Washington's 2024 Third-Round Pick Faces Make-Or-Break Moment Following Terry McLaurin Injury — Commanders Daily

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin played seven snaps in the 49ers game before leaving with a knee injury that ended his season. After McLaurin left, Luke McCaffrey played eight offensive snaps, his first through six weeks. He also got his first target on one of Daniels' few inaccurate passes Monday night.

Last season, the Commanders blog discussed McCaffrey taking a larger role when McLaurin was out. McCaffrey finished 2025 with 11 catches for 203 yards and three touchdowns before a broken collarbone ended his season after nine games. That included a 50-yard catch against the Chargers while McLaurin and Noah Brown were out. Then-offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said: "I think he’s settled in now, and we have full confidence where we put him that he’s going to go make a play."

What makes little sense is the fact that General Manager Adam Peters used a 3rd-round pick on Luke McCaffrey (pick 100 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft), but the staff has barely given him a chance on offense this season, even after he's shown flashes when he's gotten on the field, especially on special teams.

McCaffrey has been inactive this season in Weeks 1, 2, and 4, including the Colts game McLaurin also missed. He has yet to catch a pass this season, though he has returned eight kickoffs for 203 yards. Against San Francisco, Antonio Williams played 45 offensive snaps, Stefon Diggs 41, Treylon Burks 37, and Dyami Brown 33. As stated above, McCaffrey played eight. His season clearly began on special teams, but the staff should reconsider its direction with him now that McLaurin’s absence leaves more snaps available. If McCaffrey still can't get meaningful offensive snaps now, it's fair to wonder when he ever will.

His father, Ed McCaffrey, a former wideout with the Denver Broncos, said in a June interview before the season: "As a wide receiver, you can’t control your playing time and you can’t throw yourself the football. As a receiver, you have to be very patient, and you have to be ready for the opportunities that you get. When you get them, you really have to make them count."