The Washington Football Team is likely to be without impressive rookie running back Antonio Gibson as it tries to keep pace atop the NFC East.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that Gibson was diagnosed with a painful case of turf toe, which might knock him out of Sunday's contest versus the San Francisco 49ers, per a source informed of the situation.
Gibson's status is in doubt, Rapoport added, but he'll be evaluated as the week progresses.
The rookie running back exited Monday's victory over Pittsburgh after playing just four snaps. After a slow start to his 2020 campaign as he got used to being a full-time RB, Gibson has come on strong.
From Weeks 7-12, Gibson generated 402 rushing yards and eight TDs on 75 carries, averaging 5.6 yards per attempt.
If Gibson misses time, it's a huge loss for Washington. The rookie had become the offensive focal point, as evidenced by his 128-yard performance on Thanksgiving in Dallas.
Assuming Gibson misses time, J.D. McKissic would be in line for a larger share of the workload. The pass-catching back played nearly 73 percent of the snaps when Gibson left early Monday. The jitterbug RB has Alex Smith's trust as an outlet receiver out of the backfield and can make linebackers miss in space. Peyton Barber will likely play the role of inside-runner and short-yardage back until Gibson returns.
Washington sits tied atop the NFC East with New York but loses the tiebreaker after two defeats to the Giants. The Football Team finishes the season against San Francisco, Seattle, Carolina and Philadelphia.
