Darnold back for Seahawks at Commanders; both starting safeties out
The short version
- Sam Darnold returns as Seattle's starter after missing Week 2 with a glute injury; he has no game designation.
- Cooper Kupp (back) and rookie running back Jadarian Price (chest) are both cleared to play.
- Safeties Julian Love (calf) and Ty Okada (hamstring) are out; nose tackle Brandon Pili is questionable.
- Zach Charbonnet remains on the PUP list with a knee injury but could resume practicing next week.
- Washington is without Jayden Daniels, Frankie Luvi and starting lineman Sam Cosmi.
Seattle gets its quarterback and several skill players cleared for Sunday's road game, though the secondary will be shorthanded in Washington.
Seattle heads into its Week 3 road matchup against Washington with its quarterback situation resolved. Sam Darnold, who sat out the team's Week 2 win because of a glute injury, is set to return as the starter for a club that has opened the year 2-0. He was a limited participant Wednesday before taking full reps Thursday and Friday, and the team did not assign him any status on the final report.
Head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters the veteran signal-caller is ready to go. His availability comes with a caveat for fantasy purposes: he exited the season opener after just two pass attempts and has seen little live action this year, so some rust is a reasonable expectation. That places him on the QB1/QB2 borderline against Washington — a risky QB1 overall and a more comfortable option in superflex formats.
The biggest beneficiary is Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Seattle's top wideout saw 11 targets in Week 2 and is widely regarded as a must-start WR1, and having Darnold back gives him a steadier route to volume. Cooper Kupp is also available; he was limited Wednesday with a back issue but practiced in full Thursday and carries no designation. The Wednesday limitation appears to be workload management, since he followed the same pattern a week earlier.
Kupp's role, however, keeps him off most starting lineups. With Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed drawing more targets, he profiles as a WR5 or low-end flex and should stay on the bench in standard 12-team leagues.
At running back, rookie Jadarian Price has been cleared after a chest injury forced him out of last week's game. He moved from limited work Wednesday and Thursday to full participation Friday, and Macdonald said he is good to go. His health puts him in position to reclaim early-down carries, but the backfield picture stays murky. Emanuel Wilson handled early-down and goal-line duty once Price exited last week, and George Holani — listed with a knee issue — also practiced fully.
Zach Charbonnet remains on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury, though he may begin practicing again next week. Until then, Price carries the most upside in the group but profiles as a risky flex rather than an automatic start. Wilson is touchdown-dependent and best left on the bench, Holani is only relevant in deep leagues, and analysts have generally suggested steering clear of Seattle runners until the rotation clarifies.
Defensively, the Seahawks will be without both starting safeties. Julian Love sat out Thursday and Friday with a calf injury, and Ty Okada will sit a third straight game due to a hamstring issue, leaving AJ Finley and Rodney Thomas II in line to start. Nose tackle Brandon Pili is questionable while remaining in the concussion protocol with an added neck designation. Even with those absences, Seattle's defense is still considered a strong Week 3 fantasy play and earned the top defensive grade from FantasyPros.
Washington will also be depleted, having lost a second starting offensive lineman in Sam Cosmi, with quarterback Jayden Daniels already ruled out and Frankie Luvi out as well.
Seattle visits the Washington Commanders on Sunday, September 27 at 1:00 PM EDT at Northwest Stadium, with the game airing on FOX.
Games to watch
