Washington and New York meet for the second time this season after playing to a 27-27 overtime tie in Week 5. The Giants sit atop the NFC East at 5-2-1, while the Commanders are searching for answers at 2-5-1. New York is a 2.5-point favorite with a 40.5-point total at DraftKings, implying approximately 21.5 points for the Giants and 19 for Washington, and rain is possible around kickoff at MetLife Stadium. Matchup figures below cover games through Week 9.
Lineup Locks
- Malik Nabers, WR (NYG)
- Isaiah Likely, TE (NYG)
- Jayden Daniels, QB (WAS)
Strong Starts
Stefon Diggs, WR (WAS)
Stefon Diggs has been Washington’s top scoring threat at receiver, finding the end zone five times across seven appearances while recording 30 receptions for 303 yards. He’s averaging approximately 12.9 PPR points per game and has received at least five targets in every contest, commanding roughly 20% of Washington’s targets. That volume has given him a steady role, although his production has been uneven from week to week. Diggs scored in four of his seven games, but he finished with just 8.1 PPR points against the Rams in Week 9 after catching three of five targets for 51 yards. His efficiency has also been modest, as he’s averaging approximately 6.3 yards per target with a 62.5% catch rate. With Terry McLaurin out for the season, Diggs remains atop Washington’s receiving hierarchy. Treylon Burks is expected back after missing Week 9, however, and Chig Okonkwo’s growing involvement creates more competition for the short-area targets Diggs typically receives.
New York has allowed approximately 29.9 PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers, the 12th-fewest in the NFL, which makes this closer to a neutral matchup than a favorable one. The Giants have surrendered nine receiving touchdowns to the position, though, and that plays directly into the part of Diggs’ game that has carried his fantasy value. He also missed the first meeting between these teams, so Washington’s Week 5 passing distribution doesn’t tell us much about how he’ll be used Thursday. Diggs isn’t likely to produce a big yardage total, and a game like his Week 9 performance is a realistic outcome. That’s the trade-off with a receiver who relies on touchdowns more than yardage. Still, few players on this slate have a clearer path to the end zone. I’m starting Diggs as a WR3 because his steady target share and scoring role give him a reasonable chance at another useful performance, even if his floor is lower than his season average suggests.
Cam Skattebo, RB (NYG)
Cam Skattebo returns after missing New York’s Week 9 win over Philadelphia with a hamstring injury, and he finished the week without a game designation after practicing in full. Before the injury, he had established himself as the Giants’ lead runner, recording 98 carries for 418 yards and two touchdowns across the six games in which he had a carry, while adding 11 receptions for 76 yards. His best performance came against Houston in Week 7, when he rushed 17 times for 124 yards and a touchdown to finish with 19.1 PPR points. Skattebo has handled at least 12 carries in every game in which he had a full workload, and he projects to receive more than half of New York’s rushing attempts. However, his receiving role has been limited, with just four targets across his last two full games, so his production depends heavily on rushing volume and touchdowns. Devin Singletary managed just 31 yards on 21 carries in his absence.
Skattebo’s Week 5 performance against Washington was better than his 7.1 PPR points suggest. He gained 59 yards on 13 carries, averaging approximately 4.5 yards per carry, and caught two passes for 12 yards, but a lost fumble cost him two points. Washington has allowed approximately 19.5 PPR points per game to opposing running backs, the 10th-fewest in the NFL, while giving up just 3.7 yards per carry. The Commanders have been more vulnerable near the goal line, however, surrendering six rushing touchdowns to the position. Skattebo has scored on four of his 10 goal-line rushing opportunities, making him the most likely Giant to finish a drive on the ground. His limited receiving work lowers his floor, and the Giants could ease him back after a hamstring injury. I’m starting Skattebo as an RB2 because his projected workload and goal-line role give him one of the clearest paths to a touchdown in this game.
