Examining how the Commanders’ QB situation impacts fantasy football plans

How does Washington’s unsettle QB situation impact the offense?

How else to open an article about the Washington Commanders situation under center than with John Madden’s famous musing, if you’ve got two quarterbacks, you have none. Such is life in DC, where the Commanders prepare to enter camp with Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett set to battle for QB1.

Clearly, Brissett has a vast advantage in experience, starting 48 games across seven seasons. Compare that to Howell, who made one start as a rookie, which came in Week 18 against Dallas Cowboys backups. Where Howell has the edge is that he could still develop. Despite being a fifth-rounder, Howell was well regarded for his deep-ball accuracy, and he has deceptive athleticism.

It feels like Washington wants Howell to win the job. They’ve talked about his potential, and they chose to bypass a quarterback in this year’s draft. So, if Howell can avoid killer errors and shows growth, he should hold the job. If he falters, Brissett could step in – though even then they might take their lumps with Howell for a shot at USC’s Caleb Williams (or another QB) in next year’s draft.

Although Howell wouldn’t be worth drafting, let’s take a quick look at what his presence might mean for Washington’s other skill players, as well as if Brissett’s insertion would make any difference.

Fantasy football team previews: NFC East

A fantasy football snapshot of each team in the NFC East.

The 2022 fantasy football draft season is starting to heat up now that we’ve gone through the height of free agency and all of the chosen rookies have been assigned to their professional home cities.

The landscape has changed a great deal for many franchises after a whirlwind offseason, and our divisional preview series will help you stay on top of all of the changes to date.

AFC divisional previews

East | North | South | West

NFC divisional previews

East | North | South | West

2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State

Where does this ascending talent figure to be drafted in the NFL?

Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson enters the 2022 NFL Draft and presents a big play in a small package. His versatility and explosive nature will endear him to several teams across various systems.

Height: 5-foot-10 1/2
Weight: 178 pounds
40 time: 4.43 seconds

The true senior improved each year at Penn State as his opportunities increased, concluding with second-team All-Big Ten and third-team Associated Press All-American honors. Dotson also generated third-team All-Big Ten recognition for his junior season.

Table: Jahan Dotson NCAA stats (2018-21)

Year School Class Pos Gm Receiving Rushing
Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD
*2018 Penn State FR WR 8 13 203 15.6 0 0 0 0
*2019 Penn State SO WR 13 27 488 18.1 5 2 0 0 0
2020 Penn State JR WR 9 52 884 17.0 8 0 0 0
*2021 Penn State SR WR 12 91 1182 13.0 12 6 18 3 1

*includes postseason/bowl games

In addition to showing growth each season in Happy Valley, Dotson also completed a couple of passes on trick plays and contributed in the return game, scoring once in 2020 on eight punt returns. He tacked on 104 yards on 14 returns in 2021.

Pros

  • Dangerous, productive and experienced from all three levels of the route tree
  • Unafraid to go over the middle of the field — especially useful for play-callers who emphasize mesh routes to send him crossing with a hint of added confusion
  • Can hit the gas pedal with the best of ’em — he tends to vary his routes to show multiple speeds, which can catch defenders napping
  • Fluidity in the open field makes for a difficult tackle
  • Experienced, successful punt returner
  • Excellent leaping ability and high-point skills for someone of his size
  • Works the boundary lines effectively, especially in the red zone
  • Tremendous hands — credited with only two drops over 138 targets in 2021
  • Fits into nearly any offensive scheme

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Cons

  • Physicality at the line can get him off of his route
  • Footwork could be crisper in and out of breaks
  • Below-average consistency in his blocking effort — size limitations also play a role, but he needs more coaching in this area
  • Size could make him more susceptible to injuries over the middle

Fantasy football outlook

As mentioned, system fit isn’t going to be an issue. Team fit will be more important based on existing personnel, but it shouldn’t take more than a year or two before Dotson establishes himself as an starting-caliber talent at the next level.

Some of the critiques thrown at him can be considered nitpicking, especially when it comes to immutable traits, such as size. Small receivers have been quite capable of producing fantasy-relevant stats in the right situations. Yes, size presents unique drawbacks, but he should not be written off because of it.

It will be rather surprising if he falls out of Round 1 in the upcoming draft. If this happens, it’s more of a product of a deep receiver class than an indictment of his talent. Likely landing spots include Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Arizona, New England and Detroit.

Dotson’s game reminds a little bit of 2021 first-rounder DeVonta Smith, whose size also drew similarly unfair criticisms. Seattle wideout Tyler Lockett might be the better comparison.

Either way, we’re talking about a likely No. 2 in real life. Dotson has comparable long-term value in fake football once he learns a starting role. As a rookie, depending upon where he ends up, we could see inconsistent utility, best reserved for daily fantasy action.