The Washington Commanders have had a pretty tough week. After suffering a last-second loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football in Week 6, the team has been dealt a slew of tough injury updates ahead of their Week 7 action. The most important of the bunch involves wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, and Noah Brown, who have all been ruled out for the Commanders ahead of this game.
With these three guys all inactive, that’s going to make life much more difficult for Jayden Daniels under center, as he will be relying on several backups to get open for him in the passing game. Ahead of the team’s upcoming action, though, they finally received some good injury news regarding veteran tight end Zach Ertz.
Zach Ertz Expected to Suit Up for Commanders in Week 7
The Commanders’ offense has been pretty beat up for the majority of the 2025 campaign. McLaurin has already missed several games, and now, Samuel will miss his first. Daniels has also missed time under center, and running back Austin Ekeler suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 2. As a result, several more unheralded players have been forced to step up.
One of those guys has been Ertz, who has battled through injuries to play in every game so far this season. Acting as a security blanket for Daniels in the air, Ertz has 20 receptions for 192 yards and three touchdowns, with his impact being somewhat limited thanks to the fact that opposing defenses can give him more attention with several of these other big-name players missing time.
Ertz was also on the injury report throughout the week, as he’s been dealing with shoulder and calf injuries that threw his status up in the air. With their top three wide receivers out, the Commanders have been hoping for good news on Ertz throughout the week, and they finally got it ahead of the game, as reports indicate the three-time Pro Bowler is expected to play in this one.
“Commanders TE Zach Ertz (shoulder/calf) is listed as questionable and he is expected to play Sunday, source said,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on Saturday night.
Commanders Need Zach Ertz to Step Up in Week 7
GettyWashington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz.
The good news for the Commanders heading into Week 7 is that they have a matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, who have featured the worst defense in the league through six games. If Washington can lean on the run game, that should open things up for Daniels in the air, and considering how much the Cowboys have struggled on defense, it seems like a realistic game plan for this contest.
Getting Jacory Croskey-Merritt going on the ground could be the key for the Commanders, but when Daniels airs the ball out, you can bet he’s going to be looking Ertz’s way early and often. If Daniels can get into a rhythm, and the defense can at least limit the Cowboys’ high-powered offense, they could end up earning their fourth win of the year. Kickoff for this important NFC East clash is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.
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