Perhaps an overlooked and underrated member of the phenomenal Washington Commanders team that shocked the NFL last year is Brian Robinson Jr. The former Alabama running back put up career-best numbers on the ground in 2024 to help his team reach the NFC Championship game.
In a contract year, Robinson has been backed for another big year by Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury ahead of the 2025 season.
Brian Robinson Jr. Earns Kliff Kingsbury’s Praise as Commanders Find Offensive Spark
The 2024 season was one of rebranding for the Commanders, as the team went from mismanaged strugglers to NFC contenders, seemingly overnight. Much of that was down to the outstanding contribution of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who lit up the league in his first season.
Daniels’ otherworldly ability with his legs complemented Robinson wonderfully, as the two players were a constant thorn in the side of opposing defenses. Robinson tallied 799 rushing yards, two more than his previous best, while his eight rushing touchdowns were also a career-high.
Six of those touchdowns came in the player’s first six games of the season, suggesting that the player will be looking to get stronger down the stretch this year. Kingsbury noted the strong start that Robinson made last year, before emphasizing his importance to the team moving forward.
MAMA THERE GOES THAT MAN!!
BRIAN ROBINSON JR. 40-YARD TOUCHDOWN pic.twitter.com/koE9JO7q0Y
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) December 1, 2024
“The biggest thing that came out of last year, I think, was that any of the guys that we asked to go in and play played at a really high level,” Kingsbury said. “B-Rob’s a guy who has played an incredibly high level. I thought early in the year, when he was really healthy, he was what we expect him to be, and the focus this offseason has been great. He knows what this year means to him and can mean to us when he plays at that level.”
As anticipation builds for the new season, Robinson stands at the forefront of the Commanders’ ambitions.
Robinson To Lead Washington’s Backfield Again in 2025
While his team may be fully aware of his talents, Robinson will have a point to prove in 2025, with a new contract on the line. A first 1,000-yard season would be a great platform for the player to begin negotiations next year, but what are the chances of a significant step up for the player?
The backfield will likely remain the same as it was in 2024, with Austin Ekeler in line to dominate the receiving work. The Commanders did draft former Arizona running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the seventh round of April’s draft. The rookie, though, is coming off a 2024 season in which he played just one game due to eligibility concerns.
That one game did result in 106 rushing yards and a score, while his East-West Shrine Bowl performance (11 carries, 97 yards, two touchdowns) earned him the game’s MVP. Croskey-Merritt will be one to watch in Washington, but profiles as more of an explosive back, compared to Robinson’s power style.
The biggest shift for the Commanders’ offense, and possibly the biggest change for Robinson, is the addition of versatile receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. Samuel arrived via a trade from the San Francisco 49ers, where he made a name for himself as a dual-threat receiver.
Samuel’s ability to operate out of the backfield is more likely to impact Ekeler than it is Robinson, but more competition is rarely a good thing for a running back.
