When you think of second-year running backs in fantasy football you think of Jonathan Taylor, De’Andre Swift, J.K. Dobbins, etc. All running backs that, coming into the 2020 season, were very hyped up by the fantasy community and likely went in the top 5 in 1QB dynasty rookie drafts. Antonio Gibson, however, was overlooked last summer and likely was going in the late-second of rookie drafts and no one really knew what to expect from a player that only had 77 total touches in college.
Embed from Getty ImagesCut to a year later and there are some people that have him inside their top 12 running backs for the 2021 season. So the question is, can Antonio Gibson have over 1,200 total yards from scrimmage in 2021, and the answer for me is a resounding yes. And here is why:
First, he had over 1,000 total yards last season with a combination of Dewayne Haskins, Kyle Allen, and Alex Smith at quarterback. Defenses had no reason to fear the passing game as Haskins was a train wreck at QB, Allen barely played after getting hurt, and Alex Smith rarely threw the ball deep down the field. Despite that, Gibson averaged a healthy 4.7 yards per carry on 170 carries in 2020. The Washington Football team seem ready to commit to him as their lead back, and head coach Ron Rivera famously comp’ed him to Christian McCaffrey–whom he coached in Carolina.
Second, his work in the passing game separates him from some other RBs. In fact, in college he was listed and played wide receiver — even tested as a wide receiver at the combine. He knows basic route combinations and has a knack for getting open. Truthfully, 1,200 yards is probably the floor for him in 2021, barring injury. I have his projection right around 1,500 yards for the season in what should be an improved offense with Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB.
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