Commanders Lose Tunsil, Newton to IR — McNichols Buried on Depth Chart
Washington stashed two starters on IR without return spots, spending both designations on Trey Amos and RB Jeremy McNichols instead.
Return designation shows the team values him, but he's still deep-bench depth.
- Tunsil (triceps) and Newton (pec) both placed on IR
- Return spots went to CB Trey Amos and RB McNichols
- McNichols: 71 PPR pts in 2025 (17 games)
- Moreau, Tuttle re-signed a day after being cut
- McNichols ranks #250 overall, #56 at RB
Washington placed left tackle Laremy Tunsil and defensive tackle Johnny Newton on injured reserve Monday, and the timing tells you everything about how the front office sees its roster. By waiting until after the initial 53-man cutdown, the Commanders preserved the option to bring either player back at any point during the season or playoffs — but they didn't use their two designated-return spots on them.
Those spots went to cornerback Trey Amos and running back Jeremy McNichols instead. Tunsil tore his triceps and Newton tore his pec, injuries that lengthen the road back, so leaning on the two guys who are actually close to healthy makes sense. Washington also brought cornerback Fabian Moreau and defensive tackle Shy Tuttle back into the fold, re-signing both a day after cutting them Sunday.
For fantasy purposes, this is a defensive-line and offensive-line story with one wrinkle worth tracking: McNichols. Getting one of two precious return designations isn't nothing — it signals the coaching staff wants a clear path to keep him on the field once he's available. That's a vote of confidence, even if the fantasy ceiling is modest.
The production backs up the modest part. McNichols logged 71 PPR points across 17 games in the 2025 season — actual results, not a projection — on 221 rushing yards and a touchdown, plus 25 catches for 196 yards. That's a rotational, pass-catching profile, not a workhorse, and his form has been trending the wrong way: down 1.8 fantasy points per game over his last five compared to his season average.
Our rankings have him at #250 overall and #56 among running backs, which is exactly where a depth back with return-designation status belongs. He's a name to file away, not a player to spend a bench spot chasing in standard leagues.
The fantasy move here is simple: WATCH McNichols and move on. The return designation keeps him relevant enough to monitor in deep PPR formats, but nothing in his 2025 usage or recent trend justifies an add right now. If injuries thin out Washington's backfield and his role expands, revisit — until then, he stays on the wire.
