It has been a season of disappointment for the Washington Commanders, and it’s uncertain who will start offensively the rest of the way. Of particular interest is at running back, where starter Brian Robinson Jr. has been sidelined with a hamstring injury.
If he cannot start, will veteran Antonio Gibson or rookie Chris Rodriguez Jr. replace him in the lineup? We’ll break down the fantasy outlook for each player in Week 16.
Should You Start Brian Robinson Jr. in Fantasy This Week?
The biggest issue surrounding Robinson is his health. The second-year back left the Week 13 loss to the Miami Dolphins with a hamstring injury and last week he was inactive for the first time this season.
Given the state of the Commanders’ season, and Robinson’s value to this team going forward, it’s difficult to see him being in the lineup over the final three games. There’s nothing for the Commanders to play for, and the fact that Robinson did not practice last week leads many to assume this hamstring injury is more than just a tweak.
Should You Start Antonio Gibson in Fantasy This Week?
Gibson is the former No. 1 back for the Commanders who is just two years removed from a 1,000-yard season on the ground (1,037 yards), but the arrival of Robinson basically reduced Gibson to a third-down back and kickoff returner.
But he is more than capable of filling in for Robinson. Although he has just 50 carries for the season, he is averaging 4.2 yards a carry, but his main attribute to an offense comes from catching passes out of the backfield.
Gibson has nearly as many receptions this season (42) as he has rush attempts (50), and he has more receiving yards (342) than rush yards (208). Both of his touchdowns this season have come from receptions.
What does keep Gibson off the field many times are the fumbles. He has 13 career fumbles — losing eight of them — in four seasons, including four this season (lost two).
Should You Start Chris Rodriguez Jr. in Fantasy This Week?
The rookie has been in and out of the lineup all season, has seen plenty of action on specials teams, and just now is getting some work in at the running back position.
Rodriguez had a career-high 10 carries last week for 35 yards. He averages 4.6 yards per carry on 41 carries for the season, so there has been some production when he gets his chance to carry the ball.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
With Washington’s season a mess coming down the stretch, if the decision is made to see what some of the youngsters can do, expect Rodriguez to get plenty of work over the final three games.
Using the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say that Gibson is the player to start. His projected 10.0 points include 28 rushing yards and three receptions for 24 receiving yards. His projected stat line outperforms that of Robinson (7.7 points) and Rodriguez (5.2 points).
Robinson is projected to finish with 52 rushing yards, with one reception for five yards. Rodriguez is projected to finish with 18 rushing yards, two receptions, and 10 receiving yards.
My ranking for these running backs aligns with the consensus. Gibson will be the logical choice if Robinson isn’t healthy, and his versatility makes him a good choice among fantasy football managers.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!