Mike Sainristil has had a rocky 2025 start, with an overall PFF grade of 49.6 and 46.4 in coverage through four games. He’s been targeted 21 times with 17 completions for 166 yards and a touchdown, and his tackling remains his bright spot. Sainristil has only lined up in the slot, fueling debate about a potential move back outside and a reshuffle with Noah Igbinoghene to reclaim playmaking. Fred Smoot defends the process, highlighting a learning curve and Sainristil’s ball-hawking traits as reasons for optimism amid a struggling Washington secondary, with larger defensive pressures and pass rush gaps cited as backdrop for the turnaround.

Washington Commanders face a swelling injury toll just before a road tilt with Atlanta. Will Harris fractured his fibula and landed on IR, thinning a secondary already dealing with Lattimore, Amos, and Butler injury concerns. Darnell Savage was signed to shore up safety duties, with Reaves and Owens in mix for expanded roles. On offense, Daniels, Brown and Bates are day-to-day, leaving Mariota as the fallback if Daniels isn’t ready. Depth and upside will be tested in fantasy.

Miami’s season hinges on a pivot from status quo to a talent-driven rebuild. With an 0-3 start, the owner debates whether to fire Mike McDaniel or let the season play out while scouting top quarterback prospects like LaNorris Sellers and Garrett Nussmeier. The piece weighs tanking risks, development of young players (Paul, Gordon II, and a host of Dolphins draftees), and the potential price of Tyreek Hill’s contract and trade value. Interim-coach ideas and insider dynamics color every move as Buffalo and divisional foes loom.

Washington’s 2026 free-agent landscape is stark: NFL.com’s Top 25 class excludes any Commanders, despite a 12-5 finish and a roster that drew early questions about its fifth-year options. The column notes Jamin Davis would be the sole Commander on that 2026 fifth-year list, if still under Washington, while detailing a sweep of other teams’ veterans. In total, 15 Commanders are listed to hit free agency in 2026: Deebo Samuel, Bobby Wagner, Zach Ertz, Marcus Mariota, Von Miller, Matt Gay, Jonathan Jones, Austin Ekeler, Andrew Wylie, Deatrich Wise, Noah Brown, Tress Way, Chris Rodriguez, Jeremy McNichols, Noah Igbinoghene. Fantasy takeaway: watch for these names as potential cap-driven moves or big-spot, short-term signings that could alter positional value and landing spots.