Washington Commanders Unveil First Depth Chart of the Season With Key Surprises

Commanders reveal first depth chart of the season with notable shifts and surprises.

Washington Commanders rookie Luke McCaffrey is a starter on the first unofficial depth chart. Instagram/luke_mccaffrey_ / Instagram/luke_mccaffrey_

The Washington Commanders have taken a necessary step toward getting ready for their season-opening date against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this weekend.

On Tuesday, the Commanders unveiled their first unofficial depth chart of the new season.

While there were some obvious names in predictable spots, like Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels at the top of the depth chart, there were some surprises and shifts from what we’d previously seen during the preseason.

READ MORE: Washington Commanders Veterans Zach Ertz and Austin Ekeler Set to Lead Offense

Washington Commanders rookie Luke McCaffrey is a starter on the first unofficial depth chart. / Instagram/luke_mccaffrey_

For starters - no pun intended - rookie receiver Luke McCaffrey is listed as a first-team receiver along with veteran Terry McLaurin and slot Olamide Zaccheaus. 

Newly signed receiver Noah Brown is listed on the second team behind McLaurin while Jamison Crowder is behind Zaccheaus and Dyami Brown is next in line after McCaffrey.

In the preseason the Commanders’ unofficial depth chart featured two running back spots on the first team. This time there’s only one, and it belongs to third-year back Brian Robinson Jr.

That makes veteran Austin Ekeler the backup in what may just be a matter of semantics as both are expected to get plenty of work during the season in offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.

On the defensive side of things, it’s not so much a surprise as it is a shift from the preseason as cornerback Emmanuel Forbes is listed alongside Benjamin St-Juste and rookie Mike Sainristil as first-team defensive backs. 

Forbes was listed with the second team in the preseason but got all or most of the first-team reps throughout.

Some have been curious about the new kickoff rules as well and how it would be addressed. For now, it appears Washington is rolling with receiver Byron Pringle as its primary kick returner with Zaccheaus listed behind him.

Crowder, as expected, is the team’s punt return specialist.

With that step out of the way, the team can focus on putting the finishing touches on its gameplan to face the defending NFC South Division Champion Buccaneers, who just last season gave the Detroit Lions all they could handle in the second round of the NFL Playoffs before ultimately getting bounced from Super Bowl contention. No small test for the first week of a Commanders franchise coming off a four-win season just last year.

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READ MORE: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Reveals Mindset Ahead of Debut vs. Bucs

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