Heading into the final preseason game, there has been a massive shakeup of the Mason/Brennan Preseason Hype! Award power rankings, compared to where they stood just one week ago.
Last week’s leader, Drew Stevens now seems firmly entrenched as the Commanders’ kicker for the season. The Week 1 breakout star plummeted down the board after a Dud performance in Week 2. A new player has taken the lead, giving rise to a position battle that no one expected. The battle for the WR6 position has intensified,
with a new name making a meteoric rise up the board into the top 5. One of the Mason/Brennan hopefuls has become the top ranked player at his position in the preseason. And my favorite dark horse contestant has been released.
While other Mason/Brennan weekly rankings appeal to popular opinion, the Bris Vegas Preseason Hype! Power Rankings © harness the power of proprietary advanced hype metrics to give you the most scientifically accurate account of where the contestants stand in the battle for Hogs Haven’s most coveted preseason award.
But before we get to this week’s power rankings, I would like to acknowledge the most hype-worthy play of Week 2 by a Mason/Brennan contest alumnus:
The Commanders took a flyer on Owens with a UDFA contract after the 2024 draft. The enigmatic prospect out of Texas Tech, with freakish measurables and little college experience stood out in his first training camp and earned himself a position on the final 53. In his first two seasons he became a core special teamer. In 2026 he has been making the case for a bigger role on defense with splash plays, like this obliteration of a Lions’ running back. Owens provides an example of the power of preseason hype to propel roster hopefuls to NFL success.
Now, let’s see how the battle for the Mason/Brennan Preseason Hype! Award is shaping up following the second preseason game.
Graduated
K Drew Stevens
Stevens won the kicking competition last week, and became the only kicker on the roster. There is no indication that the Commanders plan to bring in competition for him before the season opener. Since his hype has converted into reality, he is no longer a viable Mason/Brennan contestant.
Preseason Hype! – Week 3 Power Rankings
1. QB Athan Kaliakmanis, +3
AK-16 has had a meteoric rise up the board over the past two weeks, ascending from 17th place in the offseason rankings to claim first place heading into the final preseason game. Entering camp, the Commanders’ 7th round pick was realistically battling Sam Hartman for the third-string QB role. That competition was effectively settled when Kaliakmanis’ attacked the Lions’ defense with surgical precision on Saturday, completing 11/14 (78.6%) for 162 yards at an ADOT of 9.4 yds for a 114.9 passer rating. He looked clearly superior to Hartman, who had a slightly higher completion rate (81.8%) on shorter targets (ADOT 5.4 yds).
With Hartman in the rearview mirror and Marcus Mariota nursing an MCL sprain, Kaliakmanis could become Jayden Daniels’ primary backup on opening day.
2. WR Jaden “Moss” Bradley, +1
Bradley has been the Cinderella story of the Commanders’ preseason. He was a virtual unknown in the 2026 draft class, despite having a 931 yd, 4 TD breakout season at UNLV. The Commanders’ scouting team must have noticed his impressive receiving ability, and snapped him up as a UDFA. Bradley has taken full advantage of the opportunity, with standout performances in training camp and the first preseason game. He kicked it up a notch by hauling in the catch of the week against the Lions.
That right there is what it looks like when a UDFA claims a roster spot. And, if that were not enough, he also came in for one special teams snap in punt coverage and recorded a tackle. The kid is going to be a star.
3. RB Kaytron Allen, +2
Allen looked better on Saturday than his 3.0 yards/attempt rushing average would seem to indicate. To put that figure into perspective, you have to appreciate that he averaged -0.9 yards before contact on his 10 rushing attempts. In other words, he was getting hit in the backfield and doing a great job of gaining positive yardage, despite getting little help from his blockers.
In his second preseason outing, Allen flashed the ability to create something out of nothing, finding narrow running lanes and breaking tackles to gain the tough yards between the tackles. If the starting offensive line can give him more to work with, he can be the thunder to pair with Bill’s lightning.
4. DT Ricky Barber, +2
Barber built on an impressive outing in Miami with another tough performance against the Lions, to the tune of 1 QB hit, 2 tackles, 3 assists and 2 defensive stops. Is Barber the most underrated player on the Commanders’ defense? Why no. Through 2 preseason games, Barber is PFF’s highest rated defensive lineman (Defense Grade: 85.2; min 50 snaps).
Barber has a legitimate shot of making the 53-man roster to replace 2024 second-round pick, Johnny Newton, who is sidelined with a pec injury. Barber has similar burst to shoot gaps and gain leverage. What gives him a potential advantage over Newton is his ability to take on blocks and hold his gap in the running game. When Newton gets back, he might have a fight on his hands.
5. WR Nick Nash, +11
Nothing generates hype in Washington like a big WR with a slow 40 time making a highlight reel catch in a preseason game. Last week I wrote that Nash would need to kick it up a notch to beat out Jacoby Jones for a place on the practice squad. He listened:
Nash led all Commanders’ receivers against the Lions with 62 receiving yards, including that 55 yarder and another 7 yd reception. He was also by far the most productive pass catcher on the team, averaging a superhuman 7.75 Y/RR on just 8 passing plays. Nash is this week’s biggest riser, parlaying his big play ability to jump from last place into the top five.
