Washington Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr. has been one of the biggest fantasy surprises of the 2023 season, but the young RB is slated to miss his first game of the year on Sunday with a hamstring injury.
As a result, should fantasy football managers run to their league’s waiver wire to pick up Antonio Gibson or Chris Rodriguez Jr. heading into their matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 15?
Should Antonio Gibson Be a Fantasy Waiver Wire Add in Week 15?
Once upon a time, Gibson was a popular fantasy breakout candidate after finishing his first two seasons as a top 15 fantasy RB in full-PPR formats.
Unfortunately, he ended up losing his leading role in this Commanders’ backfield once Robinson recovered from a gunshot wound he suffered just before the start of the 2022 season.
The assumption for many fantasy managers is that Robinson being ruled out against the Rams should make Gibson the clear leading option in this Washington backfield for Week 15. After all, he did see a season-high 10 carries back in Week 13 against the Miami Dolphins when Robinson exited the game early.
Most would agree that Gibson is certainly worth a waiver wire claim at the very least this week to see how the backfield shakes out with Robinson unavailable. If Robinson misses any more time in the coming weeks with this hamstring injury, and Gibson does take the leading role, then he certainly could be a viable Flex option during the fantasy playoffs.
One thing that has been consistent for Gibson this season is his role in the passing game, where he has caught 37 passes for 322 yards and two scores in 2023.
So, I would expect that to remain the same this week.
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Gibson has proved on multiple occasions in the past that he can be a fantasy force when operating in a leading/feature role, which is evident by his 10 games with 20+ fantasy points in full-PPR formats throughout his career.
However, Gibson may not have the definitive leading ball carrier role that many fantasy managers are hoping for because of a certain rookie running back on the roster who is likely to see an expanded role in Week 15.
Should Chris Rodriguez Jr. Be a Fantasy Waiver Wire Add in Week 15?
If you haven’t heard of this rookie running back from Kentucky, then you will probably have the chance to get a closer look at him this Sunday against Los Angeles. Rodriguez has been productive this season as a runner with his limited opportunities, averaging just under five yards per carry on his 31 rushing attempts in 2023.
The Commanders did give him seven carries against the Dolphins once Robinson went down with an injury, but the majority his work came in the second half once the game was really out of hand.
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It should come as a surprise if the Commanders decide to platoon another back with Gibson, and the fact his physical style of running complements Gibson’s well helps Rodriguez’s cause for more playing time.
Ultimately, I do expect Gibson to see the most total touches out of this backfield against the Rams, which makes him a solid waiver wire pickup in Week 15 for fantasy, but I do think Rodriguez is worth a roster spot in deeper formats. We could see him being fantasy-relevant in Week 16 if Robinson’s injury forces him to miss more than just this game.
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