Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels heads into Monday night with one less weapon and the possibility of getting another back.
Running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt won’t be available against the 49ers after leaving last week’s game against the New York Giants and not practicing all week. Dan Quinn said Croskey-Merritt re-aggravated the same groin injury he first dealt with in the preseason, and the second-year back has already been ruled out for Monday.
There is better news on the passing side. Stefon Diggs returned to the practice field Friday after missing last week’s practices and the game with a hamstring strain. The Commanders had given him time to rest, and they’re planning to test his availability for Monday night.
The NFC picture got a lot more open on Sunday, too. The Philadelphia Eagles were missing Jalen Hurts and dropped a home game to the Carolina Panthers, 25-14.
The New York Giants lost to the New Orleans Saints, 34-27, and the Dallas Cowboys fell to the Green Bay Packers, 23-13. That leaves the Giants at 3-2-1, while the Eagles and Cowboys sit at 2-4.
If Washington gets the win on Monday, it would move to 2-3-1.
How the 49ers choose to defend Daniels will be a major part of the night. The Giants showed one path: when defenses stay in man coverage and turn their backs, Daniels can punish them, as he did with 38- and 26-yard touchdown runs. The expectation is that San Francisco will lean on zone looks to keep Daniels contained and force Washington’s receivers to uncover against the zones.
Washington may also get some help back on defense. Safeties Nick Cross and Tyler Owens, along with cornerback Trey Amos, practiced more this week than they did last week as they continue recovering from injuries that kept them out against the Giants.
That could also affect Mike Sainristil’s role after he was used at safety and on special teams last week. He played 48% of the defensive snaps and 51% of special teams snaps, and if Cross and Percy Butler are both back at safety and Amos makes his 2026 debut, Sainristil could be the odd man out on Monday.
There’s one more name Daniels will be keeping an eye on: Jeremy McNichols. With Croskey-Merritt sidelined, McNichols could bring size, inside toughness, and value as both a receiver and pass protector.
Quinn left the door open Saturday, saying McNichols “This is one of our most professional ball players on, off, what he can bring. So, as we get to Monday, he’s had a very good week, and we will decide from there.”
In Other News...
Commanders Head Into Bye Week With NFC East Embarrassment Growing
The bye week arrives with plenty for Washington to sort through after the loss to San Francisco pushed the Commanders to 1-4-1 and left them stuck in the middle of an ugly stretch for the NFC East. Across Weeks 5 and 6, the division went winless, a rare run of futility that has only added to the sense that nobody in the East is finding much traction right now.
Washingtons own issues go beyond the standings, with injuries continuing to chip away at the roster and the offense trying to piece itself together. Terry McLaurin was among the players hurt, and the break now gives the Commanders at least a little time to reset before the next phase of a season that is already getting complicated. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Win Now Comes With A Discipline Debate Fans Will Hate
The afterglow from Monday nights 23-17 loss to San Francisco has been hard to separate from what happened in the trenches, where Washington had to keep playing after Sam Cosmi went out following a low collision on the line. The Commanders left the field at 1-4-1, but the conversation around the game quickly shifted from the final score to the kind of contact that tends to linger long after the broadcast ends.
Public criticism followed the play almost immediately, with Shannon Sharpe calling it dirty and drawing more attention to the hit than the 49ers move to 6-0. For Washington, the bigger concern is what comes next for Cosmi and how the league handles a snap that already has people debating discipline instead of football. [Read more 🡒]
Stefon Diggs Keeps One Commanders Debate Alive After Another Loss
Another loss pushed Washington to 1-4-1 on Monday night, but the bigger concern in the moment was how the Commanders keep finding themselves in catch-up mode. The latest setback fit a familiar pattern for a team trying to stabilize its season, with enough flashes to keep the conversation alive and enough mistakes to leave plenty of frustration behind.
Stefon Diggs still saw a division that leaves room for hope, even with Washington fighting uphill again. He pointed to the NFC East as still being very much in play, which matters because the Commanders have not completely fallen out of the race even as the margin for error keeps shrinking. The challenge now is turning that belief into a more complete performance before the schedule makes the debate any harder to sustain. [Read more 🡒]