The Commanders have agreed to trade WR Jahan Dotson to the Eagles. They're sending Dotson plus a fifth-round pick to their division rival for a third-round pick and two seventh-rounders -- all in the 2025 draft, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter and other reports.
Washington HC Dan Quinn had said in recent days that competition remained open for roles and targets behind No. 1 WR Terry McLaurin. And Dotson's preseason usage indicated at least that his exact role wasn't certain.
He now heads to a Philly offense with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith as the clear top two wideouts, and TE Dallas Goedert as a top-3 target for the team to this point.
This trade, however, likely signals more 3-WR sets under new OC Kellen Moore than the Eagles have typically run in recent seasons.
Dotson will likely have trouble commanding enough targets to deliver fantasy relevance in most formats without an injury to Brown or Smith.
Dotson's departure from Washington adds uncertainty to the WR depth chart.
McLaurin's locked in as the top target and could see the largest target share of his career. He should at least be in for an increase after seeing that share drop each of the past three years.
McLaurin peaked at 12th among WRs in target share in 2020 but then slipped to 18th, 29th, and 37th the past three seasons.
Dyami Brown has been the third WR with the starters this preseason but has also shared time there with Olamide Zaccheaus.
Rookie Luke McCaffrey looks like more of an upside play than either of them but also spent just two years at WR in college before the Commanders drafted him in Round 3. He might need further development before he's ready for a regular role.
Dotson remains signed through 2025, with a club option available for 2026 because he was a first-round pick.
I'd bet against the Eagles picking that year up. But the new home hurts Dotson's fantasy upside through at least the next two years.
Philly QB Jalen Hurts wins here -- not only from the WR3 upgrade, but also by the signal that the Eagles want to get more quality pass-catchers on the field.
Dyami Brown probably stands as the biggest potential winner in Washington. The former third-round pick has just 29 catches through three pro seasons, but his downfield speed could fit well with QB Jayden Daniels.
Of course, we'll have to see whether any Washington WR is actually ready to deliver meaningful fantasy points. Dotson finished just 76th among PPR receivers in points per game, trailing teammates McLaurin (39th) and Curtis Samuel (54th).
The QB upgrade will help.
TE Zach Ertz could be a sneaky winner. Washington has held him out of preseason action but indicated that he'll play a prominent role. Ertz and Ekeler could follow McLaurin among the team's top 3 in targets.
Dotson now sits outside the top 70 in our WR rankings. We haven't made other big moves yet on this news.
Expect the impact here to be light as well. Dotson was already going outside the top 60 at his position. So he shouldn't affect draft plans much for himself or surrounding parts on either NFL team.
Our fantasy football help can show how any other Philly and Washington pieces might fit into your roster building.
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