Jayden Daniels may have just leaned into the joke.
At Commanders practice on Thursday, a fan asked the Washington quarterback to set the order for his fantasy football draft, the same bit backup QB Sam Hartman had handled about a week earlier. Daniels went along with it and handed out the No. 5 spot to “David,” setting off a reaction that fit the moment perfectly.
“Damn, I got 5?,” the fantasy football manager said, via Yahoo Fantasy Sports.
For Daniels, that number has become impossible to separate from the conversation around him. The Washington standout has been the target of plenty of mockery tied to his LSU jersey controversy, and the No. 5 mention only adds another layer to the running gag.
The issue traces back to Daniels’ cease and desist to LSU after the school allowed cornerback DJ Pickett to wear his No. 5.
Daniels, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2023 and became the third player in program history to do so, had clearly hoped LSU would preserve that part of his legacy. Instead, the situation has only grown louder.
New head coach Lane Kiffin is not backing down, and Daniels’ camp says assurances were made that his impact would be honored. Even so, the whole thing has turned into a public relations headache that has made him far less popular in Baton Rouge.
Daniels, 25, also does not want LSU to use his name, image and likeness going forward and wants the university’s copy of the Heisman Trophy. That’s a lot of friction for a player who once carried a cleaner public image.
Jayden Daniels picked this fan’s fantasy draft order and gave him the 5th pick 😭💔
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) August 20, 2026
(via DJ Machado/TT) pic.twitter.com/XH5qWb5V1Y
The former second overall draft pick is trying to move past all of that and focus on getting the Commanders back on track after a disappointing and injury-ravaged 2025 campaign. Still, if Thursday’s moment is any hint, fans shouldn’t be shocked if Daniels finds a way to toss in a little wink and some light trolling of his own down the line.
In Other News...
Commanders Could Face A Costly Joey Porter Jr. Decision
The cornerback market is starting to feel a little more interesting, and Washington is right in the middle of it. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, multiple teams are keeping an eye on whether the Steelers might be open to moving Joey Porter Jr., a Pro Bowl-caliber defender who is entering the final year of his rookie deal. Pittsburghs cap situation has made the possibility at least worth monitoring, and any conversation would almost certainly begin with the kind of compensation that usually comes with a premium young corner.
For the Commanders, the appeal is obvious. Cornerback remains a need, and injuries have only sharpened the urgency of finding more reliable help on the back end. Porter would fit the profile of a player worth pursuing, but he would also come with a price tag that could force Washington to weigh immediate help against the cost of paying to get it. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels May Finally Have The Support Washington Needed
The Commanders spent the offseason reshaping the help around Jayden Daniels, and the changes start with the staff. Kliff Kingsbury is out as offensive coordinator, replaced by David Blough, who was promoted from assistant quarterbacks coach, and the move is being framed as a chance to better tailor the offense to Daniels strengths. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that Blough is expected to help Daniels maximize his abilities, particularly by leaning into the quarterbacks football IQ and his command at the line.
Washington has also tried to fortify the supporting cast, with free-agent receiver Stefon Diggs stepping into a leadership role alongside Terry McLaurin. Even with those additions, the bigger question still hangs over the offense: whether Daniels can stay healthy and whether the unit can hold up after losing starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Those are the kinds of variables that can decide whether all this support actually turns into progress. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Have 3 Roster Races Fans Need To Watch Vs Lions
After a win over the Dolphins, the Commanders are turning their attention to their next preseason test against the Lions, and the roster picture is still taking shape. Dan Quinn said several starters are expected to play, though the exact plan has not been set, which should give this game a little more weight than a typical August tune-up for a team still sorting through the back end of the roster.
The most interesting eyes will be on the cornerback group without Trey Amos, the safety spot next to Nick Cross, and the race for the third wide receiver role behind Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs. Those jobs may not decide the season, but in a camp where every rep counts, this is the kind of game that can separate a candidate from the crowd and start to clarify who is really trending toward a spot. [Read more 🡒]