Washington Football Team: Five players to watch in Week 10 vs. Lions

5. CB Ronald Darby

Washington is getting a break against the Lions as Kenny Golladay will miss this contest with a hip injury. As a result, Marvin Jones, Marvin Hall, Quintez Cephus, and Danny Amendola will be the top receivers for the Lions.

On the surface, that receiver group doesn’t look too difficult to defend. Sure, Jones has long been a solid starter on the outside and high-end No. 2 receiver, but the others aren’t anything special. Hall is a deep threat, Cephus is a possession-based rookie, and Amendola is a solid, veteran slot man.

Hypothetically, Washington should be able to contain this group. That said, they’re going to need to get a good effort out of their secondary to ensure that happens, and Ronald Darby will be key to this.

Kendall Fuller has been the best cornerback for Washington this year but in recent weeks, Darby has improved considerably. After struggling to get his legs under him to start the season, Darby has upped his game and been a solid starter. He’ll need to continue that in Week 10.

Whether it’s covering Jones, Hall, or Cephus, Darby will need to be ready for the matchup. They all have a particular style of play. Jones is well-rounded. Hall is fast. Cephus is big and strong. Darby will have to be ready to adjust depending on who he lines up across from and if he can, Washington should be able to contain the Lions’ passing attack pretty well.

However, if Darby struggles with any aspect of the game, especially Hall’s speed, Matthew Stafford could throw all over Washington. Darby will be the glue that helps hold the secondary together.