Thursday Night Fantasy Fallout: Skattebo's Two Scores, Isaiah Likely's Breakout and Stefon Diggs' Game-Winner in Washington's 24-21 Win

Thursday night handed fantasy managers plenty to chew on, and a gut punch to anyone holding Giants stock. Stefon Diggs caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Daniels with 57 seconds left, and the Washington Commanders stunned the New York Giants 24-21 at the Meadowlands ^[1][2][3]. Washington improved to 3-5-1, and the Giants fell to 5-3-1 ^[1].

The box score tells you New York should have won. The Giants outgained Washington 399 yards to 340, but they lost two turnovers and missed a field goal, ProFootballTalk noted ^[1]. After New York took a 21-17 lead with 8:13 left, its defense intercepted Daniels twice in the fourth quarter, but the Commanders got the ball back with 1:46 to go and needed only three plays to cover 71 yards ^[1][2]. Treylon Burks drew a 33-yard pass interference flag on Deonte Banks that ProFootballTalk called questionable, and on third-and-4 Diggs beat Dru Phillips on a slant for the winner ^[1][2]. Rasul Douglas then picked off J.J. McCarthy's deep shot for Malik Nabers with 25 seconds left ^[1].

Giants: Skattebo Is the Engine

Cam Skattebo was the best fantasy player on the field. He ran 18 times for 78 yards and two touchdowns, from 1 and 13 yards out, and caught three passes for 44 more, good for 122 scrimmage yards on 21 touches ^[1][2][3]. Our Wednesday playbook said he was cleared to go, and he delivered. That workload, at the goal line and in the passing game, makes him a weekly RB1 start no matter the opponent.

Isaiah Likely was the surprise of the night: nine catches, 127 yards and a 66-yard catch-and-run touchdown that put New York ahead 21-17 ^[1][2][3]. Giants Wire did flag a costly drop ^[4], but the volume is what matters. If he is sitting on your waiver wire, put in a claim today; he has earned a look as a starting tight end in most leagues.

Malik Nabers is the frustration. He finished with five catches for 44 yards, lost a fumble when Frankie Luvu punched the ball out at the Washington 16 late in the third quarter, and was the target on the game-ending interception ^[1][2]. A receiver his quarterback still looks for with the game on the line is a receiver you keep starting.

McCarthy went 23-of-36 for 293 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and he added 34 yards on six carries ^[1][2]. He had been listed with a hip injury earlier in the week but practiced fully ^[5]. The rushing floor makes him a useful streaming quarterback in deeper leagues. Malachi Fields caught three passes for 62 yards, including a 25-yarder that set up Skattebo's second score, and is a name to watch in deep formats ^[2][3].

One more warning: rookie kicker Dominic Zvada missed a 33-yard field goal wide left, had missed five of 22 attempts entering the game, according to Bleacher Report, and kicked off out of bounds after the go-ahead touchdown, giving Washington the ball at its own 40 ^[2][3]. Look elsewhere at kicker.

Commanders: Daniels Bends, Diggs Delivers

Daniels completed 23 of 33 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns ^[1][2]. The two interceptions were his first of the season, Giants On SI reported ^[3], but three scores salvaged a solid fantasy night.

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Diggs caught six passes for 83 yards and the winning touchdown ^[1][2]. With Terry McLaurin out indefinitely with a knee injury, according to Yahoo Sports ^[5], Diggs is Washington's go-to target and belongs in your lineup every week.

The other touchdowns went to tight end Ben Sinnott, who caught four passes for 42 yards, including a 1-yard score with five seconds left in the first half, and Antonio Williams, who turned two catches into 42 yards and a 31-yard touchdown in the third quarter ^[2][3]. Sinnott is a deep-league stash; Williams is too boom-or-bust to trust yet.

The backfield is a split. Rachaad White carried 11 times for 47 yards and Austin Ekeler 10 times for 28 ^[1][2]. Neither is more than a flex until one of them takes the job.

Defenses and Injuries

Both defenses produced two takeaways. Washington got Luvu's forced fumble, recovered by Jeremy Reaves, and Douglas' interception ^[1][2]. New York got fourth-quarter picks from Jevon Holland and Ar'Darius Washington ^[1][3].

Keep an eye on the Giants' injury report. Kayvon Thibodeaux was shaken up in the fourth quarter after a tackle on White but walked off under his own power, and Giants Wire reported he had been checked for a concussion earlier in the game and cleared ^[3][4]. Center Bryan Hudson was also evaluated for a concussion late in the third quarter and cleared ^[4].

My Take

Thursday games test your patience, and this one will tempt Giants fans to overreact. Resist it. Skattebo is a stud, Likely just showed he can carry a passing game, and Nabers is too talented to bench after one bad night. On the other side, Diggs is proving that a veteran who keeps working can still be the man when the game is on the line.

Fantasy football is a lot like life: you play the long game, you trust the people who have earned it, and you do not sell out on one bad week. Set your lineups early, check the Sunday morning reports, and if you are not playing yet, the free Liberty Bell Fantasy games at /fantasy are waiting for you.