Who is the Washington Commanders’ X-Factor for the 2026 NFL season? A common, correct answer is quarterback Jayden Daniels. After all, it was Daniels who put the Commanders on his back during his 2024 rookie season, leading the franchise to its best season in 33 years.
Then, injuries happened last year, costing Daniels 10 games. The Commanders struggled, going 5-12. Daniels’ injuries can’t be blamed for Washington’s downfall, but they were the primary factor.
This summer, Daniels was 100% and had an outstanding training camp. And while there are concerns about the offensive line, there is excitement about Daniels in new coordinator David Blough’s offense.
So, while Daniels is Washington’s most important player, Ben Solak of ESPN did not name him
his X-factor. Instead, Solak picked the X-factor for all 32 NFL teams, but did it a little bit differently. He did not name quarterbacks, coaches, or rookies in this exercise. Who did Solak choose as the Commanders’ X-factor?
Solak named center Nick Allegretti as the X-factor.
Guess what? He’s correct. When was the last time you heard so much panic about the center position? NFL analysts have literally changed their predictions about the 2026 Commanders due to what they believe was GM Adam Peters’ mishandling of the position.
Allegretti has mostly been a backup since entering the league in 2019, and only 171 of his 2,432 career snaps (7.0%) have been at center. Snapping the ball and getting the hand back in pass protection is one thing. In a new offense under offensive coordinator David Blough, the center is responsible for helping the quarterback set protections and point runs in what can be a complex and wordy operation. Allegretti needed time in this offense, but he missed most of camp because of a calf strain. He's back and ready to start Week 1, but is he ready to start Week 1?
There will be lots of wrinkles for the Commanders to iron out in their new offense, but procedural issues such as snap counts and clean exchanges can undermine an offense. Allegretti needs a smooth, rapid transition to center for the Commanders to get the ball rolling on their offensive evolution this season.
Allegretti is important for several reasons. For one, Washington put all its faith in the veteran to make smooth transition to center. There is no safety net. The backup is a rookie sixth-round pick. In addition to playing in a new offense, Daniels will be under center far more often. There is already concern about Allegretti missing so much time in training camp, because those were valuable reps. Sure, Allegretti is an eight-year pro, but he’s still a relatively new center.
The Commanders could have several choices for X-factor, including Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, Bill Croskey-Merritt, Brandon Coleman, Odafe Oweh, Daron Payne and others. However, considering the recent panic over the offensive line, especially at center, Allegretti is a good choice.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Surprising pick for Commanders' X-factor in 2026
