The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team unless specified by a direct quote.

We're finally here. After months of impatience, the Washington Commanders will kick off their 2025 season against the New York Giants at Northwest Stadium.

And, of course, Commanders fans have a bunch of questions ahead of the Week 1 matchup. Let's dive into what they want to know.

@SadeghiStu21366: If Noah Brown isn't ready week 1 would lane be next in line? (Wr3) And outside of the obvious players whose one guy Washington should be looking at this season?

I'll begin my answer to this question by saying that it looks like Brown is on the way back to being available for Week 1. He has looked quick and strong in his cuts and route running. I assume he will be on the first injury report tomorrow, but that doesn't mean he has taken a step back. Still, it's a fair question, and I would expect Jaylin Lane to be the next player up considering how much the staff and his teammates have hyped him up. Just keep in mind that while he has been lined up on the outside and in the slot, he obviously isn't the same player as Brown, so expect the offense to be a little different in that scenario.

The second question is a little vague and could be interpreted in a number of ways. If we're sticking with the receiver route (pun intended), Kendrick Bourne is reportedly visiting the Commanders today, so perhaps he gets on the roster before Wednesday's practice similar to Brown last year.

@CommanderFandom: Considering most Commanders vs. Giant games are close, what are your predictions for this weekend? What position group will shine the most?

You're right to say that the Commanders' games with the Giants are almost always close. I'm intimately familiar with that fact, given all the heart palpitations I've gotten while watching them over the years. I'm not going to give a score prediction, but I believe the game will be closer than Commanders fans would like. Week 1 in the NFL is weird, and the Giants' roster is such a Wild Card that I could see several possibilities for that team, not just for the upcoming game but for the season. I don't believe they're a playoff team, but they could be a team that wins a few games they shouldn't.

As for what position group shines the most, I'm hoping it's the offensive line. A lot has been made about the Giants' defensive front. It reminds me of how the Commanders were viewed a few years ago with four first-round defensive linemen as starters. It's a bit of an obvious statement, but how the Commanders look on Sunday will hinge on whether the upgrades to their offensive line can hold up against the Giants' pass rush. If they struggle, it will be a long afternoon.

@12thman_: Are the captains: Jayden, Zach, Terry, Bobby and Reavo (same as playoffs)? Will they also add a player each week to join them? Or are they selecting three different game captains each week as they did during last year's regular season?

I haven't heard anything about the team announcing year-long captains and would assume the Commanders will use a similar strategy to last year when they changed the captains each week. I think head coach Dan Quinn liked the idea of highlighting players outside of the bigger names everyone is familiar with, and if it isn't broken, why change it?

@jshir001: Will all 4 rbs suit up against NY or will one sit week 1? If one sits, who sits?

This is an interesting question, because I could see a world where all four running backs are active on Sunday, despite that being outside of normal tendencies. Teams usually just have three running backs active on gamedays, but Jeremy McNichols' value on special teams adds a wrinkle to that. McNichols played in all 17 games and the playoffs because of what he brings to the unit, so it might be difficult for the coaching staff to justify making him a healthy scratch.

I don't think Austin Ekeler will ever be inactive outside of injury, so if they keep three available, it could come down to whether the team thinks Chris Rodriguez Jr. or Jacory Croskey-Merritt can do what McNichols does on special teams. Both players have become fan favorites, and as much as I know people want to see them play, I could see either of them being inactive on Sunday. Sorry for not giving a concrete answer, but it might depend on the game plan and opponent. I love watching running backs, so if it were me, I would want all four of them to play. But that's probably why I'm not a head coach or general manager.

@Curtisfasching1: Do you believe Bill will receive majority of the RB1 snaps to start the season?

Maybe? But given my previous answer and my belief that the Commanders are going to take a committee approach to the position for at least the start of the season, it's hard for me to commit to that kind of approach. So, God bless you if you drafted Croskey-Merritt in fantasy, but starting him is a bit of a gamble, in my opinion.

@MrEd315: What are you liking about this season opening roster? And what roster areas might need some tweaking?

I like that the team is deeper than it was a year ago. It seemed like a major injury would have raised serious problems for the Commanders in 2024, and that was true to some extent on multiple occasions. That might still be the case in 2025, but I don't view it as much of an issue at positions like cornerback, offensive line and defensive line. For example, I don't think Sam Cosmi being out for at least the next four weeks is as problematic because you have players like Nick Allegretti and Andrew Wylie who can fill that spot. The cornerback position could use one or two more players, but the talent pool they have is much better than what it was.

The receiver position could use some more depth, but perhaps that will get addressed soon. We'll just have to see what the day brings.