Team news: Washington Commanders | Page 8

Ron Rivera on if RB Antonio Gibson will be the team's top kick returner this season: "You still need to see some more stuff, but you know, I think he is. I do. I think he's done a nice job.”

Related players: Brian Robinson, J.D. McKissic

Rivera added he's seen Gibson get "more and more comfortable" on KRs. Fortier's tweets went on to quote Rivera: “When you watch it on tape, you see him circling the ball, getting under it, making a good catch. It's something he did well in college, and we're pretty excited having him do it.”

We first got wind of Gibson returning kicks as what some who follow the team deemed a punishment for a key fumble in a preseason game. He was also working with the third team but did get first team reps eventually. There is always a fear of additional injury when returning kicks, but it seems like the Commanders feel comfortable with rookie running back Brian Robinson's development this summer and he could be in store for a significant workload.

RB Isaiah Spiller (ankle) will miss the final preseason game and there is “a chance” he’ll miss the season opener Week 1 against the Raiders, Brandon Staley said.

Related players: Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Larry Rountree

Kelley, according to several reports, is ahead of everyone in terms of the RB2 role, so this will likely solidify that situation. Ekeler will get a bulk of the work and Rountree could see some snaps as well until Spiller gets back. Spiller could climb into the RB2 role eventually, but for now that will be Kelley.

The Chiefs say TE Blake Bell (hip), DE Carlos Dunlap, CB Rashad Fenton (groin), RB Derrick Gore (thumb), OL Lucas Niang (knee) and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) will not practice today.

That means WR Mecole Hardman and DT Chris Jones should be back to work.

Related players: Skyy Moore, Justin Watson, Josh Gordon

We already have Moore listed third on the depth chart in terms of fantasy. Hardman is expected to open as the team's WR3 but it's likely only a matter of time before Moore passes him and is the more fantasy-relevant option.

Washington activated TE Logan Thomas from the Active/Physically Unable to Perform List.

Related players: John Bates

Now it will be a race to get ready for Week 1. Thomas had a nice year in 2020 before getting hurt in 2021. He caught 72 balls for 670 yards and six TDs. A lot of that production came over the final five weeks, including catches of 9, 6, 13 and 7 from Weeks 12-15. He also collected 44 of his 110 targets during that four-week span. Obviously he was poised for a huge year in 2021 before tearing his ACL. The potential is still there for 2022, assuming he can get back up to speed. He'll have some late-round value as a TE2 with TE1 potential if things go right. If he's not ready, Bates would be next up.

Per the article, "At this point, Kmet is the No. 2 pass-catching option in the Bears offense behind No. 1 receiver Darnell Mooney. Fields trusts him, but so does [offensive coordinator Luke] Getsy."

Related Players: Equanimeous St. Brown, Byron Pringle, Velus Jones

It's not as if the team has many other options, but regardless, finding a tight end with a legitimate target floor is difficult to find in fantasy. Cole Kmet was involved in the screen game during the Bears' second preseason game, an area of the field that he was not utilized in during the last coaching regime; his four targets on screens in 2021 ranked 25th amongst NFL tight ends.

Standig remarks that Carson Wentz has displayed more chemistry with Jahan Dotson than any other wide receiver in camp.

Related Players: Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Dyami Brown

This isn't to say that Terry McLaurin isn't the unquestioned number one on this team, but it's a good sign that the 16th-overall pick would seem to be the for sure second option in the Washington passing game. Dotson also seems to be the favorite to be the primary punt returner, if you're looking for a tiebreaker and another option late in drafts.

Joshua Kelley started Saturday’s preseason game against the Rams and had a really efficient game, totaling 44 yards from scrimmage on six touches. In Tuesday’s practice, Kelley continued to get the most first-team work of the three running backs vying for the second running back spot behind Austin Ekeler — Larry Rountree III, rookie Isaiah Spiller and Kelley.

Seems like a bit of an upset fi Kelley comes away with the job, especially with the rookie Spiller garnering a lot of post-NFL Draft hype. Ekeler is ranked fourth on our RB list so he'll get a bulk of the work out of the backfield, especially in the passing game. But the team will have a need for a between-the-tackles-type runner. For Ekeler owners, this is a battle to keep an eye on throughout camp. For the record, the story said the team is happy with Spiller's development to this point.

OC Scott Turner on RB Antonio Gibson's fumbles: "You can't waste a possession; if you fumble the ball that's a waste of a possession. The first job is to protect the ball. It's something that has to be fixed."

Related players: J.D. McKissic, Brian Robinson

Gibson had a big fumble in preseason Week 1. Reports Tuesday said Gibson was working with the punt return and third teams - seemingly as punishment. Other reports said Gibson eventually returned to first team work. However the rookie Robinson has had a good camp, and with McKissic back in the fold, there is some pressure for Gibson to show some improvement sooner than later this summer.

Austin Ekeler, Larry Rountree and Joshua Kelley all got work at running back with the first-team offense. Isaiah Spiller continues to play primarily with the second and third teams.

Related players: Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Larry Rountree

The story added Spiller is starting to show the physical play. We have Spiller second on the team's depth chart behind Ekeler, and it's the physical, between the tackles runs that should get him to the point where he's a possible one-two punch with Ekeler.

When it comes to running backs with the Chiefs’ first team, it’s been Clyde Edwards-Helaire taking the first rep almost every series.

Related players: Jerick McKinnon, Isiah Pacheco, Ronald Jones, Derrick Gore

The tweet went on to say McKinnon has usually been the next up with Pacheco, Jones and Gore mixing in from time to time. It's obviously not great news for Jones, but we're still early in the game as far as camp goes.