With Brian Robinson Out, Commanders RB Antonio Gibson Gets Second Chance

Gibson returns to RB1 status.

The Washington Commanders running back situation continues to change.

At the beginning of the preseason, Antonio Gibson appeared to be the starter, fresh off of a 1,000-yard rushing season, while third-round rookie Brian Robinson Jr. was set to be the second-stringer.

However, those roles began to change after the first preseason game. In the preseason opener, Gibson fumbled in the first half while Robinson scored the team's first touchdown of the year.

In the team's second game against the Chiefs, Robinson began taking reps with the first-team, while Gibson played with the backups and saw action on special teams. This indicated that Robinson became the de facto starting running back in Washington ... but that all changed this past weekend.

Robinson was shot twice in the knee in an attempted robbery. He was sent to the hospital and thankfully dodged any career of life-threatening injuries. As devastating as the injury is, the Commanders still have to play football this season, which begins a week from Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Robinson was placed on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) List, which will keep him out for at least the first four games. While the door has closed for Robinson to be the Week 1 starter, Gibson's opportunity to regain that starting spot is wide open.

The third-year running back can play with a chip on his shoulder knowing there is a very capable player ready to take those reps behind him, but he has an opportunity to reclaim the job that was his to begin with.

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