Why Commanders QB Jayden Daniels has a real chance to break 1,206-yard record in 2026 image
There is plenty of optimism for the Washington Commanders heading into the 2026 NFL season. While the Laremy Tunsill injury is a major letdown, Jayden Daniels should be back to full health, and with Stefon Diggs now on the team, this is an exciting offense.
But one of the biggest storylines to follow this season will be how Daniels is running the ball. After an incredible rookie season, he took a step back in 2025 due to injuries, but also struggled mightily overall as a runner.
Now, heading into 2026, Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report highlighted how Daniels could break Lamar Jackson's 1,206-yard rushing record for a QB. While there are going to be hurdles, Daniels has a real chance to break this record in 2026.
Jayden Daniels has a real chance to break QB rushing record
"Jayden Daniels: Single-season rushing yards by a quarterback. Current record: Lamar Jackson (1,206 in 2019)," Gagnon writes. "Daniels, who rushed for 891 yards in his first and only healthy season, would have to increase his per-game average from 52.4 in 2024 to 71.0 in 2026."
This is a major hurdle for Daniels to try and clear, as such a massive uptick in rushing work is something that will be very difficult to accomplish.
But, with Davis Webb now calling plays, and Terry McLaurin, Diggs, Antonio Williams, and Chig Okonkwo in the receiving game, the Commanders' offense is in a much better state than it was back in 2024.
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Another interesting wrinkle, however, will be the production of their actual run game. Jacory Croskey-Merritt isn't a sure-fire starter, and neither is Rachaad White.
It would not be a surprise if Daniels needed to run the ball more for this Commanders team to find success on the ground.
And while the Commanders will surely be fearful of Daniels getting hurt, they cannot afford to take away his rushing ability, which is what helped make him so elite during his rookie season.
He ran for 278 yards on 58 attempts last season in seven games, and 891 yards on 148 attempts in 17 games his rookie season.
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Daniels will have to run the ball more than ever if he wants to break this record set by Jackson, But, he's shown some incredibly high-ceiling rushing production before in his career.
From Weeks 12 through 17 in 2024, Daniels ran for 382 yards on 52 attempts, good for 76.4 yards per game. That would be more than enough to break the record from Jackson, though it's far from a guarantee that he could keep up such a pace all season long.
This record is far from a guarantee, but if there's any quarterback in the NFL who could break it this upcoming season, other than Jackson, it would be Daniels.
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