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In the 2018 NFL Draft, Derrius Guice was considered one of the best prospects. Despite that, the Washington Redskins were lucky enough to manage getting him in the second round. Everyone was excited to see how he would fit into the offense and just how good the running back would be.
However, Guice and the Redskins never got to find out in 2018. In the first preseason game of the year, Guice tore his ACL. Due to that, he missed the entire year – never playing a regular season snap.
He's healthy now though, and the big expectations are still there for him. That being said, Guice isn't the only talented running back on the Washington roster.
So what exactly is in-store for this season? Here are three early bold predictions for Washington Redskins running back Derrius Guice in 2019.
Over 200 Carries
Last season, only 14 players in the NFL had at least 200 carries. In 2019 Derrius Guice will do just that.
Now, if you're expecting Guice to be the Washington Redskins main ball carrier this may not seem like a surprise. However, you shouldn't expect him to be used heavily in 2019.
Coming off an ACL tear, the Redskins will want to be cautious with him. They just drafted Bryce Love as a potential two-headed monster in the future.
They also have Adrian Peterson who will get his fair share of touches in 2019, coming off a great 2019.
Finally, Chris Thompson is on the team and still one of the best third-down/receiving backs in football. Although he's more pass-oriented, he'll steal a few carries for himself and definitely help keep Guice off the field too much.
That being said, Derrius Guice will be too good for Washington to rest him too much. Even with the Redskins attempting to keep him off the field, they'll feel obligated to give him the ball pretty often. This will end with him leading the team in carries, surpassing 200.
Over 5.0-Yards Per Carry
Here's another pretty exclusive list from last season. In 2018, only 10 (qualified) running backs averaged 5.0-yards per carry or more.
Derrius Guice will be a part of that exclusive list as well in 2019.
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Guice is a fantastic mixture of power, size, speed and elusiveness. He can break a defender's ankles and sprint past everyone, or barrel over a would-be tackler for some extra yards. Due to this, he's going to produce some extremely memorable runs.
It's also important to not that he's not going to be the only running back in the offense. The Redskins will be using him in a rotation. This will help to keep his legs fresh – allowing for some more big play opportunities.
Guice also has an improving offense on his side. The Washington Redskins have a very good offensive line and will now have a Dwayne Haskins (possibly) starting at quarterback. This will open a lot up as teams will need to worry about the pass offense a little more – giving Guice more room to run.
30-plus Receptions
Derrius Guice was never a big receiver in College. Meanwhile, the Washington Redskins have Chris Thompson to be their receiver out of the backfield.
However, Guice is ultra-talented and could become a very reliable receiving back. It's also important to note Washington's lack of targets.
They drafted Terry McLaurin and Kelvin Harmon to help with that, but still need help. Jordan Reed is a great tight end, but can't stay healthy – and Vernon Davis is aging. Outside of that, the number one receiver is set to be Josh Doctson or Paul Richardson.
If Washington goes with Dwayne Haskins at quarterback, they'll want to keep him safe. Some quick throws to the running back will keep him out of harms way and help get his confidence up.
If they go with Case Keenum or Colt McCoy (if healthy) they'll use check downs often as a way to limit mistakes. That means the running backs will be heavily involved.
Derrius Guice never had more than 18 receptions in a College season. In 2019, he'll have at least 30 for the Washington Redskins.
