Chig Okonkwo's injury creates opportunity for two Commanders - Commanders Wire

One man’s disappointment, another man’s opportunity.

On Sunday, when the Commanders face the Cowboys in Arlington, TX, tight end Chig Okonkwo won’t play, as head coach Dan Quinn ruled him out Friday. Okonkwo injured a hamstring last week in the 2026 opener in Philadelphia.

There was so much talk leading up to the season about how much Okonkwo would add to the Washington offense. It may happen with Okonkwo, but for now, it is an opportunity for tight ends Ben Sinnott and Colson Yankoff. Each will move up in the rotation and get more game reps.

Sinnott has been a favorite topic of discussion for much of the fan base this summer leading up to the regular season. However, most of that online and on the radio is criticism, because Sinnott has disappointed as a second-round pick.

Sinnott, a tight end from Kansas State, is in his third season and has raised more questions than anything else because he simply hasn't been given much opportunity. After playing in 17 and 16 games in his first two seasons, Sinnott still only has 5 and 11 receptions. Recently, Sinnott was quoted as saying, “This is a real NFL offense now,” referring to David Blough’s offense being better suited for him than Washington's former OC Kliff Kingsbury's.

Yankoff is also in his third season, out of UCLA. His major contribution has been on special teams, where he has displayed athleticism and effort on both coverage teams. He has been involved in the offense, very minimally. In 2024, Yankoff played in only six games and was not targeted in the passing game. In 2025, he was targeted only three times and caught two.

Consequently, Okonkwo is disappointed to miss this week, but it gives both Sinnott and Yankoff an opportunity to show what they can produce.