McCaffrey caught each of his three targets for 19 yards in a 34-13 win over the Browns on Sunday.
The rookie played a season-high 66 percent of snaps on offense, taking on a bit of extra playing time with Noah Brown inactive due to a groin injury. It was only a minor change, however, as Dyami Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus took most of the snaps that normally would go to Brown. It'll still be hard to trust any Washington wideout for more than two or three targets when the Commanders head to Baltimore in Week 6.
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Commanders' Luke McCaffrey: Catches three passes for 44 yards
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McCaffrey caught each of his three targets for 44 yards in Monday's 38-33 win over the Bengals.
McCaffrey played only 34 percent of the offensive snaps on a night when the Commanders mostly led and didn't use a lot of three-wide formations. The rookie has generally looked good and had a 30-yard gain on a catch-and-run Sunday night, but his workload still isn't anywhere close to fantasy starter territory, given his limited role in an offense that's attempted fewer than 30 passes in each game so far. He'll take aim at the Cardinals in Week 4, playing on the road in a game with the largest over/under (50.5) on the slate.
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Commanders' Luke McCaffrey: Not targeted against Giants
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McCaffrey failed to record a single target in Sunday's 21-18 win over the Giants.
Despite playing a healthy 56 percent of offensive snaps Sunday, McCaffrey was not involved in the passing game on a day in which Jayden Daniels attempted 29 passes. The rookie wideout figures to see his usage fluctuate in Washington's offense as the passing attack gets things figured out with a rookie signal caller at the helm. With that said, McCaffrey should continue to develop alongside Daniels toward a stronger connection as the season progresses. Fantasy managers hoping for a quick breakout for the 23-year-old receiver should exercise patience. McCaffrey will look to take a step forward in Week 3 when the Commanders visit the Bengals.
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Commanders' Luke McCaffrey: Three catches in NFL debut
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McCaffrey caught all three of his targets for 18 yards in Sunday's 37-20 loss to the Buccaneers.
McCaffrey actually led all Washington wideouts in receiving yards in his NFL debut, besting Terry McLaurin by one yard. The rookie third-round pick's total was fourth on the team overall behind running backs Austin Ekeler (52) and Brian Robinson (48), as well as tight end Zach Ertz (28), as quarterback Jayden Daniels spent all game either checking the ball down or scrambling. The rookie quarterback-receiver combo has a chance to develop a strong connection down the line, but both Daniels and McCaffrey are still raw heading into Week 2 against the Giants, which was illustrated by McCaffrey's inability to get his feet inbounds after getting open on a two-point conversion attempt late in the loss to Tampa Bay.
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Commanders' Luke McCaffrey: Week 1 Waiver Priority List
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The Commanders traded Jahan Dotson to the Eagles, which opened the door for McCaffrey, Noah Brown (10 percent) and Dyami Brown (0 percent) to be the No. 2 receiver behind Terry McLaurin. None of these guys will be Fantasy starters right away, but one of them could emerge by the end of the season as an option in deeper leagues. I'd stash McCaffrey first based on upside, but this is a receiving corps to monitor early in the year.
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Commanders' Luke McCaffrey: Not separating from other WRs
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McCaffrey hasn't emerged as an obvious top-four wide receiver to open the season for Washington, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
Even after the Commanders' trade of Jahan Dotson this week, McCaffrey hasn't earned a starting role in Washington. It sounds like Dyami Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus are pushing for playing time behind Terry McLaurin, and even slot man Jamison Crowder could be in the mix. McCaffrey is relatively new to the wide receiver position after playing it for just two seasons. If McCaffrey doesn't open the season in three-wide sets, it's not out of the question that he finishes 2024 in a prominent role.
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Commanders' Luke McCaffrey: Facing less snap competition
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McCaffrey has less competition for playing time after the Commanders traded Jahan Dotson to the Eagles on Thursday.
McCaffrey strictly worked with Washington's second- and third-string offenses in the first two preseason games, but a lack of talent at WR behind Terry McLaurin suggests it may not be long before the rookie third-round pick gets regular playing time. Dyami Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus have been splitting perimeter snaps opposite McLaurin on the first-team offense, with Dotson getting most of the slot work pre-trade. McCaffrey has worked both outside and inside this summer, and at 6-foot-2 with 4.46 speed he isn't necessarily limited to the slot.
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Commanders' Luke McCaffrey: Washington adds in third round
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The Commanders selected McCaffrey in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 100th overall.
McCaffrey originally arrived to Nebraska as a coveted quarterback recruit, but he couldn't stick at the position and ended up making the switch to receiver after transferring to Rice. He's a bit thin at 6-foot-2, 198 pounds and has little catch radius to speak of, but his athleticism tested well at the NFL Combine (4.46-second 40-yard dash, 6.7-second three-cone drill), and his production at Rice was generally encouraging, especially since he just started playing wideout in 2022. It's possible that McCaffrey might need some more developmental time after switching from quarterback, but the bloodlines are obviously highly favorable, and he clearly possesses starter-caliber athleticism. Washington simply now waits to see how much he can improve with experience.
