Commanders insider drops bubble-bursting theory on Week 1 backfield battle

The Washington Commanders' running back dynamic is more uncertain than ever after trading Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers. Adam Peters flipped the script entirely, and it's brought questions about what strategy Kliff Kingsbury will implement when the real action begins.

All the hype has centered on seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Chris Rodriguez Jr. is also gaining significant momentum at the right time, but a team insider questioned whether both would be active in Week 1 against the New York Giants.

That would dent the positivity generated over the summer. But if head coach Dan Quinn believes it's the right thing to do, he won't hesitate to make the tough choices needed.

Commanders might only activate three running backs in Week 1

Zach Selby from the team's website didn't completely rule out the possibility of all four running backs being active at Northwest Stadium to begin the campaign. He also thought veteran Jeremy McNichols' prowess on special teams could leave the Commanders deciding between Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt for the third spot.

I don't think Austin Ekeler will ever be inactive outside of injury, so if they keep three available, it could come down to whether the team thinks Chris Rodriguez Jr. or Jacory Croskey-Merritt can do what [Jeremy] McNichols does on special teams. Both players have become fan favorites, and as much as I know people want to see them play, I could see either of them being inactive on Sunday.Zach Selby

This would be a bubble bursting for the fan base if either Rodriguez or Croskey-Merritt is inactive for Week 1. After all their hard work over the summer, it's arguably the least they deserve. But the Commanders also value McNichols' leadership and special-teams production, even if his limitations are obvious when carries come his way.

It's a nice problem for the Commanders to have. They have two experienced players in Austin Ekeler and McNichols. They also boast two explosive young backfield threats capable of offering something a little bit different.

Kingsbury will probably deploy a committee approach, so activating all four seems entirely feasible. At the same time, that spot could be used for another position group that isn't perceived to be as strong.

The options are endless. Things might become clearer the closer Washington gets to kick-off time, but it would be extremely disappointing for fans if Rodriguez or Croskey-Merritt weren't in contention for carries in a competitive regular-season environment.

If one of them does miss out, it's not the end of the world. The Commanders will need them as the campaign progresses, even if they'll be striving to make an instant impression after working so tirelessly to enhance their fortunes.