Washington Commanders fans are breathing a sigh of relief as Jayden Daniels is week-to-week with a rib injury that forced him out in the first quarter of their 40-7 win over the Carolina Panthers.
"He's such a unique player that I want to make sure he can be him fully in his own way and the movements, throwing, and all the stuff that would go with that," head coach Dan Quinn said. "I know he'll do everything he can, but I'll trust my eyes. We'll take it every step of the way.”
Daniels apparently suffered the injury on the Commanders’ first play from scrimmage. He gashed the Panthers for a huge run but fell awkwardly to the ground after being tackled from behind. He stayed in the game before being replaced by Marcus Mariota, who was 18-of-23 for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Mariota would get the nod again in Week 8 if Daniels isn’t able to give it a go.
This week's game was supposed to be a clash of this year’s top two overall picks as Washington hosts Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears. Williams has picked things up of late after a slow start. He’s 130-of-199 (65.3%) for 1,317 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions for an 88.7 passer rating. He also has 25 carries for 169 yards. Meanwhile, Daniels is 127-of-168 (75.6%) for 1,410 yards, six touchdowns and two picks for a 107.0 passer rating on the year. He’s also carried the ball 66 times for 372 yards and four TDs.
Daniels is the frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year at -145, just ahead of Williams, who is +115, according to DraftKings. It’s a two-man race at this point, as Malik Nabers is the next closest player at +2000.
The Bears head to Washington as a 2.5-point road favorite. They’re 5-1 ATS on the year but 0-2 SU and 1-1 away from home. Meanwhile, Washington is the league’s best team ATS this year at 6-1-1. They’ve also won and covered all four games at home.
