The Washington Commanders’ 53-man projection centers on a crowded running back room where familiar faces return for 2025: Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols, and Chris Rodriguez, with seventh-round Jacory Croskey-Merritt piggybacking his camp shine. The twist in Ben Standig’s ranking is Kazmeir Allen as the fourth back, buoyed by return value and gadget upside, even as the author notes a tight clash with a الوسط group that includes McNichols and Rodriguez.

Standig’s logic hinges on Allen’s kick return juice and gadget potential as the tiebreaker, while Rodriguez and McNichols are highlighted for their special-teams impact—punt and kickoff coverage plus pass blocking—areas where Ekeler and Allen trail. The piece treats the battle as ambiguous enough to swing on injuries or on-field performance, and it acknowledges that Standig’s track record is strong but roster cuts are never settled until final waivers.

The Patriots’ preseason backdrop provides a testing ground for these players’ roles, but the core takeaway is that Washington could carry three to four backs with a mix of power, pass protection, and return prowess. The romanticized angle of Allen’s return capability keeps the debate alive, even as the author concedes he might be wrong again in the ever-shifting world of NFL rosters.