“What if” everything breaks right for the 2020 Redskins?
By Tim Meek
No. 3 – Redskins rushing attack becomes a Top 16 unit
Do you still need a strong rushing attack in this air it out era of the NFL? The answer is complicated and often skewed by teams with QB’s that get out of the pocket and eat up yards on the ground. Examples like Baltimore and Houston in recent years fit that criteria. Last season’s Super Bowl-winning Chiefs ranked 22nd in the league, just ahead of the Redskins, who ranked 23rd. However, out of the 12 playoff teams last year, 10 of them ranked in the top half of the league in rushing, so it’s still important.
Is it realistic for the Redskins to become a Top 16 rushing attack? Absolutely! Although the running back room is crowded, it’s also very talented. The biggest “what if” of the group is Guice. If he could stay healthy, the Redskins not only have a valuable player, but also a guy who could become the face of the franchise with his charismatic personality.
Bryce Love is the unknown that could also become a “what if”. Again, injuries and his ability to recover remain his question-mark.
A player that certainly has no question-marks is Adrian Peterson. He’s proven to be durable and reliable.
The player fans should be most excited about is Antonio Gibson. He’s the Redskins third-round playmaker out of Memphis. What if the Redskins are able to get him on the field and create mismatches like the Chiefs and Patriots have done for years with various players? Gibson could prove to be a difference maker, the type of impact player that can change the entire dynamic of an offense and make the Redskins offense something opposing defenses fear.
While the Redskins may not have a RB on the roster that has Fantasy value, the group as a whole should be a strength with its depth and versatility.