The Indianapolis Colts aren’t at full strength for their Week 4 game in London against the Washington Commanders.
The good news for the Colts is that the Commanders’ injury list isn’t pretty, either.
On Sunday, the Commanders will be without quarterback Jayden Daniels as well as top wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
The Colts, of course, are without WR1 Alec Pierce as well as the veteran wideout Keenan Allen.
These offenses will both have to manage in other ways, with Indy digging deep into the WR depth chart while the Commanders’ have to trust their QB depth options.
Why Isn’t Jayden Daniels Playing Today?
Daniels isn’t playing in London against the Colts because he is injured.
During Week 2, Daniels dislocated his left elbow. It’s the same injury he dealt with last season.
It’s the kind of injury that looks nasty immediately. His arm isn’t supposed to bend that way.
The only saving grace of such an injury for Daniels is that it’s to his non-throwing arm. That at least limits the amount of time it has to keep him out.
He was unquestioned as being inactive in Week 3. In Week 4, Daniels wasn’t actually ruled out by the Commanders until Friday, but that news came and certainly wasn’t a total shock.
Why Is Marcus Mariota Playing?
Mariota is the Commanders’ backup QB, and so he steps into the QB1 role when Daniels misses time.
It worked out quite well for Washington in Week 3, because Mariota led the Commanders to an impressive win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Mariota, himself a former No. 2 overall pick like Daniels, is well traveled since his days as the Tennessee Titans‘ starting QB in the AFC South with the Colts.
He has been relied on in the nation’s capital for multiple seasons now, and he always puts together polished starts when he gets the chance to be on the field.
The Commanders just really can’t afford to be without Mariota, too, because then it gets rough.
Commanders QB Depth Chart
If Mariota were to get hurt, the Commanders would have just one other quarterback to turn to.
Their backup on Sunday in London is Athan Kaliakmanis.
Kaliakmanis has never taken an NFL snap. He was a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft out of Rutgers.
Clearly he impressed the Commanders, because otherwise they would’ve found a different veteran to hang around, at least while Daniels was out.
Kaliakmanis put up strong passing numbers in college, but his overall traits weren’t good enough to make him anything more than a seventh-round pick. That doesn’t mean he couldn’t deliver in a pinch, but there’s no evidence yet of what he can, or can’t, do in the NFL.
Why Isn’t Jayden Daniels Playing Today? Injury Status Hurts Commanders Vs. Colts