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Washington Football Team Week 1 Reality Checks

By Tim Payne

LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 15: Chase Roullier #73 of the Washington football team prepares to snap the ball off to Dwayne Haskins #7 during the second half of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at FedExField on December 15, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 15: Chase Roullier #73 of the Washington football team prepares to snap the ball off to Dwayne Haskins #7 during the second half of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at FedExField on December 15, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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MOBILE, AL – JANUARY 25: Runningback Antonio Gibson #24 from Memphis of the South Team on a running play during the 2020 Resse’s Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 25, 2020 in Mobile, Alabama. The North Team defeated the South Team 34 to 17. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL – JANUARY 25: Runningback Antonio Gibson #24 from Memphis of the South Team on a running play during the 2020 Resse’s Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 25, 2020 in Mobile, Alabama. The North Team defeated the South Team 34 to 17. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

2. The Reality Is… Antonio Gibson is a rookie with 33 career carries at Memphis.

Antonio Gibson is flying up fantasy draft boards ever since Rivera cut Adrian Peterson. And that’s probably a good call. He’s clearly going to be featured in this offense. He’s got elite athleticism, and he’s the closest thing Washington has to filling the “C-Mac” role in Scott Turner’s offense.

But take a beat. He’s basically an athlete with the equivalent of two games of experience at running back. He’s not going to be carving up the stout Eagles’ defensive line from the traditional offset “I” formation.

Gibson will get his touches, and he’ll take his lumps. We have no idea if he can pass protect. We have no idea if he can handle getting popped by an NFL linebacker. I think he’s going to be really good. But I don’t think he’s going to have a “coming out party” on Sunday against Philadelphia.

My Prediction: McKissic and Gibson split touches and each end up with less than 75 total yards from scrimmage.

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