Commanders’ Brian Robinson Jr. injury update to make Jayden Daniels happy

“I was limited on plays, but on the plays I was in, I made some sharp cuts and quick movements… That was enough for today. Today was not a high-intensity day, so it was a great day.”

Robinson Jr. has been injury-plagued going back to his rookie season. He missed the first four games of his rookie season after sustaining a gun shot wound to the leg. But it is a credit to the former Crimson Tide running back he made it back as quickly as he did.

This year, Robinson Jr. played through a knee strain early, then missed two games with a hamstring injury. Now it’s his ankle causing problems. Despite the numerous injuries, the Commanders running back has been highly effective when on the field. He has averaged 4.4 yards per carry and scored seven rushing touchdowns.

Commanders’ offense goes as Brian Robinson Jr. goes

Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels set the league on fire to start the season. He was on pace to break nearly every rookie record. But over the last month or so, defenses have caught up to the former LSU Tiger. That dip in production also coincides with the lack of an effective rushing attack from Washington.

When Washington was 7-2, they were among the league’s best at running the football. That was spearheaded by Robinson Jr. and Ekeler. A successful run game is always a friend to any young quarterback. But during their three-game skid, if you remove Daniels’ 74 yards rushing in Week 12, the Commanders are averaging just 73 rushing yards per game.

This week, the Commanders square off against the 3-8 Tennessee Titans. But don’t let the record fool you. They possess a very strong defense that ranks eighth in the NFL allowing 106 rushing yards per game.

If Robinson Jr. cannot play, Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. will handle rushing duties. They have a combined 55 carries this year and would present a significant drop-off in production at the running back position.