Commanders’ four players to watch during preseason opener against Dolphins

By Liam Griffin - The Washington Times - Thursday, August 13, 2026

The wait is technically over. Commanders football returns on Friday night with a home exhibition against the Miami Dolphins.

Preseason football might not be tantalizing enough to satiate more casual fans. Most of Washington’s starters — including star quarterback Jayden Daniels — are expected to either skip the game or rest after the opening quarter.

But there are position battles throughout the Commanders’ roster.

Here are a handful of young players to watch as coach Dan Quinn continues to evaluate his squad for the upcoming season.

Joshua Josephs: The Commanders remade their defensive front over the course of the offseason, signing veterans like Odafe Oweh, Tim Settle and K’Lavon Chaisson to anchor the line.

But one new addition — fifth-round rookie Josephs — has flown under the radar. The Tennessee product might not be able to dodge the spotlight for much longer.

He’s impressed throughout training camp, often dominating offensive linemen with an impressive blend of speed and power during one-on-drills. In team sessions, the edge rusher has flashed an unexpected coverage acumen. The 22-year-old has looked comfortable dropping into zones, using his 34-inch arms to disrupt passes.

Washington’s top pass rushers — including Oweh, Chaisson and Dorance Armstrong, who is still recovering from an ACL tear — will likely be limited throughout the preseason. That opens a window for Josephs to flaunt his abilities in front of the Commanders’ fans.

“I just know as we continue to go on, my shape will continue to progress and I’ll just be more physical, more dominant out there,” Josephs said last week.

Colson Yankoff: Washington’s offense features a bevy of solid — if less spectacular — weapons. Receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs are the headliners with six combined Pro Bowl appearances between them. Behind them, younger players like rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams, return aces Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane and tight end Ben Sinnott are vying for targets.

Third-year tight end Yankoff has made the most of his limited opportunities, though. Highlight-worthy catches and touchdown grabs have become a common sight for the UCLA alum.

“It’s been good; some good and some bad. That’s how it goes with these things,” he said on Wednesday. “Really just trying to stack good days and do better each and every day.”

Yankoff, 26, has spent the bulk of his NFL career oscillating from the practice squad to the special teams units on the 53-man roster. He’s secured just two receptions across 20 regular-season appearances.

The Commanders feature plenty of depth at tight end with the freshly signed Chigoziem Okonkwo, blocking specialist John Bates and 2024 second-round pick Ben Sinnott.

But the new system brought in by first-year coordinator David Blough could allow for more work for Washington’s tight ends.

Whether Yankoff will qualify for the regular-season roster remains to be seen. Many NFL squads only keep three tight ends on the team, though Blough’s fresh playbook could create a spot for the training camp star.

Kaytron Allen: A sixth-round selection from Penn State, the ball carrier hasn’t flashed as much during the training camp sessions. That’s to be expected, according to coach Dan Quinn.

“As a running back, you’re not seeing things like yards after contact and breaking tackles in a practice that has no contact,” he said as training camp opened.

That’s made the evaluation process even more difficult for a hard-running back like Allen. He shined in college games, punishing defenders with a compact, 216-pound frame. The 23-year-old picked up the nickname “Fat Man” as a youngster and kept it through college, as he set a Penn State record for career rushing yards.

Each step of the preseason process has been more promising for Allen. He could only show so much when practicing in shorts. When pads came on, he was able to flash a bit more of his signature running style. Still, players aren’t taking each other to the ground during practices.

“As a running back, you’re not seeing things like yards after contact and breaking tackles in a practice that has no contact,” Quinn said.

A live game situation against the Dolphins on Friday night could allow Allen to break out as he looks to cement a roster spot.

Drew Stevens: Stevens has the best odds to make the roster of any undrafted rookie. The kicker from Iowa has wowed fans, media and coaches throughout the offseason with his leg strength.

He’s embroiled in a battle with veteran Jake Moody to make the roster alongside punter Tress Way and longsnapper Tyler Ott. But Stevens has had a clear leg up over Moody throughout training camp.

Moody has lacked consistency, a potentially fatal flaw for a kicker who doesn’t have the range offered by Stevens.

During the final portion of Wednesday’s joint practice with the Miami Dolphins, both Stevens and Moody converted all of their field goals, with the longest attempt coming from midfield.

But Stevens’ kick easily cleared the crossbar with plenty of room to spare. The exhibition is another opportunity for the rookie to earn the job over Moody.

“I would say for that position the selection process is ongoing, but these practices obviously carry a lot of weight, so they all cumulatively add up. In the preseason game, it’s good, but it’s not ramped up for them in that way. It’s not quite the same as some of the other position players,” Quinn said, noting that he’d be evaluating kickoff approaches during the exhibition.

Friday’s exhibition is the only home preseason game for the Commanders. Five training camp practices — along with preseason games against the Lions in Detroit and against the Ravens in Baltimore — remain as the final tune-ups before the Sept. 13 opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.