Brian Robinson Jr.’s unavailability for the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6 was painful. The Washington Commanders couldn’t get anything going on the ground, but they felt it was too risky to put the promising running back in danger when push came to shove.

Robinson’s knee problems could hamper the Commanders’ encouraging start to the campaign. Things looked more promising in this week’s practices, but the player still landed on the injury report and was listed as questionable for Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers.

This is a game that the commanders must win. They have to treat this contest with respect considering how Carolina’s offense can score points with early momentum. But it’s no surprise that Washington is very popular with sports bettors across the country.

Their chances will increase significantly if Robinson is able to leave. They have Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols to pick up the slack, but this offense has an added sense of explosiveness and physicality from the former third-round pick from Alabama.

Fortunately, the prognosis is good. ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport both suggested Robinson is leaning toward playing. How involved he will be is the big question.

It might be worth offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury giving Robinson a few touches early to see how he responds. The commanders can find out how much he can handle after that.

If Robinson responds positively and there are no complications with the knee issue, the backcourt threat could play a major role in proceedings. The Panthers’ defensive front is missing Derrick Brown and A’Shawn Robinson in Week 7. Jadeveon Clowney also likely won’t participate, so it shouldn’t be a problem for the Commanders to dish up yards on the ground if they display the same professionalism and determination.

Robinson’s presence on the field will be a great asset to everyone involved. Expecting him to accumulate more than 20 carries is excessive. However, there is nothing to suggest that he can’t leave a lasting impression when the commanders choose their places together with the player.

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