3 storylines to watch in Commanders preseason opener vs Panthers

2. Commanders RB Rotation

Antonio Gibson will presumably start the game for Washington, but he was limited to start training camp with a hamstring injury so don’t expect him to get a ton of snaps. The same can be said for JD McKissic, who’s missed a few practices here and there. Behind him, however, we’re eager to see how the snaps are divided between Brian Robinson, Jaret Patterson and Jonathan Williams.

Do Robinson and Gibson split snaps with the starters? Or does the rookie third-rounder merely handle his own set of series?

Additionally, Williams was listed third on the Commanders’ first depth chart over Patterson. Williams flashed down the stretch of last season, whereas Patterson made the 53-man roster as a UDFA after a strong preseason.

The coaching staff clearly thinks highly of both running backs, so their chances of making the team could be contingent on their preseason performance. In other words, Williams and Patterson face pressure to perform Saturday.