What Terry McLaurin Means

The Commanders will re-sign and bring him back, right? Right?!

Author

Christopher Allen
August 02, 2025

I'm not saying the Commanders should be haggling with Terry McLaurin.

But I understand.

To be clear, I recognize my boss has an affinity for all things Washington football. I'm playing with fire here. But I'm not looking for any smoke. So, let's all be calm, cool, and rational for a second.

It's easy to characterize McLaurin as a WR1. By target share and on-field production, the former Buckeye has held that role since joining the team in 2019. And from Case Keenum to Kyle Allen to Taylor Heinicke (and many more!) to Jayden Daniels, McLaurin has been the consistent leader of the receiving game. His only problem is his age.

McLaurin will be 30 years old by Week 3 of the regular season. His late entry into the league makes finding a comparable framework difficult. Sure, DK Metcalf, from the same class, just got $33M per year from Pittsburgh. But Metcalf is in his prime (age 28 in December), not (almost) past it. Plus, the Steelers showed their hand by offering a second-round pick for Seattle's WR1. An extension was the natural outcome. However, as I stare at the Commanders' depth chart, I could make the case that Washington has done something similar.

  • Drafted Jaylin Lane on Day 3

  • Acquired Deebo Samuel (trade) and Michael Gallup (free agency)

  • Retained multiple free agents from '24

Lane primarily played inside and didn't even crack Dwain's top-15 in his Rookie Super Model. Samuel hasn't played a full season ever. And Michael Gallup … (Cam Newton voice) nevermind. 

Ronis said it best on Sirius XM yesterday: Washington needs McLaurin!

Ignore his target share. Look at what he did with his opportunity. No other WR generated more first downs on a per-route basis. I'll let you guess who earned and converted the most contested catches. Or you can compare his Utilization with other WRs.

I'm not flinching in drafts if McLaurin is available at cost. We all know what he means to Jayden Daniels' development. Let's give Washington's front office some time to catch up.

And speaking of trades … you might want to sync your league ASAP, because …

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How To Win From the 1.04 in 2025

There are three ways to provide the answer to this prompt:

  1. Head to our free Mock Draft Simulator in Draft Champion, set your pick to 1.04, and watch the magic unfold.

  2. Ask Chris Allen.

  3. A bit of both.

Just as Lord Farquaad did, we’re going with Number 3. The best of both worlds, really.

When diving into Draft Champion, Chris came away with his first takeaway from the 1.04 draft slot—your options boil down to two players: Vikings WR Justin Jefferson or Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb. Two players who can take you down very different draft paths from the 1.04.

Let’s dive into how to build your winner with either player. ⤵️

Fantasy

ESPN ADP Breakdown: Where Is RJ Harvey Going?

OK people, time to lock in. It’s August. Sometime in the next 33 days, you’ll be sitting in a room with your leaguemates—if you’re lucky to draft live—or in a virtual draft room picking the players who will decide your happiness (or sadness) over the ensuing four months. You’ve been reading the Fantasy Life newsletter religiously, so you’re plenty ready. Though there will be times to drill down into particular league formats, like our friends at ESPN. BTW, sync your ESPN leagues here.

Jonathan Fuller took a magnifying glass to ESPN’s ADP, looking at players who are both rising and falling in the worldwide leader’s ADP. He also breaks down why those players are moving, and openly asks the question if a player’s movement just doesn’t make sense. Check out Fuller’s analysis, and try not to have the SportsCenter theme song running through your head at the same time.⬇️

Fantasy

Around the Watercooler

The latest NFL news and fantasy football analysis from our merry band of football nerds:

👀 A superstar guest joins Ian to discuss guys they can’t wait to draft in 2025.

⚡️ Now that Matthew has revealed his 2025 Ride or Die, we made this fire graphic.

🦵 Yes, they are people too (sorry, Ian!). Kicker rankings for 2025.

💪 Looking for an edge in your IDP leagues? Breakout candidates are here.

4️⃣ If you can get even two of these four must-have players, you win.

🏈 Nothing like a slo-mo Anthony Richardson bomb to get us to reconsider that QB battle in Indy.

🗣️ Introducing Talk Data To Me. Get a look inside Dwain’s brain, then win your leagues. (please like and review the pod)

📊 RB Rankings and Tiers. Some Tier 3 RBs could rise up.

📋 If you’re already drafting, don’t forget your cheat sheets.

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