Antonio Gibson

Gibson probably isn't a natural running back as much as an exceptional athlete who happens to play running back. Washington held this against the 2020 third-round pick last season, handing the starting job to Brian Robinson despite the lesser results the rookie provided. New offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy might not place the same level of emphasis on aesthetic and 'looking like' a running back that since-fired Scott Turner did, but even if Bieniemy is more receptive to Gibson, the former Memphis product faces a new threat from sixth-round pick Chris Rodriguez. Unlike Robinson at Alabama, Rodriguez played early and raked as a high-volume, high-efficiency runner at Kentucky. Gibson is no slouch as a runner – he ran for 1,832 yards and 18 TDs at a clip of 4.3 YPC in 30 games his first two seasons – but he might need to do more of his damage as a passing-down and hurry-up back now. Bieniemy could have a Pacheco/McKinnon sort of specialization split in mind for the Washington backfield.

As expected, Gibson's production took a step forward in his second season, but the gains mostly came from volume as his efficiency with his touches wasn't at the level of his rookie campaign. Part of the issue was the offense around him. Washington had a mediocre offensive line and one of the more toothless passing attacks in the league, so while Gibson saw a big increase in opportunities, efficiency was another matter. While he finished third in the league with 47 red-zone carries, he only managed to score a touchdown on seven of them even as players with comparable red-zone volume like Austin Ekeler and Damien Harris were racking up double-digit TDs. Gibson's 4.0 yards per carry was a big drop-off from his 4.7 mark in 2020, and the difference largely came behind the line of scrimmage. He gained only 2.1 yards per carry before contact, losing half a yard in that metric from the season prior. The Commanders head into the season with at least two new starters along the offensive line and Carson Wentz replacing Taylor Heinicke under center, but Gibson is is on track to head the team's backfield out of the gate, with third-round pick Brian Robinson -- who had been pushing for a key role -- starting the season on the NFI list and slated to miss at least four games.

A third-round pick in last year's draft, Gibson is best known for elite speed (4.39 40). The Memphis product needs very little space to explode for a big gain, and his larger frame allows him to bully his way through contact on occasion as well. The rest of his skill set as a running back is unpolished, but he was still good enough to take over the starting role in Washington almost immediately, and the team's offensive struggles in general didn't hamper his production. Gibson's versatility was also evident in his receiving numbers, though given how he was used in college (originally playing WR), more might have been expected in that area. As long as J.D. McKissic is on the roster, it will be tough for Gibson to carve out a larger role on passing downs. The big question heading into 2021 is whether he's ready to handle a huge rushing workload. Washington's offensive line is solid, but not one of the top units in the league, and Gibson isn't particularly adept at creating for himself. Ryan Fitzpatrick's arrival should steady the offense as a whole, but the veteran QB's track record indicates his arrival will do more to benefit Terry McLaurin than Gibson. Given the state of the Washington depth chart, Gibson should at least dominate early downs, but his ceiling could be capped until he gets a chance at a true three-down role.

Good luck finding a player comp for Gibson, a 228-pounder with 4.39 speed who spent two seasons at Memphis and touched the ball only seven times during the first of those campaigns. The community college transfer quickly worked his way from obscurity to third-round draft status, with his 2019 season yielding 38-735-8 through the air and 33-369-4 on the ground - good for second on his team in both rushing and receiving yards. Just for good measure, Gibson averaged 28 yards on 23 kick returns, adding a 13th TD on special teams. While his combine workouts were otherwise average, a 4.39 40 from a man his size will inevitably turn a lot of heads. With Adrian Peterson let go by the team in advance of Week 1, it's now possible that GIbson handles a key role for the team out of the gate, though veteran Peyton Barber could also get carries, and the team still has J.D. McKissic for passing downs. Gibson is the one with three-down potential, even if it doesn't materialize right away.