6. WR Jacoby Jones, +6
The Commanders’ incumbent big practice squad receiver was not content to let some upstart steal his job. Jones had a big day himself, catching 3/3 targets for 37 yds on just 8 passing plays. On most Sunday afternoons, Jones’ 4.63 Y/RR would comfortably lead the team, if not the league. With a practice squad spot on the line, this battle could catch fire in the final preseason game against the Ravens.
7. CB Fred Davis II, +7
Why aren’t we talking more about Fred Davis? Maybe because he’s a cornerback. When he plays well, there is nothing to talk about on his side of the field.
Davis has quietly put together a quality body of work in coverage through two preseason games. He hasn’t made any plays on the ball, yet. But he also hasn’t allowed opposing receivers to make plays in his coverage. Through two preseason games, Davis has allowed just 3 targets and 1 reception for 11 yards in 31 coverage snaps, and a 45.1 passer rating when targeted.
In the regular season, allowing 0.35 yards/coverage snap against starting QBs and WRs would place Davis in the elite ranks of lockdown CBs. Against second- and third-string players in the preseason it is at least a positive sign of potential.
Davis hasn’t generated the hype he deserves yet. But that’s not entirely his fault. I’m moving him up 7 places in the rankings, based on his hype potential, on spec that fans and the media will finally embrace yds/cov snap as the be all and end all of coverage metrics.
8. OLB TJ Maguranyanga, +7
The former Rugby League winger from Zimbabwe had been lying low through the first week of the preseason. But he burst onto the scene against the Lions, recording his first NFL sack and a QB hit, and another tackle for a defensive stop. He added another tackle in special teams coverage. TJ played 50 defensive snaps, the most of any Commanders’ defender. The coaching staff must think he is worth an extended look. Few things have greater hype potential than IPP players with impossible to pronounce names getting sacks and making stops.
9. DT Jeffrey M’ba, +5
Jeffrey M’ba has taken over from Johnny Newton as the first player on the practice field over the last week. All that hard work seems to be paying off. He played the preseason opener on a simmer and then cranked it up to a hard boil against the Lions. The 6’6”, 316 lb nose tackle was a disruptive force on defense, recording 2 tackles, 1 assist, 2 QB hurries and batting down a pass on 3rd and 7. He has timed his move perfectly, and is set to explode in the preseason finale against the Ravens.
10. C Matt Gulbin, -6
Instead of building momentum from a strong Week 1 performance against the Dolphins, Gulbin came crashing back down to Earth with a poor showing against the Lions. Playing 14 snaps at center and 25 at RG, Gulbin allowed 1 QB hit and 2 hurries, and an alarming 12.5% pressure rate in pass protection. He was also unable to generate movement in the running game, like he did the week before.
Gulbin was not alone. The entire offensive line played poorly. With the interior iOL in flux, and another week of coaching to fix the mess up front, Gulbin still has an opportunity to finish strong. But the Week 2 setback has dropped him back to the trailing pack.
11. G Tanoa Togiai, -2
Togai also took a step back this week, along with the rest of the OL, after a strong debut performance. He played 36 snaps at left guard and 6 at right guard and allowed 2 pressures (8% pressure rate) in pass protection, while looking about as ineffective as Gulbin at run blocking. There are still backup iOL positions up for grabs, with no one really distinguishing themselves through 2 preseason games. But Togiai will need to rediscover his Week 1 form and then some to catch attention in the preseason finale.
12. RB Robert Henry Jr, -10
A week after stealing the headlines in Miami, Henry’s hype bubble burst with a forgettable performance against the Lions. The 5’9”, 196 lb running back’s weaknesses and limitations were fully exposed behind an OL which couldn’t keep defenders out of the backfield or create running lanes. Unlike his rookie teammate Kaytron Allen, Henry was unable to find his way upfield. He finished with a dismal stat line of 4 carries for -3 yds and 1 reception for 5 yards. To cap off the disappointing performance, he fumbled a kickoff return for a turnover. The memory of his sizzling opening week performance is still keeping him from the bottom of the rankings. But he will have to recapture that magic against the Ravens to secure a spot on the practice squad. He is this week’s biggest faller.
13. CB Car’lin Vigers, -2
Vigers has stacked two mixed performances in successive weeks. Against the Lions, he made 1 tackle for a defensive stop and didn’t allow a reception in 7 coverage snaps. He made 1 tackle in special teams coverage and missed 1 tackle. He is running out of opportunities to make a hype-worthy play.
14. TE Quentin Moore, -4
After flashing ability as a run blocker in Week 1, Moore was relegated to special teams duty in Week 2, with no measurable impact on the field. In light of the Commanders’ move to more 12 and 13 personnel formations under OC David Blough, this move is a hype killer.
Released
S Malik Spencer
This one came as a surprise to me. Spencer had solid performances in training camp and the first two preseason games, splitting time between box and free safety. I thought he had a good chance to earn a practice squad spot, but solid is apparently not enough. Spencer was released this week with an injury designation(hamstring), along with veteran starter Will Harris, to make way for new safeties on the block, Joshuah Bledsoe and Quindell Johnson.
