The highly anticipated matchup between the top two picks of this year's NFL draft will happen.

Jayden Daniels will play for the Washington Commanders in their Week 8 game against Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Daniels was uncertain to play because of a rib injury sustained in last Sunday's 40-7 rout of the Carolina Panthers.

Daniels was limited in Friday's practice after sitting out Wednesday and Thursday's sessions and was officially listed as questionable before being made active about 90 minutes before kick-off. 

 

Jayden Daniels will start at QB

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) October 27, 2024

The Commanders selected Daniels second in April's draft after the Bears took Williams first overall.

Williams won the 2022 Heisman Trophy as the top collegiate football player in the United States and Daniels won the prestigious award last year.

Daniels has the early edge in the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year race, with 1,410 passing yards to go with 10 total touchdowns in just over five games after getting hurt early last weekend.

Williams, meanwhile, has 1,317 passing yards with nine passing touchdowns, but has shown marked improvement in leading the Bears (4-2) to three straight wins. He threw four TDs in Chicago's last game - a 35-16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London in Week 6 - and has compiled a 122.8 passer rating during the winning streak.

Daniels has a 107.0 passer rating on the season while leading the Commanders (5-2) to their surprising perch atop the NFC East.

Journeyman backup Marcus Mariota played well after taking over for the injured Daniels late in the first quarter last week, completing 18-of-23 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns.