practice. Kinlaw has been steady inside, while McNichols provides a burst that showed up on a 60-yard Raiders run. A competitive, team-first tone dominated the prep, capped by a Saturday walk-through before game day.

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 Commanders unleashed a three-phase onslaught to power past the Raiders 41-24 with Marcus Mariota stepping in for the injured Jayden Daniels. A 90-yard opening spark from Jaylin Lane kickstarted a second-half surge that featured a 201-yard rushing attack and a clean, explosive effort from Mariota (207 passing yards, 1 TD, plus 40 rushing). Washington’s defense harassed Geno Smith all day, while special teams created the momentum with Lane’s return and Deebo Samuel’s big-play kickoff.

Dan Quinn’s sideline moment — absorbing a full-speed hit and pushing his team to finish strong — set a gritty tone, echoed by Frankie Luvu delivering the game ball to his coach. For fantasy players, Mariota’s presence, Washington’s run-heavy balance, and Lane’s big-play upside emerge as weekly considerations, especially if Daniels remains limited.

Him is a football-tinged horror from Jordan Peele about a rising QB guided by a GOAT. Commanders players weigh how the film’s brutal lens on football, fame, and retirement mirrors the sport’s real risks.

The trailers hint at real-concussion imagery and Get Out-style psychology, elevating a rare sports horror. For fantasy fans, the story underscores career longevity, risk, and post-NFL identity as league questions loom.