The Washington Commanders have compiled a long list of injuries over the past two weeks with quarterback Jayden Daniels (knee) being the most concerning of the bunch.

There's still no word on whether Daniels will play against the Atlanta Falcons this weekend, but the second-year pro took another step towards being available by practicing, albeit in a limited capacity, on Wednesday.

"We'll continue to rely on the medical team to fully clear him, but what I can say is...he is doing everything you possibly can to get there," head coach Dan Quinn said during his press conference. "The guy's an ultimate competitor. You know that; I know that, but he is absolutely digging."

Daniels didn't reveal much about his knee during his first time speaking with the media since the Packers game other than that he feels good and that he's leaving the decision on his status for Sunday up to the doctors.

Daniels, who was injured against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2 but did finish the game, was held out of practice last Wednesday and Thursday. He was limited on Friday -- Quinn said his practicing would be a critical step in determining his status against the Las Vegas Raiders -- but Quinn said he was not quite where the team needed him to be, leading to him being inactive for the first time in his career.

Backup Marcus Mariota got the start in Daniels' place and performed well in the 41-24 win over the Raiders. He threw for 201 yards and added 40 on the ground in addition to two total touchdowns. It was Mariota's first start since the 2022 season, but the team had confidence he could lead the offense without taking a step back in Daniels' absence.

"I think that instilled confidence in me, just to go out there and play my game," Mariota said. "It was cool to see all three phases come together. It's a great steppingstone for us as we move forward in the season."

Daniels said it was "different" having to watch the game from the sideline, but he was "super happy" for Mariota to get the win.

"He deserves everything, and he's been my biggest supporter," Daniels said. "So, it was my turn last week to be his."

Although the Commanders are now 3-0 when Mariota takes the majority of the offensive snaps, the preferred plan remains for Daniels to be the top option when healthy. Like other injured players, the Commanders are taking a cautious approach with Daniels' recovery to ensure that he can be himself when he returns. They need to see him incorporate his entire body when making throws and show an ability to change direction without any hindrance while scrambling in the pocket.

There are still a few markers for Daniels to hit, but Quinn has seen him show those qualities in his recovery process and added Daniels has worked "really hard" to get himself healthy.

Asked how much running and cutting he's been able to do over the past two weeks, Daniels said, "Enough to feel good if I play on Sunday. Like I said, it's not my decision."

The Commanders have faced a bevy of talented pass-rushers to start the season, leading to Daniels experiencing more pressure than normal. He's been pressured 35 times and taken seven sacks from the likes of Micah Parsons as well as Brian Burns and the New York Giants' front seven.

The Commanders' next matchup against the Falcons will be somewhat of a reprieve from that onslaught, although they are tied for 10th in the league with eight sacks. Defensive linemen Brandon Dorlus and Zach Harrison lead the Falcons with 1.5 sacks each, but the likes of James Pearce Jr. and Leonard Floyd present other problems for Washington's offense.

The Commanders' offense is dealing with other injuries besides Daniels, most notably Terry McLaurin, who suffered a quad injury against the Raiders. There's also John Bates and Noah Brown, both of whom were absent from Wednesday's practice with groin injuries. They found a way to work around those injured players against the Raiders, and while it took them some time to get the unit churning, they managed to put up 400 yards and 41 points.

The Falcons will be a different test, but the potential of having their starting quarterback in the lineup should give the team a boost.

"He has worked really hard in that space and so we'll lean in on the medical side, too, just to make sure they'll be the ones that fully clear [Daniels]," Quinn said. "But he's working really hard to hit all the stuff that he needs to hit."