Team news: Washington Commanders | Page 9

Commanders ruled out RB Antonio Gibson for the New Year’s Day matchup vs. the Browns.

Related Players: Brian Robinson, Jonathan Williams

This should be the Brian Robinson show on Sunday, as he becomes an RB2 with definite high-RB1 upside.

RB Antonio Gibson (sprained ankle/knee) is not practicing today.

Related Players: Brian Robinson

This could impact Brian Robinson's ceiling, but hopefully you weren't planning on playing Gibson in your Championship matchups. He hasn't scored double-digit PPR points or hit 40 yards rushing since Week 11. Robinson remains a solid RB 2 against the porous Browns rushing defense.

Ron Rivera: "Antonio Gibson has a sprain, so we're going to have to monitor that very closely this week."

Related players: Brian Robinson, Jonathan Williams

As the tweet said, no location of the sprain was given, leaving us all wondering if it's a knee, ankle, perhaps shoulder? Either way, Robinson looks like he could be in store for a heavy workload against the Browns in Week 17, in what is also a good matchup. He's a potential nice start at RB in your fantasy finals.

Pep Hamilton on using Jeff Driskel in two-quarterback system, said it was initially an 'experiment,' now it's a part of the offense.

Related players: Davis Mills

The Texans feel it helps to "create conflict," and disrupt the defense. "We hope it will limit the potential looks we will see," according to the rest of the tweet. Driskel saw less snaps last week than he did two weeks ago and was mostly used as a runner, but didn't exactly produce much from a fantasy angle. The Texans are expected to use their number-one overall pick on either Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud this April, which we hope puts an end to the two QB system in 2023.

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley said S Derwin James Jr. (quad) could return to practice at some point this week. RB Austin Ekeler (shoulder) had tests done, Staley said, that were negative.

Related Players: Joshua Kelley

Joshua Kelley was the only other running back to receive a carry in Austin Ekeler's absence but it was short-lived as Ekeler not only returned but scored a touchdown and ended up with a decent 70 yards from scrimmage. Unless he misses the week of practices, Ekeler has to be started everywhere in Week 16.

Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota has left the team. It officially doesn’t matter if he’s coming back.

Coach Arthur Smith told reporters on Wednesday that Mariota will have surgery next week on his injured knee, and that he’ll be placed on injured reserve, with Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.

Related players: Desmond Ridder

It’s unclear when the injury happened, the story said. Smith has described it as a “chronic” issue. However, Mariota has not appeared on any of the team’s injury reports, at all in 2022. We just reported the strangeness surrounding Mariota leaving the team and the birth of a child. Either way, at this point, Mariota is finished for the season and Ridder will take over for the final four games.

On Thursday, the Falcons told quarterback Marcus Mariota he’d be benched. The next day, he left the team.

On Tuesday, his partner had a baby. Which would explain his absence from the team. That same day, however, coach Arthur Smith painted a very different picture to TheAthletic.com, creating the clear impression that Mariota left for reasons unrelated to an impending visit from the stork.

Related players: Desmond Ridder

Regardless, the rookie Ridder takes over this week for the Falcons at QB, and according to the story, the Falcons aren’t quite sure whether Mariota will be back. At all. The story said the team technically can't place him on IR with an injury that doesn't appear to be legit. The story added releasing him could mean he ends up on another team, perhaps a division rival, as the Falcons are trying to make the playoffs.

Texans are expected to maintain two-quarterback system of Davis Mills and Jeff Driskel going forward.

The Texans are going to stick with this after having success against the Cowboys last week. Obviously in typical leagues neither of these two are options, and they are probably barely options in the deepest of leagues.

Falcons said they anticipate placing QB Marcus Mariota on injured reserve, which would end his season.

Related Players: Desmond Ridder

There may have been more than meet's the eye about the team's decision to move over to Ridder during the bye week, but nonetheless, it looks like it will be the rookie's job to keep for the remainder of the season.

Per Nicki, J.D. McKissic was not at Commanders practice on Thursday, which makes him questionable for Week 11.

Related Players: Antonio Gibson, Brian Robinson

Though McKissic is almost purely a third-down back, his absence in Week 10 essentially meant Antonio Gibson (40) and Brian Robinson (43) split RB snaps right down the middle. Another week of that would be just fine in fantasy terms; both options would be RB2 material ahead of a matchup against the Texans' porous run defense.