The Washington Commanders are headed into the 2026 season with a strange distinction: they’re the only NFL team without a single player on the Top 100 list.
That annual countdown, voted on by players and rolled out in the weeks before the season, always sparks debate across the league. This year, though, Washington’s absence stands out more than any argument over where a player landed.
The Commanders had five players inside the top 100 when they entered the 2025 season. Now, none made the cut for 2026.
Bobby Wagner, who played for Washington since 2024, was listed at No. 81, but he is currently a free agent. Beyond that, the most notable omissions were Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin and Laremy Tunsil.
Daniels was No. 21 last season, McLaurin came in at No. 52 and Tunsil checked in at No. 86.
Frankie Luvu not being included wasn’t much of a shock. The bigger surprise was seeing Daniels, McLaurin and Tunsil left off after what Washington showed two seasons ago.
That 12-5 run and trip to the NFC Championship Game changed the conversation around the franchise, even if last season’s 4-13 record dragged things back down. Injuries were a major reason for the drop-off, and the Commanders have already shown what they can look like when they’re at full strength.
Still, the players voting on this list didn’t give Washington much respect.
And with a wave of analysts projecting the Commanders to finish below .500 again, the lack of Top 100 recognition could end up being fuel. If nothing else, it gives Washington another reason to believe it has something to prove.
In Other News...
Commanders Face One Big Week 1 Problem Before Brutal Start
The early part of Washingtons 2026 schedule already looks unforgiving, and the first week is only adding to the challenge. The Commanders open on the road against Philadelphia and then head to Dallas, a stretch that would test any roster even before accounting for the injuries that have already thinned key spots up front and along the defensive line.
Laremy Tunsil and Johnny Newton are both set to miss the opener, which makes the recent return of several other familiar names to practice that much more important. Daron Payne, Marcus Mariota, Jacory Croskey-Merritt and KLavon Chaisson are back on the field, while Odafe Oweh is working back from a calf issue and should be moving toward full participation soon, leaving Washington hopeful it can get healthier before the season starts to really lean on its depth. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Rookies Are Forcing A Bigger Week 1 Debate Than Expected
The Commanders 2023 draft class has spent training camp and team activities trying to turn promise into something more concrete, and the early returns have given the coaching staff plenty to think about. Linebacker Sonny Styles, wide receiver Antonio Williams, edge rusher Joshua Josephs and running back Kaytron Allen have each flashed in different ways, with their progress showing up in preseason work and daily evaluations as the team sorts out how each rookie fits into the bigger picture.
What makes this group especially interesting is that it has pushed the Week 1 conversation beyond simple roster-filling. Washington is still weighing how these young players might contribute once the games count, and the answers may not look the same from one rookie to the next. The development arc is still in motion, and as camp gives way to the season, the Commanders will have to decide how much trust to place in first-year players who have already made the picture more complicated than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Kicking Battle Just Brought A Tough Roster Decision
Training camp finally settled Washingtons kicking picture, and it went the way a lot of preseason battles do when a young challenger keeps landing his chances. Undrafted rookie Drew Stevens outlasted incumbent Jake Moody, earning the job and giving the Commanders a cleaner answer at one of the leagues most unforgiving positions. For a team trying to leave as little as possible to chance, locking in a kicker before the season matters just as much as any late-summer depth chart shuffle.
Moodys release turned the competition into a real roster decision, and his quick move to the Baltimore Ravens practice squad underscored how thin the margin can be for specialists. Stevens, meanwhile, turned a path that began as a preferred walk-on in college into one of the NFLs 32 kicking jobs, a leap he called out with clear gratitude. For Washington, it is a small move on paper, but one that could carry outsized importance once games start getting decided in the final minutes. [Read more 🡒]