Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera said that RBs Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic are poised to break out, according to Kyle Stackpole of WashingtonFootball.com.

Not much context was added to this, but both backs can catch the ball and will more than likely be in a negative game script against the Baltimore Ravens. Gibson was already a starter/flex option, so this could put McKissic on the flex radar in PPR leagues.

J.D. McKissic is listed as the No. 1 back with Antonio Gibson, Peyton Barber and Bryce Love lining up behind him.

As we've said numerous times, depth charts can't always be trusted and this could be a prime example. McKissic saw most of his playing time in passing situations while with the Seahawks and Lions, so there figures to be room for several backs to see playing time for Washington. Gibson, of course, has got a ton of press over the past several weeks, especially with the release of Adrian Peterson. Gibson will likely prove to be the player to watch over the long term and should end up being the back to own here.

In an interview with Josina Anderson, Adrian Peterson pointed out that rookie RB Antonio Gibson will be 'the guy' for Washington. "This system really fits him," Peterson told Anderson. "I feel like I can do that pony style too, more as a receiving back. We were all working on it, but they really want one main guy to do it and they drafted Gibson for it."

That rocket you see in the sky is Gibson's ADP rising after Peterson's conversation with Anderson. Gibson can flash as a pass catcher and could be league-winner if he figures out how to utilize his talent as a running back.

Antonio Gibson's official position as running back is nothing more than a formality. Offensive coordinator Scott Turner has experimented with the rookie all over the field in training camp. Gibson addressed the local media on Sunday, and the rookie explained he's thrilled by the different looks he's been getting in Turner's system.

"I’m actually loving it. This is probably the first time I’m not being limited to just doing a certain thing," Gibson said. "Usually it’s like, ‘Oh, he can do screens or jets and things like that.’ Here, he has me doing a lot. Power to receiver to jets to screens, all of that.

"It just makes it hard on the defense," Gibson continued. "I feel like I can help out the team there because it will always have guys confused."

Gibson gave a little hint about what he's been doing, which, is pretty much everything as the story said. Of course, we know by now how HC Ron Rivera has mentioned Gibson in the same breath as Christian McCaffrey so there is reason to be excited for potential fantasy owners.

“You can label Antonio Gibson as a running back, you can call him whatever you want,” Washington’s first-year OC Scott Turner said earlier this year. “But he played 80 percent of his snaps as a receiver in Memphis.”

So let’s delve into player comparisons. Many of the coaches on the Washington staff worked in Carolina last season. Would Christian McCaffrey be a comparable, at least stylistically?

“That’s fair,” Washington head coach Ron Rivera said excitedly on draft night. “He’s a little bit bigger than Christian, but he’s got a skill set like Christian.”

“He’s a Swiss army knife,” Washington VP of player personnel Kyle Smith said in April, shortly after Gibson’s selection in the third round. The team drafted Gibson as a running back, though he has spent time in the receiver room this summer, the story said, and played 80% of his snaps at WR in college. Gibson was never a high-volume player at Memphis and this year Washington may just take a simple approach with Gibson because of the pandemic and lack of time on the field. There is certainly a plan for Gibson but right now the team is mostly keeping that under wraps, the story said.

Adrian Peterson has been the starting running back for the duration of training camp, but third-round rookie Antonio Gibson has also received a fair amount of first-team reps.

Despite having just 33 career carries at Memphis, Gibson looks like a natural runner with a solid combination of speed and power. He also made a few receptions during Tuesday's session the story said. Peyton Barber has been receiving a lot of the second-team reps, while Bryce Love has also worked in with the twos as well as the threes. J.D. McKissic has worked with the starters and the reserves depending on formation.

Adrian Peterson, who has played with and through plenty of injuries over the years, avoided an ankle injury on Sunday.

“Everything is good,” Peterson told reporters. “My left ankle got kind of twisted up and caught. Thank God it came free. That little expression you heard was when it was tweaked and then came free. I was like, ‘Thank you Jesus.’ It could’ve been bad. But, yeah, I’m good.”

Related players: Bryce Love, Antonio Gibson

It's good news for AP, who is getting a little lost in the Washington RB talk lately with all the positive news about Love. Gibson, the rookie, is a hot name as well, and we think the back to own in this offense, but expect Peterson to get some work as well.

Through two days of open practice with the Washington Football Team, Bryce Love has certainly looked quite promising in individual drills and full-squad work. The offensive backfield still needs to be sorted out — Antonio Gibson is someone else who could be primed for a lot of usage now that Derrius Guice is gone — but as HC Ron Rivera described, Love could very well carve out a huge role right away.

"He's a guy that's multi-dimensional," Rivera continued. "At Stanford, he didn't have to do a lot of routes and pass catching, but he's very capable and we're getting to see that. This is a guy that could be an every-down back for you. He's an explosive, dynamic player."

Related players: Adrian Peterson, Peyton Barber

Even the story indicated it may be too much and too early to have all this love for Love. But he's certainly someone to watch. We continue to favor Gibson as the back to own on Washington. We rank Gibson 32nd among our RBs. Veterans like Peterson and Barber could see their share of early-season work until the younger players are up to speed.