It has been the passing game of the Washington Commanders that people have been talking about this year. Quarterback Sam Howell is leading the league with 3,339 passing yards.
If you look at the offense the last few weeks, it is the running game that has been producing at a higher rate. Both RB Brian Robinson Jr. and RB Antonio Gibson are capable of making plays, but which one should be in your lineup? Let’s look at the fantasy football outlook for each player ahead of Week 13.
Should You Start Brian Robinson Jr. or Antonio Gibson This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say that Robinson is the player to start. His projected 10.1 points include 68 rushing yards and one reception for six receiving yards. That projected stat line easily outperforms the consensus projection of Gibson’s 7.1 points.
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I am going to go with Optimizer on this one, as Robinson is starting to resemble the guy from last season.
Fantasy Outlook for Robinson This Week
There was a stretch in the season where Robinson wasn’t getting the ball much, as he averaged 8.5 carries in October.
Since then, though, the Commanders have gotten back to giving the second-year back the ball. In November, he averaged 18.5 touches per game.
During that same period, he averaged 105 total yards of offense. His biggest game was against the Seattle Seahawks. He finished that game with only 38 rushing yards, but he had six catches for 119 yards and a touchdown. For the season, Robinson leads the Commanders with 937 total yards and eight touchdowns.
While Howell has had a very good first season as the Commanders’ quarterback, Washington is at its best when Robinson is getting the ball.
Since the start of last season, Washington is 8-4-1 when Robinson has 15 or more carries and 2-9 when he has fewer than 15 carries.
Getting Robinson the ball has been a recipe for success the last two years, and being able to run the ball against the Miami Dolphins could be huge. The Commanders’ defense could be in for a huge challenge against the Dolphins’ offense, so being able to sustain drives and run the ball with Robinson will help the team stay in the game.
Fantasy Outlook for Gibson This Week
Gibson has long been a running back who can make a lot of plays in the passing game. He missed Week 11 against the New York Giants, but Gibson has at least three catches in his last four games.
He hasn’t been much of a factor in the run game, as he had only six carries last week in the loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Part of that could have been the team had to pass because of the score differential.
Added value as a receiver can be huge for a running back, but right now, Gibson just isn’t getting the ball enough to warrant having him in your lineup.
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, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!