Antonio Gibson fumbles, continues playing with second-string offense in Week 1 NFL preseason

The Washington Commanders opened the preseason against the Carolina Panthers on Saturday and running back Antonio Gibson had a rough afternoon at home. The third-year back struggled mightily while rookie Brian Robinson Jr. may be in the process of leapfrogging him on the depth chart.

We’ll comb over their performances below.

Week 1 preseason stats

Gibson had four carries for just two yards and a fumble on Saturday. He also caught one target for two yards in the exhibition.

Meanwhile, Robinson showed out with six carries for 26 yards and a touchdown on the ground. He also caught two targets for 15 yards.

Analysis

Gibson may be in serious danger of losing his job as RB1 in Washington based on Saturday’s game. He continued to get reps with the second-team offense in the contest and that’s not a good sign for him moving forward. His fumble also occurred in their own territory and it led directly to the Panthers’ offense getting an easy touchdown in the red zone.

The third-year back led all non-quarterbacks in fumbles last year with six and that’s something that head coach Ron Rivera will certainly take into consideration.

Fantasy implications

Gibson’s fantasy stock took a major hit this afternoon as the Commanders are clearly reconsidering his role as their starting tailback. Meanwhile, Robinson has suddenly emerged as a potential steal in drafts if he continues to rise up the ranks over the next few weeks.