Washington Commanders Week 3 pulse centers on a 27-18 primetime loss to Green Bay, an injury-riddled depth chart, and a flurry of roster moves ahead of the LV showdown. Jayden Daniels’ knee status looms large as Marcus Mariota could again step in as needed. Preston Smith joins the rotation to shore up the edge after Deatrich Wise went on IR, while Jonathan Jones and John Bates are sidelined. Tom Brady’s Raiders tie-in keeps optics buzzing. Depth and practice diligence will shape the Sunday picture for fantasy managers.

Washington Commanders injury news shapes Sundays clash with the Las Vegas Raiders. Jayden Daniels wont practice until Friday at the earliest, so Daniels status is crucial for fantasy rosters and a potential Mariota spike if Daniels cant play. Jonathan Jones is on IR, while John Bates and Noah Brown are trending toward limited or out. Bates blocking is highlighted as a stable element; Brown absence would test the receiving corps. Monitor Daniels return and evolving target dynamics for fantasy relevance.

Washington brings back Preston Smith to shore up a defensive front thinned by injuries, reuniting him with the franchise that drafted him. Smith’s 6-5, 265-pound frame and versatility to rush from end, inside, or stand-up should stabilize the pass rush and run defense after Deatrich Wise Jr. went IR and Jonathan Jones joined IR. Expect Washington to lean on varied fronts, with a tangible bump in sack opportunities and DL rotation stability into the coming weeks.

Preston Smith returns to Washington, bolstering an edge that just lost Deatrich Wise to a season-ending injury. Jonathan Jones lands on IR with a hamstring issue, pushing depth corners into action. Dan Quinn signals a bigger, more flexible rush rotation to cover the loss while the team navigates Week 2 injuries to Ekeler, Brown, Bates, and a day-to-day Jayden Daniels ahead of a Raiders clash.

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.