Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn had already been looking at a thin roster, and now, the team faces yet another major setback. The wide receivers’ room in Washington just took a hit in Week 9 as Luke McCaffrey broke his collarbone. Now WR Treylon Burks, who injured his finger in Week 10, is reported to be out for a while.

“Commanders WR Treylon Burks underwent surgery today on his finger,” reported ESPN’s Adam Schefter via X. “It is not expected to be a long-term issue, but it is enough to knock him out for Sunday.”

Treylon Burks joins wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown (IR), and Luke McCaffrey (IR) on the sideline for Week 11. Isn’t it unbelievable how quickly the Commanders’ WR depth vanished?

The injury is especially unfortunate for Treylon Burks. Just a few weeks ago, he was fighting for a fresh start after the Tennessee Titans released him. Dan Quinn brought him onto Washington’s practice squad just last month. His performance earned him a spot on the active roster – and he made an immediate impact.

In his Week 9 debut against the Seattle Seahawks, the 2022 first-round pick caught one pass for 14 yards. Then, in Week 10 against the Detroit Lions, he caught all three of his targets for 58 yards, including a 37-yard deep ball. For a player who’d just joined the team, that’s impressive. Even though Washington lost 44-22, Burks led the team with 58 receiving yards. Unfortunately, that’s when disaster struck. 

Treylon Burks injured his finger during the Lions game. And that required surgery this week. It is also important to note that injuries have followed him since his rookie year in Tennessee. In his rookie year, he suffered a turf toe injury that placed him on IR. Then an ACL tear in 2024 ended his season. And recently, during training camp this summer, he even had a fractured collarbone. Yet he keeps coming back on the field stronger. 

So, while Burks will miss Sunday’s matchup in Spain against the Miami Dolphins, Dan Quinn expects him back after the Week 12 bye. That’s some relief, right? Still, it’s another headache for Dan Quinn to manage. Burks’ injury means Quinn may have to promote one or two receivers from the practice squad. Ja’Corey Brooks, Robbie Chosen, and Jacoby Jones are all candidates to be elevated for Week 11. But will that be enough to keep the team afloat?

Treylon Burks’ injury creates another setback for Dan Quinn to navigate

Adam Schefter also recently reported that four Commanders won’t make the trip to Madrid for the Week 11 game. Treylon Burks is one of them. The others? Quarterback Jayden Daniels, linebacker Ale Kaho, and cornerback Trey Amos.

On November 10, Dan Quinn informed the reporters that Jayden Daniels is still nursing a dislocated left elbow from the Seahawks game two weeks ago. He watched last Sunday’s loss to the Lions from the sidelines with a brace on his left arm. Meanwhile, Quinn also told the reporters that rookie corner Trey Amos fractured his fibula, and that just ended his season. And for linebacker Ale Kaho, Dan Quinn mentioned that he remains out after suffering a concussion on special teams.

So, that’s four key players out – two from the offense, two from the defense. But if we look at the WR room, there are plenty more names on the list. Just a few days ago, WR Luke McCaffrey broke his collarbone. On Oct. 15, veteran WR Noah Brown was placed on IR with a groin injury. Meanwhile, WR Terry McLaurin has missed games with a quad injury. So, Dan Quinn had added Treylon Burks to the squad in a time of WR crisis in Washington.

As such, if Treylon Burks can finish the season strong after the bye week, he could carve out a real role in Dan Quinn’s system. The Commanders desperately need a reliable receiver, and Burks has already shown flashes of that ability. But for now, Washington will have to keep fighting short-handed.