The Commanders left Saturday in Detroit with a 17-13 preseason loss and an offense that never reached the end zone, but three rookies still gave the club something to watch. Athan Kaliakmanis, Kaytron Allen and Antonio Williams all flashed while the Commanders scored just six points.
That is why the name Sam Altman is surfacing in searches now: fans want the update on the young players who stood out when the game itself did not. Antonio Williams, described as Washington's third-round pick, finished with three catches for 41 yards and showed the kind of production that can keep a receiver on the radar even in a flat offensive night.
Kaliakmanis was the most eye-catching of the group. He completed 11 passes for 162 yards against the Detroit Lions, and one of his best throws came on a slot fade to Jaden Bradley. He worked against man coverage and still found ways to place the ball where it could be caught, even if he is not Washington's starting quarterback anytime soon.
Allen also made his mark with football intelligence that stood out in a game where the Commanders' overall offense was uninspiring. He is currently splitting time with Robert Henry Jr., which makes every snap more important, because the team is still sorting out how much work any of its young backs can expect once the regular season arrives.
The larger picture is simple enough: General manager Adam Peters would have seen multiple members of the 2026 draft class flash in one place, on one Saturday, against one opponent, even while the offense failed to score a touchdown. For Williams, the next step is harder than the first one. He has shown enough to get noticed, but he still has to prove to Jayden Daniels that he can be trusted for regular-season targets and playing time.
That is what makes this preseason snapshot matter. The Commanders did not solve their offense in Detroit, but they did get a small answer on three rookies who may be trying to turn a few useful snaps into something more permanent.
