The Washington Commanders may have finished fourth in the league last year with an average of 149.1 rushing yards per game, but did so by operating in a committee approach at the running back position.
Since the Commanders don’t appear to have a clear-cut feature back on the roster, one NFL analyst named Washington best fit’ for free agent running back who produced over 1,000 yards from scrimmage last season.
Washington Commanders Named as the ‘Best Fit’ for Free Agent RB J.K. Dobbins
The Washington Commanders offense had a very productive year considering the franchise didn’t deploy a true feature back in 2024.
After an offseason where the Commanders didn’t make a huge splash signing or spend a top NFL Draft asset at the position, Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated named Washington the best fit for free agent RB J.K. Dobbins entering the 2025 NFL season.
Manzano wrote, “It’s a bit surprising that Dobbins remains unsigned after bouncing back from significant injuries to emerge as a Comeback Player of the Year candidate with the Chargers last season. Perhaps teams aren’t willing to pay a certain price for a running back with an extensive injury history, but the Commanders could use a productive back such as Dobbins, who recorded 905 yards in 13 games last season. Dobbins wouldn’t have to carry a heavy workload with Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler also on the Commanders’ roster.”
Dobbins had a big bounce-back season in 2024 with 1, 058 total yards and nine scores in his first year with the Los Angeles Chargers after suffering a torn Achilles in the 2023 season opener against the Houston Texans.
Last season was the first time Dobbins has played more than 10 games in a season since his rookie year back in 2020.
Despite suffering numerous season-ending lower body injuries during his short NFL career, Dobbins’ career average of 5.2 yards per carry should be considered an incredibly impressive mark with how severe these injuries are for a running back.
Yet, even in a big bounce-back year for Dobbins, he still missed four games in 2024. Dobbins simply hasn’t been able to stay healthy throughout his NFL career, which makes it difficult to trust him as the leading ball carrier of your franchise.
How Would J.K. Dobbins Fit Into this Washington Commanders Backfield in 2025?
Remember when I mentioned the Commanders finished fourth in the league in rushing in 2024? Well, the reason they could be in the market for a back like Dobbins is because QB Jayden Daniels led the team in rushing with 891 yards last season. When you add the context that Daniels was battling through a rib injury in the middle portion of the schedule, then you could make a strong case the RB room could use a little extra juice entering 2025.
When looking objectively at the Commanders’ backfield, one can say it is currently absent of a feature back.
Brian Robinson Jr. has rushed for over 700 yards all three years of his NFL career. Nice stat, right?
Well, Brian Robinson Jr. has never rushed for over 800 yards in any of his three years in the NFL.
Whether you want to look at Robinson’s production optimistically or pessimistically, his floor and ceiling as a leading ball carrier feels established at this point in his career.
Adding Dobbins would make sense for a couple of reasons.
First, Dobbins has been the more explosive and efficient ball carrier between these two players during their NFL careers.
Second, if Dobbins’ durability concerns come back to bite him again in 2025, then you know you have a quality alternative option in Robinson ready to go.
If the price is right, then adding Dobbins could be a nice addition to the Commanders’ rushing attack in 2025.
