The Washington Commanders suffered several blows in their Week 4 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Losing the game was just one blow. Injuries to Marcus Mariota, Jaylin Lane, and Charles Omenihu were also blows the Commanders didn't need.
The good news is that Washington should get Jayden Daniels back on the field this week after he missed two and a half games with an elbow injury on his non-throwing arm. Having him back on the field to lead the offense is great, but only if the offensive line can figure out how to do their job. Without proper protection, Daniels will have to be vigilant about how he plays to avoid further injury.
The Commanders face the New York Giants this week, their third divisional matchup in the first five weeks of the season.
They have a rigorous schedule in 2026, one of the hardest in the league, and it's showing.
As we enter Week 5, here’s where the Commanders rank across multiple power rankings.
Nate Davis, USA TODAY: 24 (20)
Rookie Athan Kaliakmanis became the first NFL quarterback to throw his first career TD pass in an international game. Cool. But this team can't get Jayden Daniels back fast enough.
Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports: 25 (21)
Maybe if Marcus Mariota hadn't gotten injured, the Commanders might have won and been a promising 2-2. They were about to take an early 6-0 lead on the Colts early in the game when Mariota sprained MCL in his right knee. The Commanders' defense played pretty well but Washington's offense couldn't do much with rookie Athan Kaliakmanis in for Mariota and an inactive Jayden Daniels. And 1-3 is a tough hole to dig out of.
With Mariota hurt and the Commanders in danger of having their season slip away further, there has to be tremendous urgency for Daniels to return from a dislocated left elbow.
"That's the hope for us for sure, Jay coming back," Commanders coach Dan Quinn said. "He'll have a full week of practice Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. That's the goal: that he could get into that space."
Ralph Vacchiano, FOX Sports: 24 (NC)
Super Bowl odds: +9000Next game: vs. Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m ET)
Jayden Daniels’ return can’t come soon enough after the Commanders were stuck relying on third-string QB Athan Kaliakmanis for most of Sunday morning in London.
The Greek Rifle had a moment or two, but not enough to convince anyone he can help the Commanders win. If Daniels does return Sunday against the Giants, there might be time to salvage this season. If not, it’s time to start preparing for the draft, and maybe a coaching search, too.
Stat To Know: The Commanders have allowed 122 points through four weeks, tied for the second most in the entire NFL.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: 28 (NC)
They better hope Jayden Daniels can play this week with that elbow brace. Or they might be forced to start rookie Athan Kaliakmanis against the Giants.
Connor Orr, Sports Illustrated: 26 (NC)
Last week’s ranking: No. 26Last week’s result: lost to Colts, 30–13This week: vs. Giants
I enjoy reading updates about Commanders third-string quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis from the perspective of a Greek news outlet. While the return of Jayden Daniels will ultimately deprive us of a Greek Tommy DeVito-like run, we can always hope in silence.
Chad Graff and Josh Kendall, The Athletic: 26 (23)
Last Week: 23
Sunday: Lost to Colts 30-13
Concern Level: High as Jayden Daniels nears a return
It seems their exciting young quarterback is going to opt against surgery for his elbow, which both breathes hope into this frustrating season and brings a fair amount of risk over the possibility of reinjury. Concern will be high as he returns to the field, possibly as early as next weekend.
Up Next: vs. Giants, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
theScore: 25 (26)
Previous rank: 20Amik Robertson: With the Commanders still waiting for Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson to heat up on the edges, Robertson has arguably emerged as the team's top defensive performer. He's tied for the league lead with seven pass breakups and ranks among the best in separation allowed.
Bleacher Report: 25 (24)
Last Week: 24
Week 4 Result: Lost vs. Indianapolis 30-13
The Washington Commanders are in real danger of having their season slip away because of injuries for the second straight season. They managed to beat the defending champion Seattle Seahawks with Marcus Mariota at quarterback in Week 3, but they lost Mariota to a knee injury in London on Sunday.
Rookie quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis had a few bright moments against the Indianapolis Colts, but he made his fair share of rookie mistakes, too. Washington's defense showed some signs of progress against Indy, too, but it couldn't stop the ground game late, and the Commanders now sit at 1-3.
Next week's matchup with the rival New York Giants has become a veritable must-win.
Walter Football: 20 (29)
The poor Redskins had to go to Athan Kaliakmanis in London. The good news is that Jayden Daniels will be back this week, which is why Washington has risen so much. The bad news is that this means that Daniels is bound to get hurt again soon, too.
NFL Nation, ESPN: 27 (26)
Week 4 result: Lost to the Colts 30-13Week 4 ranking: 26
Four words to describe the first four weeks: Can't ever stay healthy.
Injuries, once again, are the major storyline as Washington's starters have missed a combined 20 games. More specifically, premium positions have taken a hit. The Commanders lost left tackle Laremy Tunsil (triceps) in camp; QB Jayden Daniels (elbow) has missed two games; top cornerback Trey Amos (ankle) remains on IR; receiver Terry McLaurin injured a hamstring during a light practice Friday; backup QB Marcus Mariota hurt his right knee in the first quarter Sunday. Washington has made personnel mistakes along the offensive line and secondary, and like last season (5-12), injuries have been a major issue.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: NFL Power Rankings 2026: How do the Commanders fare entering Week 5?
