Washington Commanders: Potential breakout candidates in 2023
By Hunter Noll
Washington Commanders’ wide receiver Jahan Dotson
Full disclosure, there was a point in time when this slide was Brian Robinson. That pick felt too volatile, though. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was a big part of some monster outputs with the Kansas City Chiefs.
However, it usually wasn’t the running backs that were eating in Bieniemy’s offense. So a hard-nosed running back like Robinson could break out. He could also become a bit of an afterthought to the passing game.
But, oh, look at that. A convenient transition to the player I want to talk about? Who could have possibly set that up?
Jahan Dotson had a fantastic rookie season in 2022. The wide receiver reeled in 35 receptions for 523 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games. Those are definitely strong numbers. Now imagine if Dotson had some legitimate quarterback throwing him the football.
Bieniemy is going to unlock a lot of potential in this Washington offense. Dotson now has a year of NFL experience. And he (hopefully) no longer has absurdly questionable quarterback play.
If Sam Howell can steady the ship at quarterback, Dotson will have someone consistent who is throwing him the football. Terry McLaurin is already an established superstar. He’ll take the main focus of the secondary. Curtis Samuel is a fantastic third option. He will protect Dotson as well.
All the pieces are in place for a monster year from Jahan Dotson. In year one, he established himself as a legitimate NFL wide receiver. This year, we could see him take that step into being one of the top threats in the NFL. Washington’s offense should be fun, and Dotson looks to play a major role.
The great thing about this choice is it’s not really that Dotson needs to take some massive step forward. It’s more about him having a legitimate quarterback. Yes, it would be great to see him improve. But nothing drastic needs to happen from Dotson for the numbers to take a leap.
Jahan Dotson could reel in over 60 passes this year and flirt with 1,000 receiving yards. Even if he stays pat with the seven touchdowns, that’s a monster season.