Who Should I Start? Breece Hall or Brian Robinson Jr.

Tuesday, July 1, 1:52 PM

New York Jets running back Breece Hall has had a turbulent start to his NFL career. The first ball carrier selected in the 2022 NFL Draft (No. 36 overall) suffered a torn ACL in Week 7 of his rookie campaign after an excellent start. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry and 11.5 yards per reception on 99 total touches. He has flashed upside in his last two campaigns, but New York's offensive environment with Zach Wilson or Aaron Rodgers was not conducive to high-level production, and he's averaged fewer than 4.6 yards per carry since the start of his sophomore campaign. Heading into Year 4, Hall is determined to put his name back in the "high-end" running back discussion. "Just proving that I'm still the guy and still one of the best in the league," Hall said. "Just trying to go out there every weekend and prove that I deserve to be out there." While quarterback Justin Fields has plenty of question marks as a passer, his rushing skill set could open running lanes for Hall behind a potentially improved Jets offensive line. New York's coaching staff has hinted at a split backfield with second-year pro Braelon Allen, but Hall should continue to be viewed as the starter for Gang Green. That said, Fields likely won't target running backs often in the passing game based on his previous trends.

Monday, June 2, 5:42 PM

Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury noted via the team's transcript last week that running back Brian Robinson Jr.'s focus this offseason has been "great." "Yeah, he's been really focused," said Kingsbury. "B-Rob's a guy who has played an incredibly high level....He knows what this year means to him and can mean to us when he plays at that level." The Commanders invested in their offense heavily this offseason -- fortifying their offensive front and the weapons around budding superstar Jayden Daniels. However, the running back room went essentially unchanged aside from the addition of seventh-round teammate Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Backfield mate Austin Ekeler will siphon away some touches, but the Alabama product should receive strong volume this season. It will be interesting to see how the team deploys Deebo Samuel Sr., but if he doesn't absorb too many carries, Robinson Jr. should provide decent value.