The Washington Commanders saw something in Luke McCaffrey that others didn’t en route to his No. 100 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. His strong work ethic and sure-footed hands quickly catapulted him up the wide receiver depth chart. Fans approached his rookie year with cautious optimism, even as a pleasant preseason made that difficult for many.

McCaffrey made quite an impression in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, catching all three of his targets for 18 receiving yards. He followed that up with a zero against the New York Giants, despite playing 56 percent of the team’s offensive snaps.

The former Rice star ran 23 routes without hitting a single target. McCaffrey deserves credit for his blocking performance, which was a potential concern during pre-draft evaluations. While disappointing, a few overlooked stats offered a promising outlook for the wideout’s long-term aspirations upon closer inspection.

According to Pro Football Focus, McCaffrey consistently gets open. He ranked No. 4 in separation percentage in Week 2, which is measured by how often a wide receiver beats coverage. That ranks him No. 3 in the league through the first two weeks of the campaign.

McCaffrey gets the separation he needs to make plays. There’s a difference between being open in college and the pros. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is discovering that during his impressive early transition. The more comfortable he gets in the pocket and continues to progress, the more his draft classmate will benefit, too.

This was always going to be a gradual process for Washington’s offense. There are a lot of new pieces to put together, and miracles weren’t going to happen overnight. Kliff Kingsbury relies heavily on the run game to take the initial pressure off Daniels. That became apparent early against the Giants, but the promising signal-caller did get additional opportunities to showcase his prowess in the passing game.

Even though McCaffrey didn’t benefit from that this week, it’s not for lack of trying. His route efficiency is developing faster than anyone expected. The stats prove it, and the game film shows it.

Kingsbury won’t let it go unnoticed as part of his weekly schedule. Zach Ertz is making plays and Noah Brown has been encouraging in his debut. Giving more opportunities to players like McCaffrey and Terry McLarin will only help Washington’s cause.

The NFL is increasingly reliant on analytics. It’s also something majority owner Josh Harris wants to implement across the Commanders’ football operation under his leadership — something that received approval from GM Adam Peters during their lengthy talks before his appointment was confirmed.

The fact that McCaffrey is so far down in separation percentages without hitting targets is something to think about. It could be a matter of confidence – as it is for most first-year pros – but the shackles have to come off at some point.

What better time than visiting a potential play-off candidate? Monday Evening FootballEither way, a McCaffrey breakthrough may not be far off, given the staggering divorce rates.

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