Each week during the regular season, we'll be taking a look at what the national media is saying about the Washington Commanders via various publications' NFL Power Polls. Since it's Week 1, everybody has an opinion. Let's take a closer look.Week 1 is here, and with it comes NFL Power Rankings, your "expert" guide to where the teams stack up weekly. Or is it a place the national media just drops their opinions without actually investigating teams outside their normal view? That's a question we'll let you answer as you sift through the opinions of national writers who likely haven't spent more than 20 minutes looking at the Washington Commanders, outside of those like ESPN's John Keim, who follow the team daily.* Side note: Many have asked whether these polls are helpful, which is a fair question. One way to look at them is as a way to broaden your perspective on what others believe. Not to mention, sometimes it's fun to see the national media guys bump around in the dark, chasing their tails, clueless.Commanders Power RankingsCommanders Power Rankings - Week 1 (Average of 24)ESPN — No. 20CBS Sports — No. 26NFL.com — No. 31Pro Football Talk — No. 27The Athletic — No. 23FOX Sports — No. 26SBNation — No. 23Sports Illustrated — No. 18Yahoo Sports — No. 22Note: The table above has each poll linked to the corresponding name of the publication.ESPN had this to say (20th):The only time a Washington quarterback threw for more than 30 touchdowns was Sonny Jurgensen in 1969 (31). Daniels threw for 25 in his rookie season, and the Commanders have a stronger receiving corps than last season with Terry McLaurin, Stefon Diggs and promising rookie Antonio Williams. Daniels also has looked ultra-sharp in David Blough's new offense in practices. If Daniels stays healthy -- and the offensive line without Laremy Tunsil can protect him -- he can top Jurgensen.-- John KeimCBS Sports had this to say (26th)Jayden Daniels is back, but the offensive line is a mess. This is a big year for coach Dan Quinn after changing both coordinators. -- Pete PriscoNFL.com had this to say (31st)After losing left tackle Laremy Tunsil to a torn triceps and missing center Nick Allegretti for most of August due to a calf strain, things appear rather dire up front for Washington. The Commanders produced a dreadful showing in a joint practice with the Ravens, then followed that up by getting destroyed by Baltimore in the preseason finale. Washington knows it needs to keep Jayden Daniels healthy in order to be competitive, and right now, I'm afraid for the quarterback's well-being Sunday in Philadelphia. -- Nick ShookFox Sports had this to say (26th):They are putting absolutely everything on QB Jayden Daniels and the hope that he’ll recapture his rookie magic. The problem, though, is the offensive line may not be able to properly protect him. -- Ralph VacchianoSports Illustrated had this to say (18th): I see Washington as a possible 10-game winner. Some analysts I respect have this team finishing dead last in the NFC East. It’s all on the table, especially with large-scale changes at the coordinator positions and a ton of new everyday starters. Jayden Daniels’s health remains the biggest x-factor, though. In a David Blough system, we’ll see him even more protected, we’ll see play-action even more weaponized and—possibly—the full extent of his powers unleashed. There’s a reason I nearly arm wrestled my fantasy comanager for the right to draft Terry McLaurin this year. - Conor OrrYahoo Sports had this to say (22nd):No preseason injury was more damaging than the Commanders losing left tackle Laremy Tunsil for all or most of the season. That will affect the entire offense, which didn't add much in the offseason. This is not how Jayden Daniels wanted to start his third season. -- Frank SchwabPro Football Talk had this to say (27th)It already feels like it’s just a matter of time before Dan Quinn is relieved of his duties. -- Mike FlorioThe Athletic had this to say (23rd)The loss of Laremy Tunsil is big, especially for protecting an injury-prone quarterback. And a joint practice against the Ravens went terribly for the Commanders’ O-line and the offense in general. They signed D.J. Humphries and Stefon Diggs in August, but this team will go as far as Jayden Daniels takes it. And after training camp, it doesn’t seem like it’s going very far. -- Chad Graff and Josh Kendall🔜 pic.twitter.com/9ihQRZLVfr— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 9, 2026The Verdict: Fair or Dismissive?While the verdict on whether these opinions reflect realistic skepticism or lazy journalism remains to be seen, most of the national media seem to agree that quarterback Jayden Daniels is not the primary concern. They seem more focused on whether the offensive line can protect him enough to progress where he needs to be in Year 3, in a new offensive system, and less focused on the defense, which could ultimately be the unit that drives the team's success. A 13-position gap between the highest and lowest ranking also shows just how little consensus there is on what Washington will actually become.We'll revisit these each week and see where the national pulse moves next.Sign up for our free newsletter and follow the Burgundy & Gold on Facebook and the Commanders on SI on X for the latest news. You can also subscribe to our Facebook Messenger News Channel, which is the fastest and easiest way to actually see our articles while on any Meta product.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow