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Oct 19, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) looks to pass the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter of the game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Commanders' star QB just hit the bottom of this key NFL ranking

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By David Harrison | Last updated Oct 24, 2025 12:00 PM ET

How far down have the Washington Commanders fallen in 2025? In some ways, look no further than quarterback Jayden Daniels to find the answer.

The Injury Factor

As inconsistent as the season has been for the Commanders, the quarterback’s season has been a mirror image of it, as injuries have taken games from the standout athlete and his teammates, further preventing him and his team from getting on solid footing even when he is available.

They say the best ability is availability, which is the biggest roller coaster switch of them all because it’s one thing the Washington quarterback is least in control of, and the inability to stay on the field for more than two consecutive full games this season.

Because of this, not only has Daniels' stock in the wide world of sports rankings taken a hit, but he’s now ranked at the bottom of the NFC East quarterbacks in the latest NFL.com stacking of the position.

Peter Casey-Imagn Images

A Pause in the Evaluation

“Jayden Daniels found the going more difficult than anticipated against Dallas, but he was largely overcoming the challenges in a wild, back-and-forth affair before a hamstring injury sidelined him. With Washington already ruling him out for Week 8, my evaluations of Daniels have once again encountered a pause,” NFL.com’s Nick Shook said in his latest ranking of quarterbacks.

Daniels exited the Commanders’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the third quarter in the midst of a two-score game. After driving his offense down the field for a touchdown in the final minute of the first half, trimming the deficit to just five points, he and the team seemed poised to take a second-half lead, getting the ball coming out of the halftime break.

However, the Washington defense surrendered a quick touchdown score to the Cowboys before halftime, essentially nullifying the effort. With a fresh set of downs on the Dallas side of the field, Daniels was on his way to cutting into the lead again when he suffered the injury while being strip-sacked and had to leave the field for good.

The Cowboys scored on the ensuing possession, and then backup quarterback Marcus Mariota threw a pick-six on the next Commanders’ possession, essentially ending the game before Daniels was even fully evaluated following his injury.

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Stunning Comparison

What’s more stunning than the fall down the board for Daniels is the fact that he’s now been jumped by New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, who nearly led his team to a win over the Denver Broncos before losing grip of that win in the waning moments of their contest.

“The discourse that followed the Giants' heartbreaking loss to the Broncos largely overlooked Jaxson Dart's performance over the first three quarters (and discounted Dart's late-game efforts to regain the lead). Dart was excellent early in the game, making a memorable play by evading the rush, stepping up through the traffic, and finding Daniel Bellinger for a 44-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. He embraced the challenge of the road game at Mile High, putting his body on the line all the way through the end (SEE: the QB keeper up the middle that required a full-extension dive to break the plane for a TD). Had the Giants not collapsed in the fourth quarter, more people would be singing his praises this week,” says Shook.

All of that may be true, just as it is true that when Daniels is on the field, he continues to showcase the talent to keep his team alive even when facing inconsistencies and one of the most up-and-down seasons in recent memory.

While he’ll miss Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington is hopeful Daniels will return home in Week 9 against the Seattle Seahawks to resume his climb back up the rankings, and more importantly, get the Commanders back to the winning this team has become expected to produce.