When Terry McLaurin went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 6, the Commanders had to figure out where the missing production would come from. Stefon Diggs was always going to get his touches, but Washington also wanted to be careful with the soon-to-be-33-year-old and keep him healthy for the full season. That opened the door for Treylon Burks and rookie Antonio Williams.
Burks has been the one making the strongest push.
The 26-year-old is in his fifth NFL season and his second with Washington. Tennessee took him in the first round, but after injuries kept getting in the way, the Titans moved on in October 2025. Washington gave him another shot, and he made enough of it to earn a one-year deal to return in 2026.
This year, Burks has looked sharper and more urgent. At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, he has seemed a step faster, and the last two games have backed that up: 11 targets, seven catches and 147 receiving yards since McLaurin’s injury. It’s the kind of stretch that starts to remind people why he was a first-round pick in 2022.
More than anything, though, Burks has won over Jayden Daniels.
“One, he’s super fast, but just his confidence,” Daniels said Wednesday when asked why Burks was finding such success on deep routes.
“You can see his confidence continue to grow. I know, just having conversations with him early on in his career, it was rough for him.
And obviously it’s, where he was drafted, when he was drafted is, he has the ability to, but coming here is like a fresh start. You can just see his confidence continue to grow from OTAs until up to this point.”
Daniels kept going, and the praise turned to Burks’ movement and the way he attacks the field.
"His stride length. He eats up ground so quickly.
He has a long stride and he's, like I said, he's frequently athletic. He's fast so it's like, he puts a lot of stress on the DB, so that kind of works on his advantage and you gotta get the ball up and down for him or get the ball up early because he can probably outrun the football.”
That kind of talk says plenty about where Burks stands with the quarterback. He’s not just getting opportunities - he’s earning trust.
Now the challenge is the same one that has followed him before: staying healthy and staying consistent. If Burks can keep this going the rest of the way, he’ll have a real case to be Washington’s starting wide receiver and a strong argument that the Commanders found a major bargain.
In Other News...
Commanders May Be Getting The Rams Defense They Didnt Want
The pass rush the Commanders were hoping to avoid appears to be back on the menu in Week 9. Myles Garrett has been working his way back from knee surgery, and after practicing all week, the star edge rusher is expected to be activated from Injured Reserve ahead of Los Angeles game against Washington.
The Rams are still evaluating his readiness before making it official, but the signs point toward him being available Sunday. For a Commanders offense already staring at a tough matchup, the timing could hardly be worse if Garrett is cleared to suit up. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Face A Brutal Test With Their Offense Under Pressure
The Rams arrive in Week 9 with some momentum, having bounced back from an earlier loss with two straight wins as they try to push their record above .500. For Washington, the timing is tricky. The Commanders are coming off a win, but the bigger picture still shows a team with a losing record and a roster dealing with injury issues, which makes this matchup feel like a real measuring stick for where the offense stands right now.
Los Angeles brings a balanced challenge, and the matchup leans into the areas where the Rams have looked most capable lately. They have shown advantages both on the ground and through the air against a Washington defense that will have to hold up under pressure for four quarters. With the betting market backing the Rams, the Commanders are left needing a cleaner, more efficient offensive outing than the one they can afford to waste. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Short-Week Roster Squeeze Before Rams Game
Washingtons short week is already turning into a roster-management test before the Rams arrive, with the receiver room taking on some early wear and tear. Treylon Burks missed both practices because of a foot injury, while Dyami Brown was limited with a calf issue, leaving the Commanders to juggle health and availability as they try to get through a quick turnaround.
The moves on the transaction wire showed how tightly things are being managed, with Robert Henry Jr. activated and Ricky Barber moved onto the active roster as Washington keeps patching together depth. The Rams are dealing with their own injury concerns and roster shuffling, including promoting kicker Joshua Karty, so both sides are heading into the matchup with more questions than theyd like for a game that is coming up fast. [Read more 🡒]