Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Brian Robinson Jr.

Monday, September 22, 12:34 PM

Although Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. wasn't all that efficient (3.5 yards per carry) in his 2025 debut in the team's 41-24 blowout win over the visiting Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, he did lead the team with 11 carries. Rodriguez was a healthy scratch the first two weeks, but he was elevated to the active roster for Week 3 after Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles in Week 2. The 24-year-old ran for 39 yards on his 11 carries and was not utilized in the passing game. Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt was second on the team with eight carries, and he, too, was inefficient with just 26 yards on the ground. Jeremy McNichols and quarterback Marcus Mariota combined for 10 rushing attempts and two touchdowns against the Raiders. Croskey-Merritt has the most upside in the Commanders' backfield moving forward with Ekeler done for the year, but Rodriguez is worth a waiver-wire pickup if you have JCM rostered or are looking for RB depth. Rodriguez is currently rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.

Monday, November 10, 3:12 PM

San Francisco 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr. saw a limited workload in Sunday's matchup against the Rams, but was highly efficient in the loss. On the field for only 14 offensive snaps, Robinson took eight carries for 41 yards and a touchdown. Over the past two weeks, he has turned 13 carries into 94 yards and two scores. While not seeing nearly enough usage to be a reliable fantasy asset, Robinson remains one of the most important insurance backs in the league. Should Christian McCaffrey miss time or cede any work down the stretch, Robinson has proven more than capable in Kyle Shanahan's running back-friendly offense. Robinson should be rostered in all leagues for the league-winning upside he represents, but he's also proven that he has just enough standalone value to be plugged into the flex in a pinch.