Welcoming the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks to Northwest Stadium for their home opener was always going to be a daunting challenge for the Washington Commanders. It's even more challenging because of potential injuries to key personnel heading into the clash.
That means others have to step up and make themselves known with more responsibility on their shoulders.
It's not ideal. The Commanders dealt with some troubling injuries last season, and the same is happening again. They will also be without quarterback Jayden Daniels for this weekend and potentially longer after he suffered another dislocated elbow, leaving the team's fortunes in tatters.
The Commanders cannot feel sorry for themselves. They have to dig deep, show some fight, and come together as a unit to at least be competitive versus one of the league's heavyweights.
Anything less, and the Commanders will have a real problem.
This must also be a collective effort. General manager Adam Peters worked tirelessly to improve depth this offseason, and they'll need it more than ever now. And those who could see an uptick in snaps amid Washington's injury crisis have to deliver the goods.
With this in mind, here are five Commanders players on standby for much bigger roles this weekend against the Seahawks.
Washington Commanders players on standby for bigger roles as injury doubts cloud Seahawks clash
Shy Tuttle - Commanders DL
The Commanders are seeing some encouraging progress from Javon Kinlaw through two games of the 2026 season. It's early days, but the defensive lineman has taken a notable leap forward within Daronte Jones' 3-4 base system, recording his first sack for the club and looking disruptive in all phases.
Unfortunately, Kinlaw went down late against the Dallas Cowboys with a back and shoulder complication. He was listed as limited in practice on Thursday, so even if the South Carolina product does suit up, there is no chance he will be 100 percent.
That could mean more work for Shy Tuttle in the trenches.
He's Washington's most experienced backup. Tuttle played just over 30 percent of defensive snaps in Dallas, flashing some much-needed stability against the run. He's a big body who is difficult to move off the block when he anchors effectively, which the Commanders will need to keep Seattle's promising first-round rookie Jadarian Price (if healthy) in check.
Some were surprised to see Tuttle's name on the 53-man roster, but having veteran depth is valuable. If he gets more involved this weekend, the pressure will be on him to contribute and make things harder for Seattle's offense.
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