The Washington Commanders lost a matchup of NFC contenders on Thursday night in their defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers, and the news is even worse on the injury front. Running back Austin Ekeler left the game in the second half after suffering a non-contact injury, and it was quickly confirmed that the 30-year-old tore his Achilles tendon.
Ekeler is out for the remainder of the 2025 NFL season. Which players in Washington’s backfield are set to step up in his absence?
Ekeler Tears Achilles; Who Do Commanders Turn To For RB Production?
The trade of Brian Robinson Jr. could start to look like a mistake. The Commanders dealt the running back to the San Francisco 49ers late in training camp, leaving them without their top rushing option from a year ago. Robinson Jr. went over 700 yards for the third straight season in 2024, and his eight touchdowns were second on the team behind only Terry McLaurin.
MRI confirms Commanders RB Austin Ekeler suffered torn Achilles, out for the season. (via @rapsheet) pic.twitter.com/IlpULtvEoZ
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2025
Instead of having him as the insurance policy for Ekeler, they’ll be relying on a trio of rather unproven commodities. There is still plenty of time before Washington’s next game, and they have yet to name a starter. But they don’t exactly have any world-beating options.
Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez were on the team last year, and served as the 3rd and 4th running backs on the roster. They actually had some solid production in terms of statistics, as they finished the 2024 campaign to combine for 434 yards and 6 touchdowns on 90 rushing attempts, and McNichols caught nine passes out of the backfield.
Will Croskey-Merritt Continue To Impress?
It is unclear if one of them will be named the start in place of Ekeler, or if the Commanders will turn to their youth. Jacory Croskey-Merritt is a rookie this year after being drafted in the 7th round, but showed plenty of promise in his team’s first game of the season. While sharing carries with Ekeler, Croskey-Merritt gained 82 yards on 10 attempts in his first NFL contest, and added a touchdown.
Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt is expected to take over as the starter after Austin Ekeler's season-ending Achilles injury, per @RapSheet pic.twitter.com/Bq0uVhYfTk
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) September 13, 2025
For his efforts, he was named NFL Rookie of the Week.
The Commanders are now sitting at 1-1 with a nice 9-day break between games. They will take on the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3, before playing four of their next five contests on the road.
