The Washington Commanders lost more than just the Week 2 game against the Dallas Cowboys. They also lost quarterback Jayden Daniels for an unknown amount of time, as he dislocated his left elbow. Again. Marcus Mariota took over in his place, but the momentum the Commanders built at the end of the first half was completely lost.
Now, the team has to switch gears and prepare to host the Seattle Seahawks in their home opener in Week 3. The game kicks off at 1:00 p.m. EDT from Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, this Sunday, and the reigning Super Bowl champions enter the matchup 2-0 despite losing Sam Darnold in Week 1.
As we enter Week 3, here’s where the Commanders rank across multiple power rankings.
Nate Davis, USA TODAY: 30 (21)
However they won't have 2024 first-round
QB Jayden Daniels, not for Week 3 against Seattle anyway. Tom Brady summed up Washington's state of affairs pretty well Sunday.
Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports: 27 (22)
It's strange to see Dan Quinn get criticized for Jayden Daniels dislocating his elbow on the final play of the first half because he went for the touchdown and not the field goal. Going for the touchdown at the 1-yard line when you trail 17-10 is a reasonable football decision. What's unreasonable is calling a game worried about your quarterback getting hurt every play. What happened to Daniels was unfortunate but that's football. The tough part is it's quickly becoming a big part of Daniels' career arc. Since a historic rookie season he played just seven games last season and now is dealing with a dislocated elbow again. The Commanders are 0-2, looked bad on defense against the Cowboys, and now might have to try to save their season with Marcus Mariota presumably filling in for Daniels for a bit.
Ralph Vacchiano, FOX Sports: 29 (26)
Super Bowl odds: +7400
The Commanders looked like they had some momentum before QB Jayden Daniels dislocated his elbow late in the first half. Without him, though, it’s hard to see them coming back from an 0-2 start.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: 29 (26)
Losing Jayden Daniels with the elbow injury is just a damning blow to this team. At 0-2, without Daniels out, Dan Quinn is in trouble.
Connor Orr, Sports Illustrated: 28 (24)
Last week’s ranking: No. 24Last week’s result: lost to Cowboys, 37–20This week: vs. Seahawks
You should not blame Dan Quinn for Jayden Daniels’s two elbow dislocations. You should, however, begin to consider a world without Daniels, or at the very least, an uncomfortable world where the Commanders wind up with a top-five pick.
Chad Graff and Josh Kendall, The Athletic: 29 (25)
Last week: 25
Sunday: Lost to Cowboys 37-20
Rookie spotlight: Sonny Styles
The first-round linebacker popped in Week 1 but came back down to earth Sunday, finishing with three tackles. It was the same story for third-round wide receiver Antonio Williams, who had 64 receiving yards in Week 1 but just 24 in Week 2 as quarterback Jayden Daniels was lost to another elbow injury.
Up next: vs. Seahawks, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
theScore: 26 (24)
New WRs. It's hard to find many reasons for the Commanders to be optimistic, especially after Jayden Daniels' latest elbow injury. At least new receiver Stefon Diggs and third-round rookie Antonio Williams have made their marks as the team's two leading pass-catchers. Diggs has caught three touchdowns, putting him on track for his highest-scoring season since 2023.
Bleacher Report: 29 (27)
Week 2 Result: Lost at Dallas 37-20
The Washington Commanders have now lost three straight games to the rival Dallas Cowboys. However, Sunday's outcome runs second to yet another injury suffered by Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Daniels' sophomore campaign was ruined by multiple maladies, including an issue with an elbow to his non-throwing arm. He reinjured the arm Sunday. According to the Associated Press' Schuyler Dixon, Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow for the second time in less than a year.
At this point, questions will bubble to the service whether the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner is injury-prone. Whatever the case may be, the Commanders could be led by Marcus Mariota for another stretch--which will significantly hurt the Commanders chances to win in the coming weeks.
Walter Football: 28 (25)
The Redskins had a chance to be competitive against the Cowboys, but Jayden Daniels got hurt against Dallas yet again. The Redskins also lost two offensive linemen to injury. What a disaster.
NFL Nation, ESPN: 28 (23)
One thing we know about the QB1: Jayden Daniels can't stay healthy.
Daniels has now left because of an injury in four of his past five games -- three times because of his left elbow. He has dislocated it twice, including Sunday in Dallas, and reinjured it when he returned last season. The shame of it is the comment before the injury would've been that Daniels is back. He had a strong finish in the Commanders' season-opening loss to the Eagles and was playing well in Dallas. With a healthy Daniels, Washington is a much different threat. But he just has to ... stay healthy.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: NFL Power Rankings 2026: How do Commanders fare heading into Week 3?
