Deebo Samuel, Commanders
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Wide receiver Deebo Samuel of the Washington Commanders.
The Washington Commanders have already shaken up the running back room significantly this summer, and more quirks are coming.
Washington made national news when it announced that it was putting Brian Robinson Jr. on the trade block. The Commanders made a deal with the San Francisco 49ers on August 24, sending the fourth-year back to the Bay Area in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick.
It wasn’t the only time in recent memory that the two sides did business together, either. Washington sent San Francisco a fifth-round selection in exchange for wide receiver Deebo Samuel back in March.
Ironically, the trade of Robinson over the weekend is in some ways connected to the deal for Samuel more than five months before, as Dan Graziano of ESPN predicted Wednesday that the Commanders will utilize Samuel as a regular part of their rushing attack.
“I don’t think it’ll be exactly like it was in San Francisco in 2021, when Samuel was getting six, seven carries per game and occasionally even serving as the team’s primary running back. But Washington’s coaches believe Samuel can be a factor when lined up in the backfield, and they’ll be looking for ways to get him touches,” Graziano wrote. “Remember that Wes Welker, who is on the Commanders’ staff as a personnel analyst, was the 49ers’ wide receivers coach for the first three years of Samuel’s career and has a strong relationship with him — and a pretty good idea of how to get the best out of him. Over six seasons, Samuel has 202 rushes for 1,143 yards and 20 TDs.”
Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt Likely to Assume RB1 Role After Commanders Traded Brian Robinson Jr.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders
GettyRunning back Jacory Croskey-Merritt of the Washington Commanders.
Working Samuel into the rotation is going to add to what is already one of the more versatile rushing attacks in the NFL.
While veteran Austin Ekeler is likely to see action, particularly as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, he carried the football just 77 times last year in 12 games played. And after trading Robinson to the Niners, it appears that seventh-round rookie Jacoby Croskey-Merritt is in line to handle the bulk of the offense’s designed runs.
Croskey-Merritt has subsequently become one of the fastest risers in fantasy football drafts as the regular season approaches. He hasn’t gotten a ton of work in the preseason, with just 18 carries for 70 yards and one touchdown.
Still, the rookie running back should see considerable action starting Week 1, when Washington opens its season at home against the New York Giants on Sunday, September 7.
Jayden Daniels Adds Extra Element to Commanders’ Run Game
Jayden Daniels
GettyQuarterback Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders.
The final unique element of the Commanders’ rushing attack is quarterback and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels.
Daniels finished last season with 891 rushing yards and six TDs on 148 carries (6.0 yards per attempt). He is likely to run a similar amount in 2025, and will do so as both a scrambler and as part of designed run plays.
Daniels’ rushing ability and overall versatility under center also helped the Commanders offense convert on a whopping 87 percent of their fourth-down tries in 2024.