On Monday, Washington Commanders coach Dan Quinn gave an injury update regarding rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Quinn noted that Daniels was considered “week to week” after sustaining a rib injury during the first quarter of the team’s Week 7 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
The news created a ripple effect in the betting market. After Monday’s update, the betting odds for the Offensive Rookie of the Year Bowl (as I like to call it) between Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels shifted significantly. Daniels’ injury concerns caused the Commanders to go from favorites to underdogs.
Generally, every NFL player is given a value toward the actual weekly point spread, and quarterbacks are the most valuable. Positional players rarely move lines, generally affecting only the juice (or the vig) — a charge taken on bets by the sportsbooks.
So, how many points is Daniels worth toward the spread?
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We talked to Thomas Gable, sportsbook director at The Borgata (a BetMGM operation in Atlantic City), to find out how much the Daniels news impacted the Bears-Commanders spread.
“A good number right now for Jayden Daniels is 3.5 to 4 points,” Gable explained. “Marcus Mariota is a serviceable backup, but compared to Daniels, the difference would be around 3.5 points, but I would lean more towards 4.”
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Gable’s note aligns exactly with how the game spread has shifted since Sunday. Washington opened as a 1-point home favorite at multiple sportsbooks on Sunday night, but that number quickly moved by Monday. As of Tuesday, most sportsbooks, including BetMGM, now have Chicago as a 2.5-point road favorite.
The betting odds are always fluid, especially when it comes to a quarterback injury, so depending on Daniels’ status throughout the week, this number may move again.
Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders
(Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)