Rachaad White, RB (WAS)
Rachaad White has become one of the primary contributors in Washington’s backfield with Jacory Croskey-Merritt on injured reserve. He’s recorded 54 carries for 228 yards and a touchdown across seven appearances while adding 18 receptions for 129 yards and two receiving scores. White has averaged approximately 10 PPR points per game and reached double digits in four of seven appearances, including 14 points against Philadelphia in Week 8 when he rushed 11 times for 55 yards and a touchdown. His receiving role has been the key to his fantasy value, as he’s caught at least two passes in five of seven games. However, his workload remains limited, as he hasn’t exceeded 11 carries in any game this season. He handled just nine touches against the Rams in Week 9, although he turned them into 69 yards while Austin Ekeler managed 34 yards on 10 touches.
That Week 9 split explains both the case for White and the reason he isn’t a stronger start. He’s been the more productive back, but Washington hasn’t committed to him as a lead runner, and nine touches doesn’t leave much room for error. White also struggled in the first meeting between these teams, managing 20 total yards on eight touches for 3.0 PPR points. New York has limited opposing running backs to approximately 18.8 PPR points per game, the sixth-fewest in the NFL, although the Giants have allowed roughly 4.3 yards per carry. If Washington trails, White’s role on passing downs should keep him involved. I’m using White as a PPR flex because his receiving work and efficiency give him a path to useful production, but the touch split with Ekeler keeps him out of the strong-start tier.
Sit ‘Em
J.J. McCarthy, QB (NYG)
J.J. McCarthy has given the Giants a spark since taking over as the starter, leading them to wins over Houston and Philadelphia. He’s appeared in four games, but across the three in which he attempted a pass, he’s completed 43 of 68 attempts for 622 yards, averaging approximately 9.1 yards per attempt. That efficiency hasn’t turned into fantasy production, as he’s thrown just one touchdown pass and averaged approximately 10.6 fantasy points per game in those three contests. McCarthy completed 12 of 19 passes for 127 yards against Philadelphia in Week 9, briefly leaving with a hip injury before returning. He finished this week without an injury designation. Protection has also been a problem, with McCarthy taking eight sacks over his last two games. Most importantly, the Giants haven’t asked him to carry the offense, as he hasn’t attempted more than 28 passes in any game.
Washington has allowed approximately 19.7 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, the fourth-most in the NFL, and Jameis Winston threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns against the Commanders in Week 5. However, Winston needed 54 attempts in an overtime game to get there, more than McCarthy has thrown in any two of his starts combined. That’s the core issue: McCarthy has one touchdown pass on 68 attempts, and nothing about New York’s approach suggests his volume is about to spike. Daniels can overcome a low passing volume with his legs, but McCarthy has just 49 rushing yards across his three games with a pass attempt. His efficiency gives him some upside if the Giants open things up, and the matchup makes this a closer call than his numbers suggest. I’m sitting McCarthy in one-quarterback leagues because one touchdown pass in three games is too thin a foundation, although he remains a reasonable option in superflex formats.
Chig Okonkwo, TE (WAS)
Chig Okonkwo has become one of Washington’s most consistent receiving options, totaling 24 targets, 19 catches and 218 yards across his four appearances from Week 5 through Week 9. He’s averaged approximately 10.2 PPR points per game during that stretch, including six catches on seven targets for 57 yards against the Rams last week. His role has grown significantly, with his route participation climbing to approximately 79% in each of his last two games after sitting between 53% and 62% early in the season. That route growth is the strongest part of his profile, and it gives him a legitimate streaming case in deeper leagues. However, Okonkwo has yet to score a touchdown this season, which has capped his ceiling, as he’s exceeded 12 PPR points only once. Burks’ expected return also gives Washington another option competing for targets.
Okonkwo caught four of six targets for 60 yards against the Giants in Week 5, finishing with 10 PPR points, which is a fair picture of what he offers in this matchup. New York has allowed approximately 11.8 PPR points per game to tight ends, the 11th-fewest in the NFL, while surrendering just two receiving touchdowns to the position. Washington’s offense has also struggled to sustain drives, producing a 41.13% offensive success rate according to SumerSports. A steady stream of short catches can still make Okonkwo useful, but without touchdowns, his last four games have landed between 5.2 and 13.9 PPR points. That’s playable at a thin position, just not much of an advantage. I’m sitting Okonkwo in shallower leagues because his ceiling is limited without touchdowns, though managers in deeper formats can stream him on the strength of his expanding route share.
