Chris

Rodriguez Jr.

Rodriguez found himself on a few fantasy rosters last year after an injury to Antonio Gibson opened up some playing time. The 24-year-old enjoyed a solid rookie season, totaling 247 yards on 51 carries (4.8 ypc) with two touchdowns; however, with the Commanders hiring a new coaching staff and bringing in Austin Ekeler in the off-season, there seems to be no place for Rodriguez in Washington anymore. He should likely get a chance with another team.

That escalated quickly. Rodriguez hurt his ankle last week against the Jets in a two-touchdown performance for the rookie. He’ll miss the season’s final two games and cede control of the Commanders backfield to Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson, if Robinson can come back from a hamstring injury.

Rodriguez took over as the Commanders’ lead back and was certainly their most effective runner. As soon as Jacoby Brissett entered the game and starting operating the offense, Rodriguez got going. It’ll be interesting to see what his role will be if Brian Robinson is able to return in Week 17.

Robinson did not practice this week and could be sidelined for Week 17 as well. In his absence last week, rookie Chris Rodriguez and Antonio Gibson split the backfield touches. Rodriguez out-carried Gibson 10-4 but didn’t see any work through the air. He will lead the duo in the Week 16 fantasy rankings, though neither option is particularly appealing in a low-scoring affair with the Jets.

Robinson missed Week 15 with the hamstring issue and appears likely to sit at least one more week as he recovers. In his absence, Ron Rivera operated a backfield-by-committee, giving rookie Chris Rodriguez 10 touches and Antonio Gibson nine touches. We would expect a similar split if Robinson is unavailable again. Third-string running back Jonathan Williams did not practice because of a concussion. He earned a few snaps in Week 15 but only saw one attempt.

Rodriguez surprisingly led the Commanders in rush attempts and yards in the loss but wasn’t all that effective with his carries. If not for an 11-yard gain, he would have averaged nearly a full yard less per carry than the 3.5 YPC he had on the day. Rodriguez’s increased role came on the heels of Brian Robinson’s absence, but he won’t be on the fantasy radar in Week 16 even if Robinson misses another game.

Robinson went down with the hamstring issue in Week 13 and did not return. He did not practice at all this week. Antonio Gibson will draw the start and should see plenty of work. Chris Rodriguez should pitch in for some carries as well. As massive underdogs to the surging Rams, the Commanders will be throwing at an extreme clip this week, meaning Gibson will earn plenty of easy catches, boosting his value in PPR leagues. He will rank as a low-end RB1 for Week 15.

Robinson hurt himself in the second quarter of the Week 13 loss to the Dolphins, so the fact that he was unable to return from practice even after the team had their bye week is a bit of a concern. It had been speculated that Robinson could be looking at a multi-week absence, so there’s a chance that he’s unable to play this weekend against the Rams. If he does miss, Antonio Gibson would likely handle all of the pass-catching responsibilities while handling a few carries, while Chris Rodriguez would operate as the early-down and short yardage back. Given the likely gamescript, that would likely make Gibson the more attractive player for fantasy.

Gibson slotted back into his role as the passing-down back for the Commanders. He was in on third-and-long situations, as well as late in the fourth quarter with the Cowboys up big in a blowout. Chris Rodriguez got a few garbage time touches, but Gibson remains the Commanders’ RB2. His role as a pass-catcher elevates him to a upside FLEX play for Week 13 against the Dolphins.

Rodriguez stepped into the RB2 role with Antonio Gibson (toe) sidelined. His longest gain came on a 16-yard tote in the third quarter which was followed by a lost fumble on the following play. Rodriguez was responsible for one of six Commanders turnovers on the day, as Washington struggled to keep the ball off the turf all afternoon. Gibson’s Week 12 status is unknown at this time, but even if he’s sidelined, Rodriguez will be hard to trust on Thursday against the Cowboys.