2025 Washington Commanders Projected Finish, Key Signings & Fantasy Stars

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In the 32nd of a 32-part series, we are featuring all National Football League teams with a prediction of where each team will finish within their division, key off-season acquisitions and their top fantasy stars. Here are the Washington Commanders.

Key Off-Season Acquisitions

The Commanders acquired five key players in the offseason. Three players came via trade and two via free agency. The five new Commanders are wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. of Inman, South Carolina, tackle Laremy Tunsil of Lake City, Florida, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw of Washington, District of Columbia, linebacker Von Miller of DeSoto, Texas, and cornerback Jonathan Jones of Carrollton, Georgia.

Samuel Sr. was traded from the San Francisco 49ers to the Commanders for a fifth round pick in the 2025 National Football League Draft. The 49ers selected running back Jordan James out of the University of Oregon. Samuel Sr. spent the last six seasons in San Francisco. In 2024, Samuel had 51 catches for 670 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He also had 42 rushes for 136 rushing yards and one touchdown. The rushing touchdown was for two yards and came in a 32-19 49ers win over the New York Jets on September 9.

Tunsil was traded from the Houston Texans to the Washington Commanders with a fourth round pick in 2025. In return, the Texans get four draft picks (third and seventh picks in 2025, and second and fourth picks in 2026). The Commanders selected wide receiver Jaylin Lane of Clover, South Carolina with the fourth pick. The Texans selected wide receiver Jaylin Noel of Kansas City, Missouri with the third pick. The Texans selected running back LeQuint Allen Jr. of Millville, New Jersey with the seventh pick.

Tunsil is joining his third NFL team. He was with the Dolphins from 2016 to 2018, and the Texans from 2019 to 2024, where he was selected to five Pro Bowls (2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024).

Kinlaw signed a three-year deal worth $45 million with the Commanders. He had spent four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers from 2020 to 2023, and one season with the New York Jets in 2024. This past season, he had 40 combined tackles (27 solo tackles and 13 assisted tackles), five quarterback hits, five tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery for four yards.

Miller signed a one-year deal worth $6.1 million. He will be joining his fourth NFL franchise. Miller previously played 10 seasons with the Broncos. He was with Denver for nine straight seasons from 2011 to 2019, and again for the first half of the 2021 NFL regular season. Miller then finished the 2021 NFL season with the Los Angeles Rams, before playing the last three seasons with the Buffalo Bills. This past season, he had 17 combined tackles (13 solo tackles and four assisted tackles), seven tackles for a loss, six sacks and eight quarterback hits.

Jones signed a one-year deal worth $5.5 million. He will be joining his second NFL franchise after nine seasons with the New England Patriots where he won two Super Bowls in 2017 and 2019. This past season, Jones had 58 combined tackles (41 solo tackles and 17 assisted tackles), six pass deflections and two forced fumbles.

Fantasy Stars

The Commanders have four players ranked in the top 10 at their fantasy position. Quarterback Jayden Daniels of San Bernardino, California is ranked fifth, wide receiver Terry McLaurin of Indianapolis, Indiana is ranked fifth, tight end Zach Ertz of Orange, California is ranked eighth, and kicker Matt Gay of Orem, Utah is ranked ninth.

Daniels was the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 and selected to the Pro Bowl. He completed 331 passes in 480 attempts for 3568 passing yards, with 25 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions. Daniels also had 148 rushes for 891 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.

McLaurin had 82 catches for 1096 receiving yards and 13 touchdown catches. Ertz had 66 catches for 654 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches. Gay made 31 of 37 field goals and all 33 convert attempts with the Indianapolis Colts last season. He signed a one-year deal worth $4.3 million in the offseason with Washington.

Projected Finish

The Commanders were the most improved team in the NFL last year. They went from four wins in 2023 to 12 wins in 2024. Expect a second place finish for the second straight year in the NFC East as Washington places behind the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.