Luke McCaffrey is quietly breaking out (but not how you'd expect)

The Washington Commanders have taken their time with Luke McCaffrey throughout his rookie season. But it seems as if head coach Dan Quinn has found the right formula at long last.

McCaffrey was expected to play a bigger role as the campaign progressed. The No. 100 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft is getting decent reps on the offensive rotation, but targets are at a premium. Not entirely surprising, especially considering rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels trusts the experience of Terry McLaurin, Olamide Zaccheaus, Zach Ertz, and Jamison Crowder more in key moments.

And yet, McCaffrey is quietly breaking out. Not in the way most fans would expect, but it's an encouraging development nonetheless.

The former Rice standout might be a work in progress after transitioning to the wide receiver spot in college. However, one thing that cannot be disputed is McCaffrey's athleticism. Specifically, how dangerous the first-year pro can be with the football in his hands.

Commanders have gotten superb production from Luke McCaffrey in the return game

McCaffrey has been given the significant responsibility of kick-return duties in recent weeks. This has become more important thanks to the league's new kickoff rules. It's a challenge he's taken on willingly and thrived.

When Austin Ekeler went on injured reserve after suffering a serious concussion versus the Dallas Cowboys, it thrust McCaffrey into the kick-return spotlight. He's taken on the mantle, producing some exceptional efforts and carving out a different niche for himself along the way.

His performance against the Philadelphia Eagles went relatively overlooked thanks in no small part to Daniels' five-touchdown display. Even so, McCaffrey managed to rack up significant yards in the return game, putting the Commanders in strong field position more often than not en route to a stunning fightback.

It's probably not what the Commanders or McCaffrey had in mind, but rolling with the punches and putting the team first is exactly the sort of traits Washington was looking for from its 2024 draft class.

Until McCaffrey becomes more refined as a route-runner and improves his ability to catch difficult balls, this is the best way to maximize his undoubted talent. He's averaging 30 yards per kick return from nine attempts. It's helped compensate for Ekeler's absence and is improving the rookie's confidence to make plays for good measure.

Having this sort of multi-purpose weapon is a tremendous asset for the Commanders to call upon. Especially with the all-important playoffs just around the corner.

McCaffrey will be relatively fresh considering he's had nothing more than 24 targets this season — 18 of which he's brought in for 168 receiving yards and eight first downs. If this added explosiveness can make an impression over Washington's remaining fixtures, the better the team's chances will be.

This also won't be going unnoticed by offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Seeing what McCaffrey can do in space might lead to some specific play calls in his direction. Whether it's an end-around, a quick screen, or some other form of trickery, the brother of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey might be a surprise some teams don't see coming.