Jayden Daniels' Injury: When Will Commanders Quarterback Play?

How Serious is Jayden Daniels' Hamstring Injury?

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said Daniels “definitely wanted” to keep playing after he got hurt against the Cowboys, but he was taken out of the game for Mariota, who went 4-for-10 for 63 yards and a pick-six.

After the game, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that Daniels’ hamstring strain was “not believed to be serious.” MRIs this week revealed no long-term damage, but Quinn did not want to risk Daniels tweaking the muscle against Kansas City.

However, ESPN's Adam Schefter gave a concerning update on Monday afternoon, bracing fans for the possibility that Daniels could miss more time. Coming off the Monday night road game, Washington has a short week before playing on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 9 against the Seattle Seahawks.

"I just think a guy that's had a knee injury and a hamstring injury, you've got to be really careful," Schefter said. "I won’t be surprised if we don’t see Jayden again on Sunday night."

What Fans Should Expect Next

Whenever Daniels is healthy enough to return, the concerns will shift to how explosive he can be and the potential for a weakened hamstring to cause another injury. Daniels threat as a runner (50.1 rushing yards per game in 22 career games) is central to his effectiveness at the quarterback position. When he played through a rib injury last season, the Commanders struggled to put up points and looked more one-dimensional on offense.

Washington sits in third in the NFC East between Dallas (3-4-1) and the New York Giants (2-6), so every game is important as they seek to create separation from the pack and catch the Philadelphia Eagles (6-2). Mariota has filled in admirably, posting a 1-1 record as the starter, but the team's ceiling is significantly lower any time Daniels is out.

Commanders Upcoming Schedule

• Week 9: vs Seahawks
• Week 10: vs Lions
• Week 11: vs Dolphins (in Madrid, Spain)
• Week 12: BYE
• Week 13: vs Broncos

If Schefter's hunch is correct and Daniels misses Week 9, the following home game against the Lions on Nov. 9 would be a likely return date.

A team with less of a win-now mindset might try to keep Daniels out through the bye week to ensure a full recovery and reduce risk of re-injury, but the Commanders do not have that luxury. They will face a tough decision in Week 9, especially if they cannot upset the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night.