Loser No. 3
Luke McCaffrey - Commanders WR
With Noah Brown missing and recent addition K.J. Osborn not ready to contribute, the Washington Commanders needed their wide receivers further down the pecking order to step up. Many fans were hoping this was the window of opportunity Luke McCaffrey needed to firmly establish himself in the team's plans.
That didn't arrive. McCaffrey caught the eye with a couple of decent kick returns. However, his involvement in the passing game was non-existent.
The No. 100 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft didn't bring in his only target. McCaffrey was used as a decoy aside from that. Returning veteran Jamison Crowder ate into his snaps from the slot, which represented a step back for the Rice product when the opposite was anticipated.
This was disappointing, but not entirely surprising. The Commanders are taking their time with McCaffery, bringing him along gradually and continuing his development behind the scenes. That makes him an unknown quantity with just three games remaining.
McCaffrey is still learning his craft, so pressing the panic button so early into his career would be foolish. But general manager Adam Peters needs to find more prolific weapons to maximize Jayden Daniels' rookie contract.
Winner No. 4
Marshon Lattimore - Commanders CB
Marshon Lattimore's long-awaited debut finally arrived against the team that traded him away. The Washington Commanders gave the four-time Pro Bowler a hefty workload after he came through a full week of practice unscathed. It didn't take long to figure out that the New Orleans Saints were in no mood to test him.
Whether it was Jake Haener or Spencer Rattler under center, the Saints didn't throw a single target in Lattimore's direction. They know better than most how much damage he can do when given opportunities. Looking away from his side of the field was their preferred approach — something that almost snatched victory late in proceedings.
This is a sign of respect. Lattimore's one of the league's best shutdown presences. He's highly competitive and remains a genuine difference-maker. Even after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, New Orleans erred on the side of caution and focused its attention elsewhere in pursuit of moving the chains.
The Commanders haven't had a cornerback like this for years. Lattimore's next challenge against A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith will be more difficult. However, this was an outstanding start to his Washington journey.