The Washington Commanders and Indianapolis Colts face off on Sunday, Oct. 30. The game will be live streamed on fuboTV (free trial) and DirecTV Stream (free trial).

Sam Ehlinger spent his whole life preparing for this week.

On Sunday, he’ll finally be a feature attraction on the NFL’s big stage.

The 24-year-old quarterback, who spent more than 20 months as an understudy for the Indianapolis Colts, will make his first career start Sunday against the Washington Commanders. And like any young actor thrust into the spotlight, Ehlinger is eager, excited and, yes, even anxious.

His rapid ascension up the depth chart, from No. 3 to Colts starter in less than two weeks, is only part of this week’s surprising storyline.

This game had been billed as a matchup between Washington quarterback Carson Wentz and Colts quarterback Matt Ryan, who replaced Wentz in Indy this season. But Wentz went on injured reserve last week with a fractured ring finger and Ryan was benched Monday after separating his throwing shoulder.

Those moves opened the door for Ehlinger and Taylor Heinicke, who led Washington (3-4) to a surprise win over Green Bay last weekend, giving both a chance to prove they deserve the starting job.

Indy (3-3-1) sees similar traits in Ehlinger. Coach Frank Reich says the 24-year-old former Texas star comes with a “special sauce” and likes the notion of Ehlinger using his legs to evade pass rushers and make plays outside the pocket. Plus, Reich has been impressed with Ehlinger’s improved accuracy and increased arm strength after his offseason work with quarterback guru Tom House.

When is Commanders-Colts?

The Commanders play the Colts at 3:25 p.m. (4:25 p.m. ET) Sunday, Oct 30.

Live stream options

FuboTV

The game will be live streamed on fuboTV, which offers a free trial. The most basic of plans is the “fubo standard” package, which comprises 121-plus channels for $69.99 per month. Like all cord-cutting alternatives, there are plenty of options, especially for sports. It comes with more than 1,000 hours of cloud-based DVR, and up to 10 screens at once.

DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream offers a free trial.

There are four options of DirecTV Stream:

The Entertainment Package, which consists of 65+ channels, is $54.99 until the promotion runs out April 30. It’s the basic package for can’t-miss entertainment – including ESPN, TNT, Nickelodeon and HGTV.

The Choice Package has more than 90 channels and is $74.99 during the promotion. The channels in ENTERTAINMENT, plus MLB Network, NBA TV, college sports networks, and more. Enjoy Regional Sports Networks with no additional fees.

The Ultimate Package has more than 130 channels and is $89.99 during the promotion. Everything in CHOICE, plus Oxygen, Golf Channel, NHL Network, Universal Kids and more.

The Premier Package has more than 140 channels and is $134.99 during the promotion. Everything in ULTIMATE, plus HBO Max, SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax and more.

DirecTV Stream offers a free trial that doesn’t require much effort.

To sign up, enter a phone number, email address and credit card, and you’ll receive five days of the service without charge.

In addition, enhance your experience with the DirecTV Stream device. While it doesn’t include a free trial, it give you access to thousands of apps like Netflix and more on Google Play. You can search using the voice remote with Google Assistant, and you can enjoy a traditional live TV channel guide. It is sold separately.

Will it be televised?

The Commanders and Colts will be televised on Fox.

Preview

DUELING OWNERS: Last week, Colts owner Jim Irsay made his position about Washington owner Dan Snyder clear. He would rather not defend Snyder’s actions and believes Snyder has done enough to warrant removing him as owner.

On Sunday, they could both be at Lucas Oil Stadium — though they may not be on speaking terms.

Irsay has been no stranger to controversy. The NFL imposed a six-game suspension and $500,000 fine in 2014 when he pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

MCLAURIN’S HOMECOMING: While Washington wide receiver Terry McLaurin is playing his first NFL game in Indianapolis, he is very familiar with Lucas Oil Stadium. McLaurin grew up in Indy, won high school football state titles on the field and won two Big Ten titles there as an Ohio State teammate of Colts receiver Parris Campbell.

“I would be lying if I say it’s not kind of cool to be able to go back to where I grew up, kind of where my affinity of football started,” he said. “I grew up a Colts fan, sitting in Section 540 with my dad.”

The fourth-year receiver leads the Commanders with 440 yards receiving this season, averaging 16.3 yards on 27 catches. He also helped ice last weekend’s win.

TAYLOR SLOWED: Colts running back Jonathan Taylor hasn’t been the same since winning last year’s NFL’s rushing crown. Despite missing two games with a sprained ankle, he ranks 21st with 386 yards rushing.

But the other numbers aren’t even close.

His 4.2 yards per carry average is down dramatically from 5.5 last season and 5.0 as a rookie. He has scored one TD, none since Week 1, after leading the NFL with 18 TD runs and matching Austin Ekeler of the Chargers for an NFL-high 20 total TDs in 2021.

THIRD-DOWN SUCCESS: One key this week: How Indy’s offense fares on third down against Washington’s improved defense. Green Bay was 0 for 6 last weekend on third down, marking the first time four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers didn’t convert a third down. It was the first time it happened to Green Bay since 1999.

“Everybody’s understanding their role. … They’re doing their job. That’s the biggest thing. When you try to do too much, that’s when the big plays happen,” linebacker Cole Holcomb said. “So we were like: ‘Hey, let’s just simplify it down. Let’s get back to just doing our job, playing with good technique, tackling.’ And I think we keep improving every week.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.