The Indianapolis Colts are without their No. 1 wide receiver for Week 4 in London, with Alec Pierce remaining on injured reserve.
At least the playing field will now be even in that regard. The Washington Commanders also won’t have their WR1, Terry McLaurin.
McLaurin’s status was more surprising, but on Sunday, the Commanders officially ruled him inactive about 90 minutes before they were set to kick off against the Colts.
Why Isn’t Terry McLaurin Playing Today?
McLaurin isn’t playing on Sunday in London because of a late-week injury that set him back and eventually made him unavailable.
The Commanders held out hope that he’d be good to go before deciding to rule him officially inactive.
According to ESPN’s John Keim, McLaurin sustained a hamstring injury in practice on Friday.
“McLaurin was declared inactive after being listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report,” Keim writes. “There was optimism Friday that he would be able to play, according to a team source, but by Saturday afternoon that optimism had dissipated.”
McLaurin has been Washington’s WR1 basically since entering the league out of Ohio State.
On this day, though, someone else will have to get the job done for the Commanders — and they’ll have to do it without QB Jayden Daniels, who remains out with his dislocated left elbow.
Daniels will be replaced again by Marcus Mariota, who led the Commanders to a Week 3 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Mariota had McLaurin for Week 3, though, but now doesn’t have him for Week 4.
“McLaurin caught just four passes in the first two games but finished with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown in last week’s 33-31 win over the Seattle Seahawks,” Keim writes. “He has developed a strong rapport with backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. In their nine games together, they have connected for 38 passes, 601 yards and five touchdowns.”
Commanders WR Depth Chart
The Commanders will have a lot of moving parts in their wide receiver room with McLaurin out.
Stefon Diggs seems like he becomes the logical top target for Mariota to throw to.
The rookie Antonio Williams out of Clemson has also impressed in the early going and should see ample time.
Beyond that, the Commanders do have experienced playmakers like Treylon Burks and Dyami Brown.
The Colts won’t have to account for McLaurin, but his absence almost makes Washington’s pass-catching group more well-rounded and unpredictable.
Indianapolis, without both Pierce and Keenan Allen on Sunday, would surely take the depth the Commanders still seem to possess in their wide receiver room. The game could be decided by which unheralded pass catchers come through.
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