One player — Brian Robinson Jr. — is coming off a single-game career high in rushing yards, while another player — Austin Ekeler — leads the Washington Commanders in receiving yards.
So which running back is the better choice for Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals? Let’s examine the fantasy outlook for each player.
Should You Start Brian Robinson Jr. or Austin Ekeler This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, PFN’s Consensus Rankings say that Robinson is the player to start. His projected 12.4 points include 61 rushing yards, two receptions, and 19 receiving yards.
That stat line narrowly outperforms the consensus for Ekeler (9.2 points, 25 rush yards, two receptions, 18 receiving yards).
My ranking for these two Commanders running backs aligns with the consensus. While Ekeler can provide value with his receiving skills, Robinson remains the main man in the Commanders’ backfield and appears to fit in well with Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.
Brian Robinson Jr.’s Week 3 Fantasy Outlook
After an inconsistent first two seasons in Washington, Robinson appears to be coming into his own in this new offense. In Week 1, he found the end zone and had 49 receiving yards, and last week against the New York Giants, Robinson ran for a career-high 133 yards in giving the Commanders their first win of the season.
The addition of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has made this team more focused on the running game early on this season. Washington had the fewest rush attempts in the NFL last season (21.1 rush attempts per game), but so far in 2024, they rank fifth (32.5).
But they aren’t all going to Robinson, as Daniels only has three fewer rush attempts this season (26) than Robinson (29).
Still, Robinson is averaging 16.5 touches per game after two weeks, an increase from a season ago (14.3). And he’s making the most of his opportunities, as his 6.0 yards per carry average is the second highest in the league among running backs with at least 20 total carries.
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One more unusual aspect of Robinson’s production that probably should not be overlooked is his home and road splits. In his career, 10 of Robinson’s 13 career touchdowns have come on the road, including all eight career rushing touchdowns.
Austin Ekeler’s Week 3 Fantasy Outlook
While Robinson is the clear-cut No.1 running back for Washington, Ekeler appears to be a big part of the Commanders’ offensive scheme. He was on the field for 53% of the Commanders’ offensive snaps in Week 1 and 43% of the snaps last week.
And while he doesn’t get much of a chance to carry the ball — 10 total carries in two games — Ekeler’s pass-catching skills are not to be ignored. His 99 receiving yards not only leads the Commanders, but they are the second-most in the NFL among running backs.
Fantasy managers are no doubt well aware of what Ekeler brings to the table. His 2,307 receiving yards over the last five seasons are the most among all running backs.
And, given that the rookie Daniels is under center, dumping passes off to running backs and tight ends is likely by design. Advantage Ekeler, for fantasy managers.
Still, Robinson is tough to pick against between these two. He’s on the field more often and is clearly enjoying being a part of this new offense.