Commanders rookies and young players who could break out in 2026

Two years ago, the Commanders had the best rookie in the NFL and used that to advance to the NFC championship game.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels caught nearly everyone by surprise as he and the Commanders took down Detroit and Tampa Bay in the playoffs. Some had Daniels as a top 10 quarterback before he even finished his first season.

But for an encore Washington sputtered in 2025. Daniels was hurt much of the year, and his supporting cast either was injured or underperformed. General manager Adam Peters responded by remaking most of the defense and giving Daniels a new set of pass catchers.

For Washington to pop this year, it will likely need to rekindle some of that 2024 magic by having a rookie or young player emerge. It doesn’t need to be at Daniels’ level. But a linebacker or receiver, for example, arriving as a playmaker would go a long way.

With training camp set to start in a week, here are four young players to watch.

LB Sonny Styles

It should come as no surprise that Washington’s first-round pick is at the top of this list. We don’t have to overthink it. Daniels, after all, was the second overall pick in 2024. Styles went seventh in April.

The former Ohio State linebacker checks just about every box for this Commanders defense. New coordinator Daronte Jones learned in Minnesota under Brian Flores, who is known for his unpredictable blitz schemes and pressure that comes from everywhere. Flores mastered disguising coverages by constantly lining players up in different spots.

And Styles is exactly the type of athlete who can provide that versatility for Jones. He can get after the quarterback or drop into coverage. You can line him up as a traditional linebacker or play him off the edge. He had six sacks as a junior for the national champion Buckeyes. Last year the sack total dropped, but he accounted for 82 tackles.

That ability to mix and match makes Styles a prime candidate to have an immediate impact. His teammates are taking notice.

“You can tell why he was a top 10 pick. He looks the part, plays the part, sounds the part,” linebacker Leo Chenal said. “He’s a freak athlete.”

WR Antonio Williams

Sticking with the theme of recent draft picks, the former Clemson standout comes into a position of need for Washington and will get every opportunity to be a strong option for Daniels.

After last year’s debacle, Peters shed two of Washington’s most productive pass catchers in wide receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end Zach Ertz. Now Terry McLaurin, the team’s unquestioned No. 1 receiver, is the only player on the roster who recorded more than 225 receiving yards for Washington last year.

Maybe the third-round pick can fill the void. Williams was known as more of a slot receiver in college. He was extremely productive, finishing with 2,336 yards and 21 touchdown catches in four seasons.

But the Commanders have even bigger plans for him, believing he can line up on the outside and be a deep threat.

With so many offseason additions, the position is crowded. Free-agent signings Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson are hoping to play pivotal roles. Treylon Burks, a first-round pick of the Titans in 2022, is hoping to deliver on his potential. Former fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane is going into his second season.

But Williams will have a chance to filter in. The more playmakers Washington can get at that spot, the better.

CB Trey Amos

Amos, a second-year player, could be primed to make an impact.

The Commanders’ secondary was in shambles last year. The team allowed 242 passing yards a game, the fourth worst in the league. Peters signed Nick Cross to play safety and Rasul Douglas and Amik Robertson to help at corner.

But the team feels comfortable giving its younger players a chance to figure it out.

Amos was a below-average player as a rookie, ranking 82nd of 114 cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus, with only four pass breakups and no interceptions.

Still, there was a reason he was a second-round pick out of Ole Miss and considered a top 50 prospect by some draft scouts. He had three interceptions and 50 tackles as a senior. If he can produce like that, Washington’s defense would benefit greatly.

RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt

It might be cheating to include Croskey-Merritt on this list because he led the team in rushing last year.

But he still qualifies as a second-year player. And, if he can improve on a stellar rookie campaign, he might be in the discussion for one of the better running backs in the NFL.

Croskey-Merritt has been overlooked for most of his career. He wasn’t a highly recruited player out of high school, going to Alabama State and then New Mexico before landing at Arizona. Every NFL team passed on him before he went in the seventh round to Washington.

But he has performed at every level and finished his rookie season with 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, using a blend of burst and vision. He spent the better part of this offseason adding muscle and is preparing to get more touches as the Commanders’ lead back.

New offensive coordinator David Blough wants to run the ball more to protect Daniels and unlock the play-action game. That is music to Croskey-Merritt’s ears. He prefers to run under center, and Blough has assured him he will get those looks.

The recipe is there for the second-year back to have another big season. If he stays healthy, he will be one of Washington’s most important players.

Honorable mentions

RB Kaytron Allen

The rookie out of Penn State was one of the more electrifying players in college football last season, accounting for more than 1,300 yards. Allen was a playmaker who could pop off big runs. In his last three games, he went for 181, 160 and 226 yards.

In all likelihood, Allen won’t be Washington’s lead back. But running back is a position where everyone usually gets a chance. When Allen’s comes, he could be a difference maker.

WR Jaylin Lane

Everyone is excited to see what Williams can do, but it’s not time to give up on Lane. The second-year receiver out of Virginia Tech had an underwhelming rookie campaign, finishing with 16 catches for 225 yards.

But it takes time to adjust to the NFL. And Washington’s offense was hardly conducive to receivers putting up big numbers last year. With a clean slate and a new coordinator, Lane might surprise people.