Washington Commanders Average 22.625 in Phase 3 Rankings
Washington commanders landed at an average of 22.625 in Phase 3 of a Sports Illustrated offseason power rankings index. The number reflects how national outlets are viewing a roster overhaul that is still being judged through a patchwork of NFL polls.
Sports Illustrated and the Commanders
Sports Illustrated said it was tracking what the national media was saying about the Washington Commanders through various publications' NFL Power Polls. Those offseason polls do not come out regularly, but they have been popping up after the Myles Garrett trade that week, giving Washington a new round of outside evaluation.
The Commanders' 22.625 average sat in the same range as several other national rankings. Yahoo Sports placed Washington 24th, Analytics had the team 21st, The Ringer put it 24th, and Sharp Football ranked it 22nd. That cluster left Washington in the low-to-mid 20s across the board.
Diante Lee on Washington
Diante Lee wrote that his faith in Washington’s infrastructure and coaching staff had changed significantly over the past year. He also said the Commanders made just six draft picks, and that the only rookie he expected to significantly factor into the rotation was linebacker Sonny Styles.
Lee was even sharper on the rest of the class, calling the lack of high-impact players in the 2026 draft class concerning for a team that did not have much depth or top-end talent to begin with. He added that the holes in the Commanders’ roster had been patched over with expensive but flawed veterans picked up in free agency.
Daniels and the roster load
Lee drew the line at the quarterback as the team’s ceiling. He wrote that Washington would not be able to compete for a playoff spot unless it was dragged there by Daniels, and added that last year showed Daniels could not be asked to physically shoulder that sort of load.
Raymond Summerlin had a more upbeat view of parts of the class, writing that Sonny Styles was a great get for Washington. He also said he was a fan of Antonio Williams both as a player and as a complement to Terry McLaurin, giving the Commanders at least one draft-room note that drew praise inside the same ranking cycle.
For Washington readers, the takeaway is simple: the national market is treating the Commanders as a team stuck in the middle of the pack, with the rankings, the draft review, and the free-agency critique all pointing in the same direction. The next test is whether the roster can turn those low-20s opinions into something better once the season starts.
