The Commanders are commanding the NFC East with the top spot. Not bad for a team that’s practically brand new across the board—new OC, new HC, and a fresh QB. But the real light in the armor? Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. The kid’s been balling out. That is until an injury scare had everyone holding their breath. Daniels went down with a rib issue during their win against the Panthers, and it’s still not looking great after practice.

Jayden was nowhere to be seen during the media portion of practice, which isn’t the best sign. Per NFL Insider Jonathan Jones, the hope in Washington is that he might get back on the field before the end of the week. But his status for Sunday’s game against Chicago? Still a big question mark.

Both the Bears and Commanders have started strong this season—Washington’s sitting pretty at 5-2, while Chicago’s holding their own at 4-2. And it would be an understatement to say that Daniels has been the spark for Washington. He has literally silenced doubters (if any) questioning whether his LSU magic would translate to the pro level. Spoiler alert: it did. But now, with him listed as week-to-week, the Commanders are playing the waiting game.

Wednesday’s practice saw veteran Marcus Mariota taking first-team reps while Daniels focused on treatment and team meetings. Not surprising. But Thursday was supposed to give fans a clearer picture. Unfortunately, no dice.

Friday? That’s the real test. ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed that the Commanders plan to give Daniels a shot at practice, which could make or break his chances for week 8. If he comes out of Friday’s session feeling good, we might see him under center on Sunday. If not, expect Mariota to step in. In an emergency, that’s OK—as the vet completed 18 of 23 passes over 205 YDs for 2 TDs—but in the long term, it could be a huge loss for Dan Quinn’s Commanders.

Jayden Daniels is not afraid of playing with fire!

“I can’t give you an update on Jayden, but I will as soon as we find out,” Coach Quinn said after Daniels went down during their 40-7 blowout win against the Panthers. And yeah, fans are worried. Why? Because Jayden Daniels has locked down that QB1 spot like it’s his birthright.

Before the injury, Daniels was out there proving why he’s the future in Washington, no doubt about it. The guy took off for 46 yards on the first snap and was already taking hits like a seasoned pro. But it’s unclear exactly when the injury happened. Still, when Daniels limped off after a third-down play, you could almost hear the collective gasp from fans. Straight to the blue medical tent he went, and suddenly, everyone was on edge.

And let’s not forget, this guy isn’t just any rookie—he’s the clear frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year. In six games, he’s thrown for 1,404 yards, rushed for 322, and racked up 10 touchdowns. The Heisman winner is definitely living up to the hype. After the game, Mariota stepped in and gave a little reassurance, saying, “He was in good spirits.” So, while the injury scare is real, there’s still hope Daniels will bounce back sooner rather than later.

The Commanders really can’t afford to lose Daniels if they want to keep their NFC East title hopes alive. But when the fans saw him on the sideline, smiling and waving in sweats during the second half, they were for sure relieved. Now, we just have to wait and hope for the best. Because it’s not just the title that they’d be after if the starlet is fit—they’d be certainly hoping for playoffs and beyond.