There were high hopes for Terry McLaurin heading into the 2024 NFL season. The Washington Commanders’ standout has eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving in each of the past four seasons despite battling inconsistent quarterback play.
However, he has not gotten off to a smooth start with new rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Through the opening two weeks of the season, McLaurin has recorded just eight receptions for 39 yards. Currently, he ranks 64th among all wide receivers in fantasy points. Not only is this a down year by McLaurin’s standards but he also has been outproduced by Austin Ekeler, Zach Ertz, and Noah Brown in terms of receiving yards on his own team. The Commanders have not recorded a passing touchdown thus far this season.
Fantasy football owners must battle the decision of seeing it through or pulling the plug on keeping Terry McLaurin in their lineup. While far from ideal, it may be time to face the unfortunate reality that this may just end up being a down year for the 29-year-old.
Terry McLaurin Fantasy Football Outlook
One of the driving reasons for optimism surrounding McLaurin has been his ability to produce regardless of the quarterback. Since entering the NFL in 2019, McLaurin has caught passes from 11 different quarterbacks. This underwhelming list includes names like Case Keenum, Colt McCoy, Kyle Allen, Alex Smith, Taylor Heinicke, Garrett Gilbert, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Carson Wentz, Sam Howell, and Jacoby Brissett.
While Jayden Daniels still has time to grow into a more legitimate quarterback option than any of these names, it may still take some time for the 23-year-old.
The number two overall pick has completed 40 of his 53 pass attempts so far this season for 410 yards without throwing a touchdown or recording an interception. Daniels has also added 132 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns with his legs. This has been enough to lead the Commanders to a 1-1 record, but Daniels does not set a high fantasy football floor for his teammates.
Coaching and play calling do play a role, but Daniels has to play through his mistakes and get his feet wet at the NFL level. The Heisman trophy winner has the talent and showcased an NFL-level arm in college but still needs to adjust to the pace of the league.
Unfortunately for Terry McLaurin fantasy football owners, he lands at the top of the list for players impacted by Daniels’ ongoing transition. There may be a much different outlook by the end of the year, but for now, it is time to boot McLaurin out of your lineups.
The Commanders have made an effort to rely on the screen game and check-down options to get Daniels comfortable. The LSU product also has been a bit overly reliant on his legs, which takes away some hope for statistical impact on the part of McLaurin.
Heading into Week 3, the Commanders are set to face off against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Commanders are +280 on the moneyline; the Bengals enter as 7.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under for the game is set at 47 and McLaurin’s receiving prop is just 48.5 yards. This is a noticeably low number considering McLaurin eclipsed it in 12 of the 17 games last year.
This will be a situation to revisit a few weeks down the line when Jayden Daniels settles in. But until the Washington Commanders’ quarterback can prove that he can reliably get the ball to his top weapon, I’d keep McLaurin on the bench for the time being.
Place your NFL bets at DraftKings Sportsbook or by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
