Commanders Still Waiting On A Huge Offensive Call Before 49ers

Will the Washington Commanders take a strategic gamble by activating Stefon Diggs for their crucial matchup against the undefeated San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football?

Stefon Diggs has put himself in position to return for Monday Night Football, but Washington still hasn’t committed to having him on the field against the San Francisco 49ers.

The Commanders listed Diggs as questionable after he followed a limited Friday practice with another limited session on Saturday. That’s a much better sign than last week, when he never practiced before sitting out Washington’s 27-27 tie with the New York Giants because of a hamstring injury. Still, the team stopped short of declaring him available.

That hesitation makes sense. Hamstring injuries can turn into a nasty repeat problem, and Washington’s bye comes right after Monday’s game. If the Commanders decide to be careful, Diggs could get two extra weeks to heal before the team returns in Week 8.

Coach Dan Quinn did not say Saturday that Diggs was good to go. Instead, Washington left the door open and will keep evaluating him before kickoff. The final word will come with Monday’s inactive list, which should arrive about 90 minutes before game time.

If Diggs suits up, it would be the first time he, Terry McLaurin and Jayden Daniels have been together since Week 2. McLaurin is dealing with a hamstring issue as well, though his Friday absence was partly tied to veteran rest. Daniels, meanwhile, practiced fully Thursday and Friday despite a left-elbow designation and is trending toward starting.

Diggs has already been involved enough in Washington’s offense to matter. He caught 18 passes through the Commanders’ first four games, including five receptions for 35 yards on nine targets against Indianapolis in Week 4. But even if he’s active, the hamstring issue and the possibility of a lighter workload make him a shaky fantasy play.

For managers trying to line up Monday-night decisions, Diggs belongs in the WR3 range rather than locked-in starter territory. Because the game is on Monday, most replacement options will already be off the board by the time a decision is official. Anyone waiting on Diggs should have Antonio Williams, Treylon Burks or another player from the Monday matchup ready as insurance.

Washington did rule out several players, including running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, quarterback Marcus Mariota, edge rusher Javontae Jean-Baptiste and defensive lineman Charles Omenihu. Croskey-Merritt missed every practice after aggravating a lingering groin issue, leaving the Commanders without their leading rusher against the undefeated 49ers.

That absence should push more responsibility toward Rachaad White and Austin Ekeler, though both have their own injury concerns. White was limited by a shoulder problem, while Ekeler was limited with a chest issue. Jeremy McNichols finished the week with full practices, but he still needs to be activated from injured reserve before he can help.

Washington also carried nine questionable players into the weekend, with Diggs joined by Javon Kinlaw, safeties Percy Butler, Tyler Owens and Nick Cross, plus Treylon Burks, Jordan Magee, Fabian Moreau and Jeremy Reaves. That leaves the Commanders dealing with a long list of uncertainty on both sides of the ball.

For now, the Diggs outlook is better than it was a week ago, but it’s still far from certain. The back-to-back limited practices are a real step forward. Whether that’s enough to get him dressed for Monday is still the question.

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