Jeremy

McNichols

Ekeler remains in the early steps of the league’s concussion protocol after failing to practice in any capacity this week. Brian Robinson was removed from the injury report entirely, putting him in position to split the backfield with Jeremy McNichols. Robinson should see the bulk of the early-down work, keeping him on the RB2 periphery for Week 13.

Robinson attempted to play through his injury but did not see a snap in the second half of Sunday’s loss. It’s just the latest in a string of injuries that have plagued Robinson all season, as he’ll now look to get right in time for Week 13’s game against the Titans. Austin Ekeler is still in concussion protocol, which means the Commanders could be very thin at running back if both he and Robinson can’t play on Sunday. Robinson’s status will be one to monitor throughout the week, but those in need of help should look to stash Jeremy McNichols where available.

It was an odd game for Robinson, who left with an apparent leg/ankle injury after the first play of the game only to return to start the Commanders’ second drive. Robinson had his leg/ankle rolled up by a defender on what appeared to be an ugly play. His return to the field came as a surprise, but the third-year back wasn’t heard from after the first-half. His absence was likely due to his injury, but we’ll wait for the team to confirm that in the coming days. If Robinson is unable to go in Week 13, the Commanders could be looking at Chris Rodriguez and/or Jeremy McNichols as their lead backs with Austin Ekeler in concussion protocol.

McNichols saw fewer rush attempts and totaled fewer rushing yards than Chris Rodriguez, who ran 11 times for 52 yards in this one. McNichols’ usage was on par with what we’ve seen from him in games without Brian Robinson; there just wasn’t much that materialized for him in the way of rushing production. Assuming Robinson is healthy for Week 10 against the Steelers, McNichols will revert back to his low-usage RB3 role.

Robinson faced an uphill battle after injuring his knee just before halftime in Week 5 and will now miss the team’s Week 6 showdown with the high-flying Ravens. It remains to be seen if Austin Ekeler will see a significant uptick in snaps and opportunities in his absence, but the team has shown a propensity to trust Jeremy McNichols with early-down work.

This was the most likely scenario for Robinson, who hasn’t practiced this week while battling the same injury that limited him last week. He ended up playing through it in Week 5’s win over the Browns, but a 7-18-2 line has created plenty of questions about how effective he would be if he suited up for Week 6. Robinson will likely test his knee in pre-game warmups before the team decides on his availability. If he can’t go, Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols would be in line to split the backfield work, with Ekeler likely seeing the plus side of the workload.

Robinson hasn’t practiced this week but could still log a limited session on Friday. We saw something similar from him in Week 5, when he was a DNP on Wednesday and Thursday before he eventually suited up for Friday’s practice. The concern for Robinson, however, could be his overall workload. He ran seven times for 18 yards in last week’s win over the Browns, but bailed his fantasy managers out with two short rushing touchdowns. Head coach Dan Quinn said it was “a coaching decision” to sit Robinson in the second-half of last week’s game out of caution because of his knee injury. Even if he’s able to go against the Ravens, Robinson could be a risky play if he’s unable to get into the end zone. Austin Ekeler should have plenty of upside, especially in PPR leagues, even if Robinson does go, while Jeremy McNichols would make for an interesting deep flier if Robinson sits.

Robinson was on a similar trajectory last week but practiced on Friday to suit up for Week 5’s contest against the Browns. It’s possible the Commanders are again managing his practice workload and will ramp him up a bit on Friday before deciding his status heading into the weekend. If Robinson is unable to go, Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols would be in line to split the team’s backfield snaps. Even if Robinson is active, it’s possible Ekeler sees a bigger role after the Commanders pulled Robinson in the second-half of a blowout win last week.

McNichols saw almost all of his work in the second half with the Commanders up by three touchdowns, so we shouldn’t read too much into his statline. However, if anything were to happen to Brian Robinson Jr., McNichols would likely work into a committee with Austin Ekeler that could make him relevant in deeper formats.

Ekeler being upgraded to a full participant means he’s on the verge of being cleared from concussion protocol. His return will be a welcomed one by the Commanders, especially if Brian Robinson (knee) is unable to go in Week 5 versus the Browns. Robinson, who has the 10th most yards from scrimmage of any running back in the league, has yet to practice this week. His absence would spell a busy day for Ekeler, and may also open the door for Jeremy McNichols as a deep flex play in a backfield that has been heavily split early in the season.