Luke McCaffrey - Commanders WR
There weren't many Washington Commanders fans who were expecting much from Luke McCaffrey this season. Adam Peters strengthened the wide receiver corps by trading for Deebo Samuel Sr. and drafting Jaylin Lane. Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown were still around, leaving the 2024 third-round pick lower down the depth chart than ever.
McCaffrey continued to work hard on improving his craft. He's still learning the nuances of playing the receiver position, so this was always going to be a gradual process. However, there are signs that his influence is growing at the best possible time.
The Commanders had no choice other than to get McCaffrey more involved. McLaurin and Brown are on the shelf. Lane is still growing into being an NFL pro. Kliff Kingsbury needs more from the former Rice standout, and he's answering the call.
McCaffrey has touchdowns in his last two games. He's bringing in 85.7 percent of his targets, is averaging 16 yards per reception, and his 85.7% route success rate from Pro Football Reference is among the league's best. He's also averaging a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeted.
If that wasn't enough, McCaffrey is also making waves in the return game. He ranks tied eighth in yards gained league-wide, which is another overlooked area of his contribution that should see more overall involvement moving forward.
Eddie Goldman - Commanders DL
Adam Peters made a concerted effort to get bigger in the trenches this offseason. He saw how the Commanders were pushed around by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game, and the general manager reacted accordingly.
Laremy Tunsil and Josh Conerly Jr. became the Commanders' new bookend tackle tandem. On the defensive side, Washington acquired Deatrich Wise Jr. and Javon Kinlaw. However, it's one veteran signing that nobody really cared about, who has played an important role in the team's improved fortunes.
Eddie Goldman received a one-year, $1.03 million contract from the Commanders with just $350,000 guaranteed. He just wanted a chance to make the 53-man roster, and he did so comfortably. And four games into the campaign, he's a core part of the interior defensive rotation.
A lot of Goldman's good work doesn't show up on the stat sheet. He does have four pressures, three stops, and four hurries, but his ability to clog up space is something the Commanders didn't have during Dan Quinn's first season. This is making everyone around him better, and the fact that he's played 35 percent of the team's defensive snaps is proof of his growing influence.
This is much better than fans were expecting. And it's made the Commanders a lot tougher along the way.