Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders will be relying on a whole new cast of wide receivers on Sunday afternoon as they face the Dallas Cowboys. With star wideouts Deebo Samuel and Terry McLaurin sidelined—Samuel out with a heel injury and McLaurin missing his fourth consecutive game due to a quad injury—the Commanders are missing a combined 450-plus receiving yards heading into their Week 7 matchup in Dallas.
This leaves Daniels, the star second-year quarterback, needing to get creative with his options in the passing game. According to NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo, three key players stepping up will be Luke McCaffery, Jaylin Lane, and Chris Moore.
“Luke McCaffrey has two catches for 83 yards over the last two games,” Garafolo wrote. “He has big-play ability for the Commanders but will see a higher volume of targets tomorrow (he has 10 in 6 games) with Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, and Noah Brown out. Jaylin Lane and Chris Moore also to get looks.”
McCaffery has made a strong impression over the last two games, hauling in two catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. The Rice standout has showcased his big-play potential throughout the start of the 2025 season, catching eight passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns on just 10 targets. Notably, he is the younger brother of San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffery. With Washington’s top receivers sidelined, McCaffery is expected to receive a larger share of targets against the Cowboys.
Chris Moore has also emerged as a reliable option on the Washington roster after not playing a single game in 2024. The 32-year-old Cincinnati product has contributed six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets across five games in 2025. Moore last played for the Tennessee Titans in 2023, where he recorded 22 catches on 35 targets for 424 receiving yards.
Rookie Jaylin Lane is another player who will see increased opportunities. Lane has seven catches for 82 yards in his debut NFL season after being selected by Washington in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Before turning pro, Lane caught 38 passes for 466 yards and two touchdowns during his final season at Virginia Tech. His college career peaked in 2023 at Middle Tennessee State University, where he racked up 940 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 69 receptions before transferring to Virginia Tech that winter.
As Daniels and the Commanders face the Dallas Cowboys, these emerging receiving options will be crucial in filling the void left by Samuel and McLaurin. Fans can expect to see McCaffery, Moore, and Lane play prominent roles in the passing attack this Sunday.
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