Story by
Washington Commanders Running Backs Face Pivotal Question vs Rams
- Story by
- Washington Commanders Running Backs Face Pivotal Question vs Rams
(Kyle Terada-Imagn Images)
The Washington Commanders have a major question mark to answer on offense ahead of week nine, yet some of it has fallen out of their hands.
The long-term absence of Jeremy McNichols forced general manager Adam Peters to turn outside of the organization to add a familiar name back to the roster. No, not former sixth round pick Kaytron Allen, who remains with the Miami Dolphins. Now, undrafted free agent Robert Henry Jr. returns to the organization with a viable path at impacting the Commanders' midseason running back rotation. With Jacory Croskey-Merritt among the several players on injured reserve , Henry now serves as a key piece in the makeshift rotation.
Advertisement
Henry returns to Washington with Rachaad White and Austin Ekeler as primary pieces in the rotation. White has been viewed to be the one thrusted into an even bigger role in the offense, capitalizing by notching a pair of firsts on the season after eclipsing 50 rushing yards and finding the endzone with a rushing touchdown. White arrived with a chance to impact Washington in the passing game, adding 88 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 16 catches and 19 targets, yet his efficiency will be tested fresh off eclipsing at least five yards per carry for the second time in 2026.
The Los Angeles Rams enter week nine ranked in the middle of the league in run defense, but they've been exceptional over the last three games. That includes holding the Las Vegas Raiders to just 48 yards in week seven, including Ashton Jeanty to 15 yards on eight carries. In a battle of the Los Angeles teams one week later, the Rams held the Chargers to 64 yards and 2.56 yards per carry en route to a 15-point win. To make matters worse for Washington, the status of edge rusher Myles Garrett remains a storyline with the veteran back at practice, yet limited on both Wednesday and Thursday to add intrigue about his status for Sunday.
On the flip side, the Commanders enter Sunday averaging 130 rushing yards over their last three games, including nearly 140 rushing yards at home -- good for third among NFC teams. Quarterback Jayden Daniels does account for roughly one quarter of the team's rushing yards in 2026, despite missing two games, to add a layer of questions whether he can replicate that in week nine. Even with uncertainty surrounding Garrett, the Commanders' offensive line finds themselves staring at a daunting matchup across from Aaron Donald.
Yet with White showing flashes of being dependable on the ground, along with Ekeler filling in admirably while averaging 4.2 yards per carry across four appearances, how impactful Henry can be in his official NFL debut will tell the tale whether the Commanders can establish any balance in a game that could salvage a frustrating 2026 season.
