Ian’s Redskins roster prediction: Surprises at receiver, offensive tackle

Running Back (4)

Adrian Peterson, Derrius Guice, Antonio Gibson, J.D. McKissic

My running back group matches up with Jacob’s. I just heard the collective groan of the Bryce Love truthers, so let me explain my decision real quick.

These four are fairly easy choices for me. Adrian Peterson is a dependable veteran and mentor figure. Derrius Guice is an underrated talent who’s flashed when healthy. Antonio Gibson is the team’s third-round rookie, whom they’re very excited to use, and J.D. McKissic is another versatile player, whom Scott Turner has name-dropped when talking about the running backs.

Peterson and Guice make the roster by virtue of their security and talent, while Gibson and McKissic both possess the versatility that Scott Turner is on the record craving. After these four, there’s a drop-off to me, and while I could pick five, I chose not to, as running backs are generally easier to replace midseason if necessary.

Bryce Love remains off my list. Why? Well, for starters, he was sidelined all last year with an injury, still rehabbing from an ACL tear. He undoubtedly had explosive straight-line burst before his ACL tear, but we haven’t seen him play since. If Love was a more versatile back, I’d have less reservations, but he wasn’t a consistently effective receiver in college.

If Love comes back with less explosion, then his hallmark trait no longer exists. And in a running back group with several former starters and an athletic rookie, in a short offseason, Love being able to make an impression seems doubtful.