This article is part of our Team Previews series.
Washington Commanders 
No team underwent more change this offseason, as the Commanders not only brought in a new coaching staff and potential franchise quarterback but also a slew of new starters on defense. They retained more 2023 starters on offense, where No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels and new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury are tasked with fixing a unit that finished 25th in points and 24th in yards last year. Success for Kingsbury and head coach Dan Quinn will be measured in terms of Daniels' progress more so than wins.
Washington Commanders 2024 Vital Information
- Head Coach: Dan Quinn (Year 1)
- Offensive Coordinator: Kliff Kingsbury (Year 1) – Spread offense
- Defensive Coordinator: Joe Whitt (Year 1) – 4-3 scheme
- Bye Week: 14
Full 2024 Washington Commanders Depth Chart
Full 2023 Washington Commanders Stats
Stats to Know for the Washington Commanders
- 2023 Record: 4-13
- 2023 Strength of Schedule: .512 (T-12th)
- 2023 Point Differential: -189 (32nd)
- 2023 Pass-Play Rate: 69% (1st)
- 2023 PROE: +5.4% (3rd)
- 2023 PFF O-Line Rating: 24th
| 2023 Stats | Offense | Defense |
|---|---|---|
| Plays | 1,060 (19th) | 1,117 (30th) |
| Points | 329 (25th) | 518 (32nd) |
| Turnovers | 32 (29th) | 18 (T-23rd) |
| Yards | 5,317 (24th) | 6,612 (32nd) |
| Rush Yards | 1,592 (27th) | 2,155 (27th) |
| Pass Yards | 3,725 (18th) | 4,457 (32nd) |
| Drives | 197 (T-5th) | 188 (20th) |
| Yards per Drive | 26.9 (24th) | 35.0 (32nd) |
| Points per Drive | 1.68 (24th) | 2.53 (32nd) |
Washington Commanders 2024 Key Transactions
Skill Positions
| QB | RB | WR | TE | |
| Veteran Additions | Marcus Mariota | Austin Ekeler | Olamide Zaccheaus | Zach Ertz |
| Jeff Driskel | ||||
| Veteran Departures | Sam Howell | Antonio Gibson | Curtis Samuel | Logan Thomas |
| Jacoby Brissett |
Defense
Draft Picks
| Round | Pick | Player | Position |
| 1 | 2 | Jayden Daniels | QB |
| 2 | 36 | Jer'Zhan Newton | DT |
| 2 | 50 | Mike Sainristil | CB |
| 2 | 53 | Ben Sinnott | TE |
| 3 | 67 | Brandon Coleman | LT |
| 3 | 100 | Luke McCaffrey | WR |
| 5 | 139 | Jordan Magee | LB |
| 5 | 161 | Dominique Hampton | S |
| 7 | 222 | Javontae Jean-Baptiste | DE |
Washington Commanders 2024 Top Fantasy Story
Like Joe Burrow before him, Jayden Daniels was a late bloomer who became a Heisman winner and consensus early draft pick after putting up massive numbers in his final season at LSU with the help of two future first-round picks at wide receiver. The Commanders may eventually surround Daniels with the type of talent Burrow has around him in Cincinnati, but for now they'll need the rookie QB to elevate an otherwise drab-looking offense.
WR Terry McLaurin, RB Austin Ekeler and 33-year-old TE Zach Ertz are the only players on the roster that have ever reached even 550 receiving yards in a season, leaving the Commanders to hope for a breakout from either 2022 bust Jahan Dotson, second-round rookie TE Ben Sinnott or third-round rookie WR Luke McCaffrey. Things are arguably even worse on the offensive line, where former Cowboys center Tyler Biadasz is the only new projected starter. PFF's offseason O-line rankings put Washington at No. 27, and ETR's Brandon Thorn has the unit ranked dead last.
It's a good thing Daniels is both fast and elusive, having run for 3,307 yards and 34 TDs in his college career, including 1,134 and 10, respectively, last season. On the other hand, one of the biggest knocks against him is his poor pressure-to-sack ratio, which creates potential for a sky-high sack rate this season if Washington's O-line is as bad as expected.
Washington Commanders 2024 Sleepers
⬆️ Sleeper: TE Ben Sinnott
Sinnott checks all the boxes for a TE prospect. He had 1,123 yards and 10 TDs over his final two seasons at Kansas State, earning first-team All-Big 12 honors both years. He then improved his stock at the 2024 Combine, where he ran a 4.68 40 and had the best vertical jump (40 inches) and broad jump (126 inches) among tight ends. The Commanders bit with the 53rd overall pick, and it may not be long before they prefer the 22-year-old's athleticism and YAC ability over Zach Ertz's steady hands.
😴 Super Sleeper: RB Chris Rodriguez
A 2023 sixth-round pick, Rodriguez is a big back in the mold of Brian Robinson and actually cut into Robinson's workload late last season, averaging 7.4 carries for 37.2 yards in Weeks 11-16 before an ankle injury ended his rookie campaign. Early ADP reflects an assumption of Robinson and Austin Ekeler splitting backfield work while Rodriguez rides the pine, but there's at least some chance of a three-headed backfield or even Rodriguez usurping Robinson under a new coaching staff.
Washington Commanders 2024 Team Futures
- Commanders Super Bowl 59 odds: 150-1 (T-27th) via BetMGM Sportsbook
- Dan Quinn 2024 Coach of the Year odds: 30-1 (T-17th) via FanDuel Sportsbook
- 2024 Projected Over/Under Win Total: 6.5 (T-27th) via FanDuel Sportsbook
Washington Commanders 2024 Player Futures
- Jayden Daniels 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds: 6-1 (2nd) via BetMGM Sportsbook
- Brian Robinson 2024 Over/Under Rushing Yards: 675.5 (26th) via BetRivers Sportsbook
- Terry McLaurin 2024 Over/Under Receiving Yards: 900.5 (T-18th) via BetRivers Sportsbook
Washington Commanders 2024 Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff (ET) |
| 1 | Sep 8 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4:25 PM |
| 2 | Sep 15 | New York Giants | 1:00 PM |
| 3 | Sep 23 | at Cincinnati Bengals | 8:15 PM |
| 4 | Sep 29 | at Arizona Cardinals | 4:05 PM |
| 5 | Oct 6 | Cleveland Browns | 1:00 PM |
| 6 | Oct 13 | at Baltimore Ravens | 1:00 PM |
| 7 | Oct 20 | Carolina Panthers | 4:05 PM |
| 8 | Oct 27 | Chicago Bears | 1:00 PM |
| 9 | Nov 3 | at New York Giants | 1:00 PM |
| 10 | Nov 10 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1:00 PM |
| 11 | Nov 14 | at Philadelphia Eagles | 8:15 PM |
| 12 | Nov 24 | Dallas Cowboys | 1:00 PM |
| 13 | Dec 1 | Tennessee Titans | 1:00 PM |
| 14 | Bye | ||
| 15 | Dec 15 | at New Orleans Saints | 1:00 PM |
| 16 | Dec 22 | Philadelphia Eagles | 1:00 PM |
| 17 | TBD | Atlanta Falcons | TBD |
| 18 | TBD | at Dallas Cowboys | TBD |
