Can Antonio Gibson Be The Answer In The Washington Backfield?
The Washington Football Team continues to have one of the crazier off seasons of any team in the NFL. With the latest news of Derrius Guice being released from the team following domestic violence charges, Antonio Gibson is the new hot name mentioned on Twitter. He’s discussed as the guy to replace Guice in the Washington offense. Gibson was drafted in the third round out of Memphis. In college, Gibson played a majority of his snaps at wide receiver. Although he lacks experience rushing the ball, Washington felt his explosiveness and play making ability was worth the 66th overall pick.
Related | Antonio Gibson: 2020 Dynasty Rookie Profile
The Human Highlight Reel
Antonio Gibson didn’t get RB snaps until midway through his breakout senior season at Memphis. He was also a deadly kick returner for them averaging 27.0 yards per return. In limited action, he rushed 33 times at an average of 11.2 yards per carry and scored four TD’s with another eight receiving TD’s. Gibson ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine, which is incredibly impressive for a guy that is 6-0, 228-pounds. He has drawn comparisons to Joe Mixon and Christian McCaffrey for his catching abilities and athleticism. Once he gets in the open field, he’s a hard guy to tackle, making every touch a potential touchdown.
The Washington Football Team still has a crowded backfield, despite Guice no longer being with the team. Adrian Peterson is still producing, and Bryce Love will look to compete for touches. Washington finished last in points per game, and second to last in yards per game last season. With new head coach Ron Rivera coming in, Washington looks to overhaul the offense with second-year quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Rivera hired new offensive coordinator Scott Turner this offseason. Turner will look to bring his pass heavy style with him to Washington.
RB Committee?
What does this mean for Antonio Gibson and the Washington backfield? The way I see it, he’s the direct beneficiary of this pass heavy offense based solely on his pass catching abilities. It will be interesting to see how Washington decides to use him. At this point in his career, Peterson is not expected to shoulder the load. Gibson could see a mix of pass catching downs, as well as sets in the slot. With Terry McLaurin being the only explosive weapon on this subpar offense, Gibson will have plenty of opportunities to get on the field. His value will depend largely on his ability to produce consistently.
Fantasypros.com currently has him as RB#50 in PPR formats and #152 overall. The price for Gibson is trending up, however, due to the Guice news. The fantasy football community loves to overreact to players, so we should be careful where we take him. He’s still raw and will need to learn the RB position before he can be trusted in that offense. There is upside, but you don’t want to reach for a guy that had 33 carries in his college career. For now, he is going to be dependent on breakout plays. I would avoid him in standard formats, because most of his value comes as a pass catcher.
