Quarterback Jayden Daniels led the Washington Commanders with 891 yards last season. Running back Brian Robinson Jr. finished second on the team with 799 yards, but led the team with eight rushing touchdowns. After an offseason of rebuilding the offensive line, the Commanders do not expect Daniels to lead them in rushing in 2025.

What does Washington’s running back situation look like for this upcoming season? Well, it looks a lot like last season’s group, with one exception. We continue our training camp previews with a look at the Commanders’ running backs.

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Here’s a rundown of Washington’s backfield ahead of training camp.

Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury

Running backs coach/offensive run game coordinator: Anthony Lynn

Assistant head coach/pass game coordinator Brian Johnson

This is year four for Robinson. He has never rushed for 1,000 yards despite some promising stretches. Robinson’s NFL career got off to a tragic start when he was shot in the leg during an attempted robbery just before the 2022 season. Somehow, Robinson returned by Week 5 and had a solid rookie season. In 2023, then-offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy didn’t adequately use him, instead choosing to lead the NFL in passing attempts with an inexperienced quarterback. Last season, Robinson showed glimpses but was slowed by injuries. The Commanders believe the presence of Daniels and an improved offensive line could lead to a breakout season from Robinson.

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Ekeler is almost a starter. He plays on third downs and obvious passing downs. Ekeler was a big part of the offense last season when he was on the field. McNichols made the roster as a surprise last summer, but quickly paid dividends. The veteran does everything, including pass protection, and he helped the Commanders during some key moments last season. Rodriguez was cut and sent to the practice squad and back. Yet, he produced every time his number was called, including rushing for 94 rushing yards in a Week 13 win over the Titans. In a Week 9 win at New York, Rodriguez was called upon to help run the clock out, converting on several key runs late.

Allen is not a traditional back. He’s small and has played running back and wide receiver. He’ll need an outstanding camp to stick. Special teams is his best chance. Croskey-Merritt is a rookie with expectations, despite being a seventh-round pick. A bogus eligibility issue cost him almost all of last season, which led to his fall in the draft. He will play. Wiley was a surprise last summer and stuck on the practice squad.

It’s Robinson’s show, but he does not have it locked down tight. Ekeler will remain a significant part of Washington’s backfield. It would seem likely that the Commanders carry four running backs. If so, does McNichols or Rodriguez nail down the final spot? That’s assuming Croskey-Merritt makes it, which is likely. McNichols is a valuable role player, but Rodriguez is excellent late in games because he runs with power, good pad level and vision. An improved offensive line should help this position.

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This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders training camp preview: Running back