Can Antonio Gibson win Offensive Rookie of the Year?

Antonio Gibson has exceeded expectations in his first season with Washington.

In the third round (with the 66th overall pick) in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Washington Football Team selected Antonio Gibson out of Memphis. When they took Gibson, no one was 100 percent sure what position he was really going to play. He was utilized as both a wide receiver and running back in college, a gadget player in the truest form.

Some were comparing his skill set to that of Christian McCaffrey, so there was plenty of excitement. Was Gibson really going to play much, though — at least right away? Washington already had Derrius Guice, Adrian Peterson, and Bryce Love at running back, which seemingly made the chance for backfield touches minimal for Gibson.

Then everything happened with Guice and he’s obviously not on a team any longer. In a surprising move, Peterson was then cut. Meanwhile, Love has been injured and yet to be active for a game this year. This all led to Gibson getting a solid role right from the beginning. While many weren’t sure how he would translate to running back in the NFL immediately, the results have been amazing thus far.

At first, Gibson struggled to follow blockers and find the proper hole. He has been getting steadily more patient and the vision is showing. Now through 11 games, the rookie has 645 yards on 139 carries (4.6 yards per carry) and 11 touchdowns. He also has 32 receptions for another 233 yards, a true dual threat.

Does Washington have an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate with Antonio Gibson?

Antonio Gibson has been so good, you have to start wondering about the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Joe Burrow had to be a heavy favorite. However, the Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback suffered a season-ending injury against Washington in Week 10. Burrow was in the midst of a historic rookie year but 10 games won’t get the job done. That opens the door for the rest of the field and Gibson has to be right near the top of the list.

Justin Herbert is right there next to Burrow. The Los Angeles Chargers quarterback has over 3,000 yards to go along with 23 touchdowns compared to just seven interceptions. Meanwhile, he has another 185 rushing yards and three more touchdowns on the ground (though with six fumbles).

Justin Jefferson needs to be in the mix as well. The Minnesota Vikings’ wide receiver has 52 receptions for 918 yards and six touchdowns. Wide receiver Tee Higgins of the Cincinnati Bengals has 48 receptions for 673 yards and five touchdowns, so he is in the running too. However, with Burrow out, it’s hard to imagine Higgins keeping pace.

Finally, Clyde Edwards-Helaire has 692 yards on 151 carries (4.6 yards per attempt) and four touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs’ running back also has 30 receptions for 234 receiving yards and one more touchdown in the air. He is now splitting time with Le’Veon Bell though.

That leaves Herbert and Jefferson as Gibson’s main competition.

Herbert has an advantage because of the position (quarterback). It’s a position that gets the most attention in the media. However, that can also be a disadvantage. A few bad games to end the year could throw him out of the race. Not to mention, the Chargers are just 3-8 on the year (2-8 with Herbert as a starter). While team record should not really matter, it could be a detriment.

Jefferson has been incredible for Minnesota. But e’s also been inconsistent. There are four games where he’s combined for 31 receptions, 546 yards and five touchdowns. That leaves just 21 receptions for 372 yards and one touchdown in the other seven games combined. Will he be able to find that consistency over the final five games? It’s difficult to say.

Meanwhile, Gibson has been getting better each week. He has had at least 50 yards of offense in 10 of 11 games this year. Three of those games have gone for at least 100. That includes two games with over 100 yards on the ground alone.

Gibson also has a touchdown in eight games for Washington this year. That includes a current streak of five straight games with a touchdown. Oh, and those 11 rushing touchdowns are good for third in the NFL. Currently, Gibson is behind only Derrick Henry (12) and Dalvin Cook (13) in that category.

The Washington rookie has a legitimate shot at reaching 1,000 rushing yards. He could also find his way into the end zone over 15 times. Meanwhile, the receiving numbers will provide a slight boost as well. Gibson seems to be getting a larger role by the week. He is taking advantage of it every time as well, so expect that to continue.

It is going to be a tight race. At the moment, you could make a strong argument that Herbert is in the lead. However, it’s much easier for a quarterback to stumble in the race than anyone else. Can Gibson close the gap? Watching him play, it’s hard to bet against him. Antonio Gibson might not win Offensive Rookie of the Year but, at the very least, he’s going to swing some votes his way.