Devin Singletary, RB (NYG)
Devin Singletary received a substantial opportunity with Cam Skattebo sidelined in Week 9, rushing 21 times against Philadelphia. He managed just 31 rushing yards, averaging approximately 1.5 yards per carry, while adding two receptions for 8 yards. Singletary has recorded 39 carries for 111 yards across five appearances this season, averaging approximately 2.8 yards per carry, and was inactive for three games earlier in the year. His two touchdowns have accounted for most of his fantasy value, including 14.5 PPR points against Houston in Week 7 on just five carries. His receiving involvement has also been inconsistent, as he hasn’t received more than four targets in any game this season. He does carry value as a handcuff, particularly with Skattebo coming off a hamstring injury.
With Skattebo back, a smaller workload is the reasonable projection for Singletary, and his Week 9 performance showed how little he produced even with a featured role. Washington has allowed just 3.7 yards per carry to opposing running backs, which won’t make it any easier for him to do more with fewer opportunities. I’m sitting Singletary with Skattebo back, because he needed 23 touches to reach 5.9 PPR points last week.
Antonio Williams, WR (WAS)
Antonio Williams has become a bigger part of Washington’s offense, playing a season-high 52 snaps, approximately 84% of the offensive plays, against the Rams in Week 9. He caught three of six targets for 25 yards in that game after adding five receptions for 54 yards against Philadelphia the week before. Williams has received six targets in back-to-back games and run a route on more than 70% of Washington’s dropbacks in each of his last three appearances. However, his production hasn’t caught up to that role, as he’s recorded 26 receptions for 284 yards and one touchdown across eight games, averaging approximately 7.6 PPR points per game. Williams hasn’t scored since Week 1 and has reached double-digit PPR points only twice this season.
The bigger question is what happens to his targets with Burks expected back after missing Week 9. Burks had drawn at least five targets in each of his previous three games, and some of Williams’ recent work came while Burks was sidelined. How Washington divides those targets is still a projection, but Williams is the receiver most likely to lose volume. He caught all three of his targets for 31 yards against the Giants in Week 5, finishing with 6.1 PPR points, and New York has allowed approximately 29.9 PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers, the 12th-fewest in the NFL. His snap share makes him a worthwhile stash in deeper leagues, and another week of strong usage after Burks’ return would change the outlook. I’m sitting Williams because his production hasn’t matched his role, and Burks’ return makes that role less certain.
Austin Ekeler, RB (WAS)
Austin Ekeler led Washington’s backfield with 10 touches against the Rams in Week 9, but he turned them into just 34 yards and 5.4 PPR points, rushing eight times for 16 yards and catching two of three targets for 18 yards. That has been the story of his season. Ekeler has recorded 24 carries for 83 yards across five appearances, averaging approximately 3.5 yards per carry, while adding six receptions for 48 yards. He’s averaged approximately 3.8 PPR points per game and has yet to score. His route participation climbed to approximately 40% in Week 9, suggesting Washington wants to involve him more as a receiver, but three targets was his season high. Rachaad White has been the more productive back, and Croskey-Merritt’s eventual return from injured reserve threatens to shrink Ekeler’s role further.
Ekeler also did little against New York in Week 5, gaining 14 scrimmage yards on four touches for 2.4 PPR points. The Giants have allowed roughly 4.3 yards per carry to opposing running backs, so there’s some room to run, but Ekeler hasn’t shown the burst to take advantage of it in limited work. White also handles the more valuable touches near the goal line, leaving Ekeler without a clear path to a touchdown. If Washington trails, he could pick up a few extra receptions, but that’s a thin reason to put him in a lineup. I’m sitting Ekeler because 10 touches produced 34 yards last week, and his role in a split backfield gives him too low a floor to trust.
