The Washington Commanders fell on the road to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4, and there weren't many positives to take away. But one young player's development has become a promising sign.
The Commanders are decimated with injuries, particularly on offense. At wide receiver, both Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown are out, providing opportunities for youngsters Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane to step up.
McCaffrey, for the second consecutive game, found the end zone. After scoring no touchdowns in his first 19 contests, he now has two in as many weeks.
Commanders are finally seeing growth from Luke McCaffrey at the right time
In addition to his second-quarter score, McCaffrey had a 58-yard kick return at the start of the Commanders' next drive. Had he not been tripped up by the final defender, that play would have likely gone the distance as well.
WR Luke McCaffrey recorded 199 kickoff return yards in yesterday's game. McCaffrey's 199 kickoff return yards are the most by any NFL player in 2025 and the most by any NFL player since Deebo Samuel Sr. (208) in Week 13 of the 2024 season. His 199 kickoff return yards were the…
— Washington Commanders PR (@Wash_PR) September 29, 2025
Suffice to say, McCaffrey has officially arrived.
In only four games this season, he's already accumulated more than half of his 168 receiving yards from last year and one-third of his 18 catches. McCaffrey also hauled in a two-point conversion in Washington's Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
McCaffrey was the subject of considerable criticism throughout his rookie year and during the 2025 preseason, when he struggled to make an impact. Some even suggested his name as a potential shock cut candidate, which, in hindsight, was nothing short of ridiculous.
The 2024 third-round pick comes from a strong NFL bloodline — you've probably heard of his brother Christian McCaffrey — and is still relatively new to the wide receiver position. He played quarterback at Nebraska and Rice before switching positions before the 2022 campaign. He's still learning.
He was always going to be a project — one that the Commanders were willing to take on when they drafted him. No one in Washington was expecting him to face immediate pressure to step into a key role on a team with lofty ambitions. But he's starting to find his feet.
The Commanders' stunning run to the NFC Championship game last season, along with the heightened expectations for 2025 that came with it, have accelerated the development of young players like McCaffrey. It's now put up or shut up, and he's making the most of his opportunities.
The next step for McCaffrey will be continued growth in his role, even once the Commanders' receiving room gets healthy again. If he can do that, he'll have a productive career.