Jayden Daniels Injury 2026: Dislocated Elbow, Mariota Starts

Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow on the final play of the first half of Washington's 37-20 Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, and Marcus Mariota will start in his place in Week 3. X-rays showed no fracture, per ESPN, but the Commanders have not put a timeline on his return while he meets with specialists this week.

Jayden Daniels Injury: What Happened in Dallas

Washington had third-and-goal from the Dallas 1-yard line with the half about to expire. Daniels took the snap under center, and left guard Chris Paul inadvertently stepped on his feet, per ESPN. Daniels stumbled, tried to break his fall with his left arm, and the elbow bent awkwardly as he hit the turf.

He was carted off with an air cast on the arm, per CBS Sports, and ruled out for the rest of the game, per NFL.com. ESPN reported that medical staff reset the elbow on the field. It was the same elbow he dislocated last season in Week 9 against Seattle, per NFL.com and ESPN.

The frustrating part for Washington is how well he was playing. Daniels was 11 of 17 for 96 yards and a touchdown before the injury, plus 69 rushing yards on seven carries, per ESPN and CBS Sports. ESPN noted the scoring pass went to Stefon Diggs. Mariota finished the game, going 11 of 16 for 111 yards and a touchdown in relief.

The Diagnosis and Timeline So Far

Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed the dislocation after the game and said X-rays showed no fracture, per ESPN and CBS Sports. Daniels had imaging on Monday and is scheduled to see specialists on Tuesday and Wednesday, per ESPN and Sports Illustrated. Quinn said the team would defer to those specialists, per NFL.com, and indicated a meaningful update could come Thursday or Friday, per SI.

There is no return timeline yet, per NFL.com and CBS Sports. On Sunday, Quinn said he had no reason to think Daniels would not play again this season, per ESPN. No injured reserve decision had been announced as of Monday's press conference in any source we reviewed. SI's betting desk raised IR as a possibility the team may weigh, which would sideline him for at least four games, but that is analysis, not a team call.

The history is the worry. Last season's dislocation cost Daniels three weeks before he aggravated it on his return, per NFL.com, and ESPN reported that a Week 14 reinjury ended his 2025 season. He missed 10 games last year with various ailments, per ESPN and CBS Sports, and this is the fourth time in five games he has exited with an injury, per ESPN. An orthopedic surgeon consulted by ESPN said a second dislocation can point to unstable ligaments, and specialists will assess the elbow's stability to decide between conservative treatment and surgery. That is the single biggest variable in this Jayden Daniels injury story.

Who Starts Next: Marcus Mariota vs. Seattle

Quinn announced Monday that Mariota will start Week 3, per NFL.com, when Washington (0-2) hosts Seattle (2-0) in its home opener next Sunday, September 27, at 1 p.m. ET. The Commanders opened with a 24-22 loss to the Eagles before the Dallas defeat, per CBS Sports.

Mariota, 32, completed 61.2% of his passes across 11 games last season for 1,695 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions, per NFL.com. Since joining Washington in 2024, he has thrown 15 touchdowns against 7 interceptions with a 64.1% completion rate, per CBS Sports. Quinn and general manager Adam Peters have not discussed signing a veteran quarterback, per Commanders.com, and Quinn wants the full medical picture first.

CBS Sports noted Seattle is the defending Super Bowl champion and has won 12 straight games dating to last season. The Seahawks have their own quarterback question: Sam Darnold is dealing with a glute injury, and SB Nation and SI both pointed to Drew Lock as the expected or potential starter.

Betting and Fantasy Impact

The market moved hard on the news. DraftKings opened Washington as a 3.5-point underdog before the injury and moved Seattle to -5.5 afterward, per SI on September 21. At FanDuel, SB Nation listed Seattle -6.5 with a 41.5 total, Seattle -270 on the moneyline and Washington +220, in its September 20 opening lines report. Treat any number here as a snapshot and check current prices before acting.

That two-point move at DraftKings is the market pricing the Jayden Daniels injury, and it came even with Seattle possibly on its own backup. The StatSniper AI sports picks model weighs quarterback changes like this one when it projects the matchup, and you can track the full Week 3 card on our NFL daily picks page.

For fantasy, Daniels is out of Week 3 lineups, and managers holding him should wait for the specialist verdict before making a long-term call. His rushing (69 yards on seven carries before exiting Sunday) was a big part of his fantasy value, and that dimension leaves with him. Receivers like Terry McLaurin and Diggs now depend on Mariota, who was efficient in relief against Dallas. Superflex managers can look at Mariota as a short-term plug-in with a tough draw.

What to Watch Next

The specialist visits on Tuesday and Wednesday are the pivot point. If they find the ligaments stable, conservative treatment is on the table; if not, surgery enters the conversation, per the ESPN surgeon's framing. Quinn pointed to Thursday or Friday for the next real update, per SI.

Watch Washington's roster moves too. An IR placement or a veteran quarterback signing would signal a longer absence. Official team updates are posted on Commanders.com.

Quarterback injuries are stacking up across the league this month. See our breakdowns of the Caleb Williams hamstring injury and the Jaxson Dart knee injury. If you want a second opinion on how the Mariota start changes Sunday's number, ask Chad, our AI sports analyst, for a matchup read before kickoff.

FAQ

What is Jayden Daniels' injury? Daniels dislocated his left elbow on the final play of the first half against Dallas on September 20, 2026. X-rays showed no fracture, per ESPN and CBS Sports, and he is seeing specialists this week.

How long will Jayden Daniels be out? There is no timeline yet, per NFL.com and CBS Sports. Specialists will judge the elbow's stability, which will determine whether he needs surgery or conservative treatment, per ESPN.

Who starts for the Commanders in Week 3? Marcus Mariota starts against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, September 27, at 1 p.m. ET in Washington's home opener, per NFL.com.

Has Jayden Daniels dislocated his elbow before? Yes. He dislocated the same left elbow in Week 9 of the 2025 season against Seattle, per NFL.com and ESPN, and a Week 14 reinjury ended his season.

---

*21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Stat Sniper provides data and projections for informational purposes; you are responsible for your own wagers.*