Zane Gonzalez and 4 Commanders entering the last chance saloon after the bye
By Dean Jones
Jeremy McNichols - Commanders RB
Jeremy McNichols has performed well when called upon this season. The veteran running back was never going to unseat the preferred backfield tandem of Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler. What the Washington Commanders wanted to see was dependability in the event of injury or poor production.
That's an objective McNichols has achieved successfully overall. Robinson and Ekeler have both missed time on the health front at stages of the campaign. McNichols took up the mantle and ensured no momentum was lost.
That will be needed after the bye. Ekeler is on injured reserve with a serious concussion and might not play again this season. Robinson is dealing with an ankle problem but is fighting through the pain. The Commanders can take the heat off by deploying McNichols more — a stable presence averaging five yards per carry from 50 touches this season.
What makes this a high-stakes situation for McNichols is Chris Rodriguez Jr.'s impressive showings when given the chance this season. Looking at how things stand right now, it could be a straight fight between the pair to see who comes back next spring.
Dyami Brown - Commanders WR
Hopes were high that Dyami Brown could become more impactful in 2024. The Commanders gave him another shot despite things looking bleak for the wide receiver. His starring efforts throughout the summer left many to speculate that things were finally starting to click under the new regime.
Unfortunately for Brown, the same trend continued when competitive action commenced. The former third-round pick has been used sparingly in the passing game. There are flashes of promise, but offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury prefers to allocate targets elsewhere.
This is extremely disappointing from Brown's standpoint, especially considering the Commanders aren't blessed with much consistency in the wideout room aside from Pro Bowl pass-catcher Terry McLaurin. His 74.1 percent catch success rate is a significant improvement on anything he's displayed in previous seasons. Something that Kingsbury might want to utilize more down the stretch.
It's also worth noting that Brown has a career-high in receiving yards from just 27 targets — 20 of which he's brought in successfully. The North Carolina product must maximize every opportunity that comes his way after the bye to stand any chance of an extended stay.
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