The Washington Redskins dropped their preseason opener at New England after jumping out to a 17-0 lead. Washington losing the game was no big deal; however, the loss of rookie running back Derrius Guice to a torn ACL is a major blow. Guice, and the team, initially thought Guice sprained his MCL until the next day when an MRI confirmed the team’s worst fears.
Now, the Redskins are left with the same group of players they had a year ago when they were one of the worst rushing teams in the league. Head coach Jay Gruden hopes the addition of new quarterback Alex Smith aids the running game in 2018.
With Guice out for the season, there are lots of opportunities available in Washington’s backfield. Third-down stud Chris Thompson is back, but Gruden will be careful not to overwork him. Thompson is a huge part of Washington’s passing game. Now, the former starter, Rob Kelley and second-year back Samaje Perine have a major opportunity in front of them. How they perform the rest of the preseason could not only affect their roster status but also how much they play in 2018.
In addition to Washington’s running backs, here are three additional players to watch in preseason Week 2 when the Redskins host the New York Jets.
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