BREAKING: Struggling Commanders Starter Named Unlikely Breakout Candidate

Despite spending much of the offseason as a rumored trade candidate or someone expected to lose his role to a late-round draft pick, Brian Robinson Jr. still has at least one believer heading into the 2025 season.

Jacob Robinson of The Athletic recently named the Washington Commanders’ starting running back as the team’s potential breakout player — albeit with a key condition. “If healthy,” Robinson noted, “Washington’s lead runner could recapture his early-season form,” when he averaged 4.6 yards per carry through the first nine weeks of last season.

Brian Robinson Jr. Needs Breakout Season

It’s an optimistic take on a player who’s yet to fully prove himself as either powerful or explosive enough to break into the NFL’s top tier at the position. With 2025 marking a contract year, Robinson is under even more pressure — especially with a more dynamic rookie now competing for touches in the Commanders’ backfield.

If he can stay healthy and recapture that early spark, Robinson could surprise many. But given the circumstances, it’s a make-or-break season for Washington’s lead back.

It’s make-or-break time for Brian Robinson Jr. in Washington. Now 26, the Commanders’ starting running back has been steady but unspectacular through his first three NFL seasons.

Robinson owns a respectable 4.1 yards per carry average over that span, but he hasn’t distinguished himself in any particular area. He’s not a punishing, downhill bruiser who consistently breaks tackles, nor is he a home-run hitter with the speed to flip the field. As a result, the 2022 third-round pick increasingly resembles a complementary back rather than a true feature runner.

 

 

His biggest limitation? A lack of explosive playmaking — a flaw that has capped the overall effectiveness of Washington’s ground game.

Still, despite those concerns, Robinson hasn’t lost the faith of everyone in the building. Head coach Dan Quinn, for one, remains optimistic. According to The Washington Post’s Sam Fortier, Quinn praised Robinson’s performance in minicamp, calling him “really healthy” and pointing out his “speed and agility in one specific cut.”

Commanders Have Healthy Competition Brewing in Backfield

Whether that’s a sign of growth or just offseason optimism, one thing is clear: if Robinson is going to establish himself as a true RB1, it has to happen in 2025.

 

When a seventh-round draft pick at your position is already generating breakout buzz, you know the pressure is on — and Brian Robinson Jr. is well aware. Jacory Croskey-Merritt has turned heads this offseason with an impressive start, adding another layer of competition to an already critical year for Robinson.

To his credit, the veteran hasn’t shied away from the challenge. In fact, Robinson has responded exactly the way coaches would hope. He reportedly “stood out in minicamp,” per Jacob Robinson of The Athletic, showing signs of renewed focus and urgency. Some of his top performances were even spotlighted by Scott Abraham of 7News DC, suggesting Robinson is doing everything he can to hold onto his role.

With Croskey-Merritt pushing hard and expectations mounting, Robinson will need to continue proving he belongs atop the depth chart — not just in camp, but when the games start to count.

Brian Robinson Jr. may feel confident in his standing, even going as far as to say Jacory Croskey-Merritt is “the only back who could unseat” him — but that perspective overlooks just how crowded and competitive the Commanders’ backfield has become.

Veteran Austin Ekeler, a proven dual-threat, has averaged 4.4 yards per carry over his career and remains one of the league’s top pass-catching running backs. Jeremy McNichols brings a similar skill set as a reliable option in the passing game, while Croskey-Merritt has flashed promise and explosiveness as an underrated late-round addition.

Then there’s Chris Rodriguez Jr., who brings the kind of between-the-tackles power that could make him a go-to option in short-yardage and goal-line situations — something Robinson hasn’t consistently excelled at.

The competition doesn’t stop at the running back room, either. With rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Deebo Samuel both capable of gashing defenses with their legs, the Commanders have multiple ways to generate production on the ground. That versatility means they don’t need to lean on Robinson to carry the full load.

Ultimately, Washington looks poised to embrace a true backfield committee in 2025 — one that thrives on variety and situational matchups, rather than relying on a single featured back. If Robinson wants to remain a key part of that equation, he’ll need to prove he can offer more than just steady, middle-of-the-pack production.