Is Jayden Daniels playing against Caleb Williams’ Bears tonight?

The Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders selected Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels as the first and second picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, respectively.

Is Jayden Daniels playing against Caleb Williams’ Bears tonight?

Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams (Images via Imago)

It seems that after much doubt, the top two draft picks are meeting tonight. The Chicago Bears are heading to Landover, Maryland, to play the Washington Commanders. Heisman Trophy winners Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels will probably play at Northwest Stadium tonight.

Jayden Daniels suffered a rib injury during last week’s win against the Carolina Panthers. Marcus Mariota, who came in as a backup for the rookie, led the Commanders to their fifth win of the 2024 season.

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Mariota’s performance in the 40-7 win has proved that the Commanders have a decent fallback option as well to support Daniels. However, recent reports suggest that Mariota won’t be starting this week.

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported that several league sources cite that Daniels will play tonight against the Bears. The Commanders’ plan to check Daniels’ condition during pregame warmups on Sunday to decide if he can start. A team official told ESPN, “He’s one tough-a** dude.”

Daniels is officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s home game against the Bears. Daniels, 24, missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday but participated in a limited capacity on Friday and took part in Washington’s walk-through on Saturday.

The Bears game holds great significance for the Commanders and the player itself. Daniels has an opportunity to outperform first overall Williams. The game acts as a showdown to prove for both the Offensive Rookie of the Year (OROY) favorites. The Commanders (5-2) enjoy a comfortable position at the top of the NFC East.

Jayden Daniels keeps dominating in the NFC

Daniels has been nothing but impressive in his rookie season (so far), even making the NFL MVP talks alongside Lamar Jackson and Sam Darnold. He has started for all seven games, one tarnished by a rib injury.

Jayden Daniels
Jayden Daniels (Image via Imago)

Daniels holds a 5-2 record, having thrown for 1,410 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions, earning a quarterback rating of 107. He’s also contributed on the ground with 66 carries for 372 yards and four touchdowns. Daniels has been developing quickly as a dual-threat quarterback following in the steps of the Baltimore Ravens QB.

He’s leading the OROY talks with a better offensive line and strong coaching. The Commanders have rewritten their identity with a newfound management on the sidelines.

The OC Kliff Kingsbury had been instrumental in shaping Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech. The Commanders could force Williams into making mistakes as well, making Daniels edging Williams. All said and done, the season has been quite the spectacle with such a close rookie contest.