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    Terry McLaurin Injury Update: Will Commanders WR Play in Week 1? Fantasy Impact and More

    Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin is still dealing with a toe injury -- will he be ready for fantasy managers Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals?

    The status of the Washington Commanders’ best offensive player remains uncertain entering Week 1. How should fantasy football managers approach adding Terry McLaurin into their starting lineups as the deadline looms?

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    Latest News Surrounding Terry McLaurin

    McLaurin suffered a toe injury in the Commanders’ preseason win over the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 21. The injury occurred late in the second quarter; McLaurin did not return to the game. X-rays were initially negative on his toe, but the Commanders’ star wideout has yet to practice since.

    According to Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post, McLaurin is “progressing nicely” with his toe injury and is day-to-day, but his availability for Sunday’s opener against the Cardinals remains unclear.

    Will McLaurin Play This Week?

    The Commanders’ first injury report will come out Wednesday afternoon, so McLaurin’s availability for Week 1 against Arizona will at least be a tad clearer following Washington’s Sept. 6 practice.

    Update: McLaurin participated in practice with the team on Wednesday. His status for Week 1 is still unknown.

    Washington head coach Ron Rivera met with the media on Tuesday and declined to give an update regarding the status of McLaurin or any of the Commanders’ current injured players.

    “Tomorrow we will have the first medical report for you guys,” Rivera told reporters. “Everyone will know where we are with our players.”

    Rivera is known to keep injury news particularly close to the vest, so don’t be surprised if McLaurin’s availability for Sunday’s game remains in limbo until kickoff.

    It’s worth noting that McLaurin has played all 17 games in each of the past two seasons despite dealing with numerous minor injuries. He’s only missed three games in his entire four-year career.

    So, if No. 17 is truly 50-50 to play in Week 1, previous history hints that McLaurin will be out there against the Cardinals.

    What Does This Mean for McLaurin’s Fantasy Ranking?

    McLaurin’s uncertainty surrounding his Week 1 availability has caused his average draft position (ADP) to dip slightly in drafts that have been held since his injury. McLaurin’s ADP is currently the WR25 overall on FantasyPros, just behind DeAndre Hopkins, Drake London, and George Pickens. If McLaurin was healthy entering the season, he’d likely be drafted between WR15 and WR20 overall.

    If McLaurin does miss Week 1, Jahan Dotson should be a must-start in all formats. The Commanders’ second-year wide receiver appears poised for a breakout campaign after a solid rookie season where he found the end zone seven times.

    MORE: PFN Consensus Rankings

    Dotson has developed a strong chemistry with his 2022 NFL Draft classmate Sam Howell, Washington’s new QB1, dating back to the season finale last year. The duo picked up where they left off in the preseason, connecting on a touchdown against the Browns

    When healthy, McLaurin is the clear No. 1 wideout in Washington’s offense; that was on display in the preseason. However, Dotson significantly cut into McLaurin’s targets at the end of the year. In Weeks 13-17 of last season, Dotson had more targets (31) than McLaurin (28), and his 14.9 yards per catch was the 10th-highest among receivers.

    Dotson has been a popular choice for a breakout fantasy season among experts and has even jumped McLaurin in some rankings following the latter’s injury. Both players have the capability of turning in WR2 seasons, but Dotson should be the better fantasy player early on in the season while McLaurin recovers from his toe injury.

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