Luke McCaffrey doesn’t need a monster target share to turn heads in Washington this year. According to former Commanders tight end and current NFL analyst Logan Paulsen, the third-year wideout could be set up for a quiet but meaningful leap.
Paulsen, speaking on the " Redzone in the Lab" podcast, said McCaffrey has already shown signs of growth as a receiver and could carve out a bigger role by doing the small stuff well.
"Luke, to me, again in OTAs and minicamp, he hasn't really splashed a ton in the two days of camp; I thought actually looked pretty good playing receiver," Paulsen said in a recent appearance on the " Redzone in the Lab" podcast.
"I think he's developed his skill set, his craft as a receiver. And has this ability as a return guy and has done a good job blocking in certain situations, which I think is valuable to this offense.
He had a great block on a screen today- tough, really tough in space. He's going to find a way to make this team because he does the little things the right way.
And I'm very confident. He's one of my dark-horse candidates to kind of have a sneaky big year.
You know, I'm not saying he's going to have 1,000 yards or anything like that, but 35-40 catches, something like that would be in the cards for him."
That kind of outlook makes sense given where McCaffrey is coming from. The son of longtime NFL receiver Ed McCaffrey and younger brother of 49ers star Christian McCaffrey, he started college as a quarterback before moving to receiver for his final two seasons. Washington took him in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he entered the league still developing at the position.
As a rookie, McCaffrey appeared in all 17 games and finished with 18 catches for 168 yards. In 2025, he looked more dangerous, posting 11 receptions for 203 yards and three touchdowns in nine games. His 18.5 yards per catch doubled his rookie average, and he also emerged as one of the league’s better kickoff returners, averaging 30 yards per return before a broken collarbone in Week 9 ended his season.
Washington has other mouths to feed. Terry McLaurin remains the team’s top receiver, while rookie Antonio Williams, Dyami Brown, Treylon Burks, and tight ends Chig Okonkwo and Ben Sinnott are all in the mix for targets. But McCaffrey doesn’t have to dominate the stat sheet to matter.
If he keeps stacking the little wins - the blocks, the returns, the catches when called upon - he can still put together the kind of season Paulsen has in mind. And for a player still on the rise, that may be enough to make 2026 the real breakout year.
In Other News...
Terry McLaurins Praise Put A Commanders Receiver Battle In Focus
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McLaurins praise has only sharpened the competition around the back end of the receiver room, where every rep matters and every practice answer gets weighed against the bigger roster picture. The Commanders are also still operating with the possibility of adding Stefon Diggs, a move that would ripple through the depth chart and leave even less room for players trying to carve out a place in camp. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Face Serious Competition In The Stefon Diggs Race
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The plot has gotten a little more complicated because the Chiefs are now said to be in the mix as well, and their need for help at receiver has only grown with injuries thinning that room. For Washington, that means the chase for Diggs may not be a simple waiting game, and the next move could hinge on how aggressively Kansas City decides to pursue its own answer. [Read more 🡒]
Odafe Oweh Is Giving Commanders Fans Real Reason To Believe
The first week of Commanders training camp has offered an early look at what Washington hopes is a faster, more disruptive defense, and Odafe Oweh has been right in the middle of it. Signed to a four-year, $96 million deal, he arrived as one of the biggest pieces of the overhaul and has already shown the burst the team expected, turning quick wins off the edge into multiple sack chances as the pads start to come on.
For a defense that added several younger faces, Owehs immediate impact matters because he is supposed to help change the shape of the pass rush, not just fill a role in it. Training camp production only tells part of the story, but the early signs are enough to give Washington reason to think this group can create more pressure and make life a lot tougher on opposing quarterbacks once the games count. [Read more 🡒]