Analyze Terry Mclaurin's matchup for week 10
McLaurin is expected to miss Week 10 with a quad injury, rendering the favorable Lions matchup moot; keep him on your bench or even consider cutting him in shallow leagues.
The Lions have been fantasy-friendly to opposing receivers this year, but that edge is irrelevant for McLaurin, who head coach Dan Quinn has already ruled out. Without Jayden Daniels (dislocated elbow) and now McLaurin, Washington’s passing game will be led by Marcus Mariota targeting a skeleton crew of wideouts. Even if McLaurin attempted a surprise suit-up, he’d be doing so at less than 100 % with a backup quarterback, making any production highly unlikely.
Three healthy weeks produced only 10 catches and 14.9 PPR points total, good for WR104 status—an alarming collapse for a player drafted as a WR2.
Injury is the final nail in the coffin for a season that was already spiraling. McLaurin’s usage has evaporated—17 targets through three games—and his per-route efficiency has cratered alongside an inconsistent Commanders offense. The quad issue compounds an already bleak situation: Washington enters Week 10 with its starting quarterback and No. 1 receiver both sidelined, forcing Mariota to lean on Chris Moore and depth pieces. Even if McLaurin returns after the Week 12 bye, there’s no guarantee his role rebounds; the offense may prioritize younger options or a more run-heavy approach to protect a backup QB. For fantasy managers, stashing McLaurin in 12-team leagues is defensible only because of his historical ceiling and potential post-bye recovery, but in 10-team formats he is a safe drop. Monitor practice reports coming out of Week 11, yet plan as if you’ll need another wide receiver for the stretch run.