Daron Payne

Daron Payne

26-Year-Old Defensive TackleDT
Washington Commanders
2023 Fantasy Outlook
A 2018 first-round pick, Payne played out last season on a fifth-year option and ended up a big winner after logging career highs for tackles (64), QB hits (20) and sacks (11.5). He's missed only one game through five campaigns while doing solid work against the run and recording at least 54 tackles each year, but prior to 2022 he'd never had more than five sacks in a season. Payne signed a four-year, $90 million contract with $50 million guaranteed in March, staying in Washington alongside Jonathan Allen, Montez Sweat and Chase Young to form one of the best defensive lines in the league. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
#Subscriber-Only
IDP
$Signed a four-year, $90 million contract with the Commanders in March of 2023.
Drops off to 4.0 sacks
DTWashington Commanders
January 23, 2024
Payne recorded 53 tackles (32 solo), 4.0 sacks, four pass defenses, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries across 17 games in 2023.
ANALYSIS
The 320-pound DT has missed just one game through six pro seasons, but his pass-rushing stats took a big step backward in 2023 following career highs of 11.5 sacks and 20 QB hits the year prior. He's otherwise recorded between 2.0 and 5.0 sacks each year, and while he remains one of the better players on Washington's beleaguered defense, the four-year, $90 million contract he signed last spring could look like an overpay to a new coaching staff. Cutting him would incur a massive dead cap hit of $46.4 million though, so Payne figures to be back in 2024 and should be one of the few returning starters locked into a key role.
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NFL Stats
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2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
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2022 NFL Game Log
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2021 NFL Game Log
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2020 NFL Game Log
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Washington CommandersCommanders 2023 DT Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

88879%
83274%
34030%
19317%
10710%
272%
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2023 Daron Payne Split Stats
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Measurables Review
How do Daron Payne's measurables compare to other defensive tackles?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 3"
 
Weight
320 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.95 sec
 
Shuttle Time
4.71 sec
 
Cone Drill
7.58 sec
 
Vertical Jump
28.5 in
 
Broad Jump
107 in
 
Bench Press
27 reps
 
Hand Length
9.38 in
 
Arm Length
33.00 in
 
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Daron Payne See More
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March 13, 2023
It was quiet a day for RB/WR/TE signings, but Austin Ekeler made some noise with a trade request while the Raiders found their short-term answer at QB.
NFL Game Previews: Bills-Bengals Matchup
December 29, 2022
Erik Siegrist previews the Monday night matchup as Joe Burrow and the Bengals square off against the Bills in what could determine the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.
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December 16, 2022
Mike Williams should climb the ladder against Tennessee CBs that lack reach.
Gameday Injuries: Week 5
Gameday Injuries: Week 5
October 9, 2021
October 9, 2021
Juan Carlos Blanco examines a busy Week 5 injury report and dishes the latest news on key players as of early Sunday morning.
2021 NFL Team Previews: Washington Football Team
August 12, 2021
Washington brought in Ryan Fitzpatrick to provide steadiness at QB. Such was the state of the position before him, which should help the offense get out of the NFL's bottom third for the first time since 2017.
Latest Fantasy Rumors
Opens contract negotiations
DTWashington Commanders
February 11, 2023
Payne has opened extension talks with the Commanders, Dov Kleiman of BroBible reports.
ANALYSIS
Payne is coming off the best season of his career, as he set new highs in both sacks and tackles for loss. The 25-year-old is one of four first-round picks on the Washington defensive line, and the team appears motivated to keep the core of its defense intact. If the Commanders are unable to get a deal done, it's possible the team could look to use the franchise tag on Payne, which would cost $18 million for next year.
See All NFL Rumors
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Payne is scheduled to play under a fifth-year option this season and isn't happy about it, presumably wanting a long-term contract. The 13th overall pick in the 2018 draft has never topped five sacks in a season, but he did have a career-high 13 QB hits last year, and he's recorded at least 54 tackles and 15 appearances in each of four seasons. That type of consistency makes him a bargain for Washington on the fifth-year option salary of around $8.5 million. Payne gets enough tackles to warrant consideration in some IDP formats, though a few more sacks would help too.
The 13th overall pick in the 2018 Draft, Payne has missed just one game through three seasons, including a 16-start campaign in 2020. He's solid as both a run defender and interior pass rusher, but perhaps not quite the superstar some might have hoped for in such an early draft pick. But Payne still is only 24, and he had a well-rounded stat line last season with 54 tackles, four pass defenses, three sacks and three forced fumbles. If he can add a few more sacks, Payne will start to make a name for himself in IDP formats.
Selected 13th overall in the 2018 draft, Payne is the biggest body on a defensive line loaded with first-round picks, checking in at 6-3, 320. He dropped off from five sacks as a rookie to only two last season, but he finished with 56 tackles for a second straight year, earning a 75.1 PFF grade against the run. Payne hasn't quite been the superstar Washington was hoping for, but he appears locked in as a starter at defensive tackle as the team transitions to a 4-3 base scheme under new defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.
Payne is the second big name in the frightening Washington defensive line trio that includes Jonathan Allen and Matt Ioannidis, playing the nose tackle spot while the other two collapse the pocket from the end. It's rare for a nose tackle to rank highly as an IDP, but Payne is coming off a quietly brilliant rookie year, just missing 800 snaps and approaching 60 tackles as a 21-year-old. Payne's snap count is pretty close to maxed out, but his per-snap production is a threat to spike upward given his substantial developmental upside.
Surrendering a league-high 134.1 rushing yards per game is an effective way to miss the playoffs, and Washington is hoping that doesn't happen again after using its first-round pick on Payne at 13th overall. Although he wasn't expected to be taken that high, Payne was arguably the best run-stuffing interior lineman in the draft and shouldn't need any time to acclimate to the NFL before being inserted into the starting lineup. However, rookies in his position don't always see a full allotment of snaps off the bat, rendering Payne's IDP relevance largely dependent on how many snaps he ultimately receives.
More Fantasy News
Posts two tackles for loss Thursday
DTWashington Commanders
November 24, 2023
Payne registered three tackles (all solo), including two for loss, and also deflected a pass in Thursday's Week 12 loss to the Cowboys.
ANALYSIS
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Ready to go vs. Buffalo
DTWashington Commanders
September 22, 2023
Payne (ankle) was a full participant at practice Friday and does not carry an injury designation ahead of Sunday's game versus the Bills.
ANALYSIS
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Back practicing in limited capacity
DTWashington Commanders
Ankle
September 21, 2023
Payne (ankle) was a limited participant at practice Thursday.
ANALYSIS
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Nursing ankle injury
DTWashington Commanders
Ankle
September 20, 2023
Payne missed practice Wednesday due to an ankle injury.
ANALYSIS
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Absent Wednesday
DTWashington Commanders
Lower Leg
September 20, 2023
Payne (lower leg) is not practicing Wednesday, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
ANALYSIS
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