NFL Player News

Ferguson secured one of two targets for six yards during Sunday's 41-34 win against the Lions.

It was another monster week for starting tight end Colby Parkinson, as he added his fifth and sixth touchdowns in the last six contests against a porous Detroit defense. Ferguson and fellow backup Davis Allen failed to make much of an impact on the box score, although they were on the field for over three-quarters of the Rams' snaps on offense. What started out as a quartet of tight ends that spread their stats out evenly has skewed heavily towards Parkinson in the absence of Tyler Higbee (ankle). Ferguson's next chance for a breakout will be a tall task against divisional-rival Seattle in a Week 16 Thursday night showdown.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said Monday that Jayden Daniels (elbow) will not start any of Washington's final three regular-season games, leaving Mariota in position as QB1, JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Mariota will close out the 2025 campaign under center for the Commandeers, while Josh Johnson works as the team's No. 2 quarterback. The veteran signal-caller completed 10 of just 19 pass attempts for 211 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's divisional win over the Giants, while rushing 10 times for 43 yards. Mariota also fumbled twice versus New York, losing one. Next on deck for Mariota and Washington will be a home matchup against the Eagles on Saturday, after which the team will have a short preparation window before taking on the Cowboys on Thursday Night Football in Week 17. Mariota's last game of the season will be a Week 18 road rematch against Philadelphia.

Allen secured three of four targets for 16 yards during Sunday's 41-34 win against the Lions.

While Allen and fellow backup Terrance Ferguson both took the field for over three-quarters of the snaps on offense, Colby Parkinson continued to be the fantasy darling of the trio, recording a fantastic 5-75-2 line on the day and earning his sixth touchdown in as many weeks. Allen's four targets and three catches both tied his season high for the year, making his ceiling low and his fantasy relevance dependent on finding the end zone; something he hasn't done since Week 10 against San Francisco. He'll likely take a back seat to Parkinson again in a huge Week 16 matchup on Thursday night against division rival Seattle.

Commanders head coach Dan Quinn confirmed Monday that Daniels (elbow) will be shut down for the team's final three games, JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Quinn said the decision is "part medical, part team," and that Daniels will still practice once cleared to do so. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports, however, that upon being medically evaluated Monday, the second-year quarterback was not yet cleared for contact. After an outstanding rookie campaign in 2024, Daniels now concludes Year 2 with just seven regular-season appearances in which he completed 114 of 188 pass attempts for 1,262 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed 58 times for 278 yards and two scores. Marcus Mariota will remain Washington's starting QB for the rest of the year, beginning Saturday against the Eagles.

Zylstra didn't draw a target in Sunday's 41-34 loss to the Rams.

Zylstra made his return to action after missing 11 contests with a knee injury, immediately taking over as the team's primary tight end, logging 35 offensive snaps to backup Anthony Firkser's 22 snaps on offense. Zylstra will have a chance to be more involved moving forward with Sam LaPorta (back) and Brock Wright (neck) on injured reserve, and he'll look to reel in his first pass of the year in Week 16 against Pittsburgh.

Bellinger finished Sunday's 29-21 loss to the Commanders with three catches for 35 yards on four targets.

Bellinger and No. 1 tight end Theo Johnson had the same amount of targets (four) and catches (three), though Johnson more than doubled Bellinger's yardage with a team-leading 72. Coming into Sunday, Bellinger had gone three games without a reception and had combined for just two catches for 29 yards over his previous five contests. Ironically, the fourth-year tight end's increase in production against Washington came on a day when he posted his lowest offensive snap share (26 percent) since Week 3. Given his recent lack of production and clear backup role behind Johnson, Bellinger's improved stat line Sunday still doesn't put him on the fantasy radar in most formats.

Atwell secured one of two targets for nine yards during Sunday's 41-34 victory against the Lions.

In his return from a six-game absence due to a hamstring injury, Atwell took the field for just four plays on offense but managed targets on half of them. Konata Mumpfield has had an expanded role in recent weeks on offense due to Atwell's absence but hasn't done much with his opportunities, leaving the door open for Atwell to reclaim the No. 3 position at wideout for the Rams. With Davante Adams (hamstring) potentially unavailable for a pivotal Week 16 Thursday night showdown against division rival Seattle, Atwell may be thrust into a much more prolific role alongside Puka Nacua if Adams is unable to go.

The Commanders do not intend for Daniels (elbow) to start any of the team's final three regular-season games, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Daniels was medically evaluated Monday and has not yet been cleared for contact, making it likely that he will be unable to gain clearance for Saturday's game against the Eagles. Washington will follow that contest up with a short practice window before facing the Cowboys on Thursday Night Football in Week 17, leaving only Week 18's rematch against Philadelphia as a realistic target for Daniels' return -- one that the Commanders see little upside in risking the franchise quarterback's health for. While head coach Dan Quinn hasn't yet officially announced that Daniels is done for 2025, the expectation is that Marcus Mariota will line up under center for the final three weeks while Daniels turns his full focus toward his rehab.

Firkser didn't draw a target in Sunday's 41-34 loss to the Rams.

Firkser saw his offensive snap count drop from 35 to 22 in Week 15 with Shane Zylstra returning from a knee injury that forced him to miss 11 contests. Firkser has now caught both of his targets for 11 yards while playing 75 snaps on offense over four games with Detroit this year, and he has little to no fantasy utility moving forward.

Ham recorded a one-yard touchdown on his lone carry in Sunday's 34-26 win at Dallas.

Ham has just four carries this season and four in his last three seasons, so the scoring tote that he earned Sunday should be viewed as an extreme outlier. The 32-year-old is one of the NFL's top blocking fullbacks, but he rarely touches the ball, even at the goal line.