Eagles vs. Commanders Week 1 Preview: Odds, Matchup, and Key Storylines

The Philadelphia Eagles will begin the 2026 season at home, hosting the Washington Commanders in an NFC East battle at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13. The Eagles (0-0) split their season series with Washington (0-0) in 2025, beating up on the Commanders’ backup quarterbacks on the road before benching their starters in the season finale.

This year, they won’t have any chance to ramp up, playing a crucial game in Week 1. They’ll face third-year Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels, the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Daniels suffered injuries amidst a brutal sophomore slump last year and will try to rebound. Complementing Daniels, the Commanders brought in embattled receiver and two-time All-Pro Stefon Diggs. They also swapped out both their offensive and defensive coordinators, hiring David Blough and Daronte Jones, respectively.

While installing a new offense can lead to growing pains, the Eagles won’t be able to rely on a lack of experience from the Commanders. They’ve got a new offensive coordinator of their own, Sean Mannion, who will try to revive a unit that has sputtered since winning Super Bowl LIX. After running for 3,048 yards on 621 carries in 2024, the Eagles’ ground game nose-dived to 1,988 yards and 478 carries in 2025. Star tailback Saquon Barkley, fast approaching 30, saw his yards per carry tank from 5.8 to 4.1… and tension between quarterback Jalen Hurts and receiver A.J. Brown, shipped to the Patriots this offseason, threw a wrench in the passing game.

FOX holds the broadcasting rights for this matchup, where the Eagles opened as a -5.5 favorite. The money line sits around -248 in Philadelphia’s favor, with an over/under of 44.5 as these new offenses work out the kinks.

Scouting the Eagles

The Eagles boast one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, so expect them to rely on fundamentals and the running game as they warm up to Sean Mannion’s playbook. DeVonta Smith (77 catches, 1,008 yards and four touchdowns in 2025) is now the unquestioned No. 1 receiver with Brown out of town, but he’ll also have to adjust as he draws more attention.

Anticipating Brown’s departure, the Eagles spent their 2026 first round pick on USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. He hauled in 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns with the Trojans last season, but caught just three passes for three yards on five targets in his preseason debut. Tight end Dallas Goedert (60 catches for 591 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025) is another steady target, but depth is a major question for the Eagles’ air attack. Fourth year receiver Dontayvion Wicks, who saw his numbers decline each year after catching 39 passes for 581 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie in 2023, will need to step up.

Hurts, as always, can add another dimension to Philadelphia’s offense with his legs, and their defense remains excellent with behemoth linemen Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter and All-Pro corners Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Kicker Jake Elliott is another name to watch as he tries to rebound from consecutive brutal seasons. The ground game and the under are the safest bets as the Eagles find a rhythm under Mannion; Hurts’ total touchdowns number is another prop to eye because of his dual-threat ability.

Notable Eagles player props include:

• Jalen Hurts: Over/Under 211.5 passing yards (-114/-114)
• Saquon Barkley: Over/Under 76.5 rushing yards (-115/-112)
• DeVonta Smith: Over/Under 67.5 receiving yards (-113/-113)

Scouting the Commanders

With one of the best 1-2 punches in the league in Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs, Washington’s receiver corps this year is reminiscent of recent Eagles teams. More important, however, is if Daniels can get them the ball. If the performance he puts on on Sunday is similar to the precedent he set as a rookie, the Eagles could be in trouble. If last season’s struggles continue, cornerbacks like Mitchell and DeJean could feast.

Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil underwent offseason triceps surgery, spurring the Commanders to sign D.J. Humphries to guard Daniels’ blind side. They’re expected to have one of the worst offensive lines in the league this season, another obstacle as Daniels tries to return to form, and spent most of their free agency budget trying to reform a defense that ranked toward the bottom of every major statistical category last year.

Players like pass rusher Odafe Oweh and former Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal should give the Commanders’ defense a boost. Washington used their first round pick on athletic middle linebacker Sonny Styles, but their defense isn’t likely to take a massive jump overnight.