Terry McLaurin landing on the injury report with a hamstring issue was not what Washington Commanders fans wanted to see. Now they face a nervous wait to see whether the prolific wide receiver will be available in London.
McLaurin was listed as a full participant over the first two days, so this hamstring problem must have flared up during Friday's practice. Head coach Dan Quinn didn't mention anything to the media, so it might just be precautionary.
But it is something to monitor nonetheless.
Commanders need Terry McLaurin on the field against the Colts
The Commanders need McLaurin to be fit and firing on all cylinders this season. He missed a lot of time last year, and he is coming off his best performance of the campaign to date in Week 3, when Washington stunned the Seattle Seahawks.
With quarterback Jayden Daniels missing his second straight contest with a dislocated elbow, veteran backup Marcus Mariota needs all the help he can get.
And that starts with Washington's best pass-catcher.
However, it's also clear that McLaurin may not be at 100 percent for the clash. And with the Indianapolis Colts' All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner waiting, that could be a problem.
Being questionable doesn't necessarily mean McLaurin will miss the game. NFL teams must disclose any injuries that come up, and this situation is no different. But unless there is severe discomfort, the Ohio State product will be on the field.
McLaurin is the ultimate competitor. He leads on the field and in the locker room. He is a big game performer who relishes the prospect of competing against the league's best. Gardner is among them, so he'll be doing everything possible to prove his fitness in time to feature.
Commanders better hope Terry McLaurin's hamstring problem isn't too serious
Even so, offensive coordinator David Blough must have contingencies if McLaurin cannot go or isn't at 100 percent.
This will inevitably mean more work for Stefon Diggs, third-round rookie Antonio Williams, and maybe even Dyami Brown or Treylon Burks. But the most important thing is getting the run game going against Indianapolis' porous defense.
That is key. If Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Austin Ekeler can do that, it will open up everything else.
But their chances won't improve if McLaurin is on a snap count or misses the game entirely.
Obviously, it's a wait-and-see scenario.
Washington will see how things are on Saturday before deciding on the next steps. He might get taken off the injury report, or it might come down to a game-time decision. There is no telling for sure right now, but McLaurin will be desperate to feature in his first London game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
If not, then others just have to step up.
The Commanders have momentum after upsetting the Seahawks. Not having Daniels available was expected, but the concern around McLaurin is much more surprising. He's the linchpin everyone looks to for inspiration, and the Colts won't have missed this development either.
Again, it would have to be pretty serious for McLaurin to be ruled out. But hamstring injuries have a habit of getting worse if they don't get the right time to heal.
Depending on the severity of McLaurin's issue, that might have to be the best course of action.
Whether the player likes it or not.
Add us as a preferred source on Google