Antonio Gibson 2022 Fantasy Outlook is Sinking Fast With Brian Robinson Kicking Down the Commanders’ RB1 Door

B-Rob is comin' for that RB1 job.

Ah, Antonio Gibson. How far the mighty have fallen. Two seasons ago we called him a potential ‘league winner‘ and just last season we were drooling over his three-down upside as Ron Rivera’s next Christian McCaffrey. Now, after a disappointing start to the 2022 preseason, he’s taking third-string snaps and even worse, the punt team.

Yes, we can all now refer to him as Gunner Gibson.

Our guy Chase touched on the Commanders’ competitive backfield after the team drafted Alabama running back Brian Robinson. But, no one knew it would only take a few weeks for the rookie to make serious noise. Well, outside of our friend of the program, former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, who projected Robinson as this year’s Elijah Mitchell on the Fantasy Fullback Dive podcast.

Oh, and me when our great partner PrizePicks listed Gibson’s total rushing yards future at 1,050 yards back in May (click for a 100% first deposit match up to $100 for first-time users). BTW, you should’ve tailed back then because it dropped down to 850.5 in July and now it’s off the board over at PrizePicks.

This right here is my favorite play on the PrizePicks board. We’ve been huge Antonio Gibson guys, but 2022 will not be his year. Sure, Gibson is coming off a career year where he rushed for 1,037 yards on 258 carries (4.0 YPC) and caught 42 balls for 294 yards. However, the team re-signed JD McKissic and then added Alabama RB Brian Robinson Jr. to create a three-headed committee.

“He’s going to add very nicely to what we have with Antonio Gibson in terms of a one-two punch,” Rivera said about Robinson. “A lot of success that I’ve been around, a lot of success that I’ve had as a head coach, was a lot to do with having a quality one-two punch.”

Barring health, it appears that Gibson and Robinson will split early-down duties, while McKissic will own third down. Smash this under before it’s taken off the board.

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN DC?

If you’ve been living under a rock, Gibson is currently locked inside Rivera’s dog house and there’s a chance he won’t get let out any time soon. Some of it is self-inflicted and some of it is JD McKissic’s third-down expertise mixed with Robinson’s very strong training camp and subsequent preseason performance.

“I thought Brian showed us why we drafted him,” said Rivera.“And that’s the downhill, physical presence on the inside.”

Robinson led the three main running backs with eight touches on 11 snaps, highlighted by 41 total yards, two receptions, and a score. Gibson had four carries on five snaps and finished with a fumble and a measly two yards.

Following Gibson’s fumble, Robinson took over and never looked back. It’s clear Rivera and OC Scott Turner are sick of Gibson’s fumbling issues that continue to plague his young career.

“One of the first things we talk about when we get together as an offense when training camp started is protect the football,” Turner said. “We can’t waste possessions. If you fumble the ball, that’s a waste of possession. That’s a ball carrier’s first job. To protect the ball. We can’t have that. (Antonio) knows that. I’m not saying anything to you guys that hasn’t already been said to Antonio.”

The preseason game also showcased Robinson’s sneaky three-down skill-set. He’s mostly known as a touchdown-scoring bruiser, but Nick Saban’s former workhorse caught 35 balls during his final season. He ran five routes and caught both of his targets during his preseason debut.

“I feel like I can really catch the ball,” Robinson said. “Even though most people wouldn’t think that’s part of my skill set, I continue to show that I can catch the ball. I was just happy I got the chance to do that.”

SUMMARY

Right now, the Commanders’ backfield has committee written all over it. They have the slasher in Gibson, the pass-catcher in McKissic, and the bruiser in Robinson. But, there’s a legitimate chance it’ll be Robinson and McKissic’s backfield as the season wears on — making the Alabama product a potential league-winner at a dirt cheap price tag.

“I could tell right when he got [here] he was going to be a good player,” OT Charles Leno said about Robinson. “We could definitely use him, and he does a really good job for us.”

Underdog Fantasy best ball drafters are currently selecting Robinson at RB50 and 156 overall. Meanwhile, Gibson is still being drafted at RB26 and 84 overall. Meaning, you should use promo code RSJ or click the link for a 100% first deposit match up to $100 at Underdog Fantasy. It’s truly the easiest and best way to sharpen your fantasy skills with season-long best ball tournaments.

Robinson checks in at RB45 (+14 vs ECR) on The Wolf’s 2022 Fantasy Rankings, while Gibson has plummeted to RB32 (-9).

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