3 best Commanders fantasy football starts in Week 1 vs. Cardinals

Commanders defense

The Washington Commanders were arguably the best defense in the league last year. However, many still view this unit as talented but not as dominant as some teams.

The defense played most of last season without star defensive end Chase Young through injury. Despite this, the Commanders remained one of the top groups in the league.

Washington needed more from this talented unit. Creating more turnovers is something they hadn't done - even though they addressed this by picking Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin early in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Commanders went into the 2023 draft and addressed many needs, wanting to be more athletic and explosiveness by drafting Forbes, who led SEC in takeaways. This will make Washington's secondary faster and more aggressive, allowing Jack Del Rio more creativity.

Knowing that the Arizona Cardinals don't have much on offense with Kyler Murray being out and with new starter Joshua Dobbs starting under center, one can expect Del Rio's defense to bring the presser. Young will miss the first two games, but this is something the Commanders have experience in coping with after two injury-ravaged campaigns.

With Daron Payne, Johnathan Allen, and Montez Sweat holding down the defensive line, this group should be a starting unit in most leagues. Unquestionably, they are a deep collective group that will provide an opportunity for your fantasy lineup.