J.D. McKissic’s season is over. The Washington Commanders are placing the veteran running back on season-ending injured reserve due to a neck injury, according to the NFL Media. The report states that McKissic’s injury requires a few months of rehab. On a positive note, that rehab timeline does suggest that he should be healthy for the start of the 2023 season.
The 29-year-old popped up on the injury report with this neck injury following Washington’s Week 8 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. He has since missed the club’s previous two games against the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles. Prior to this news that he’ll be heading to IR, the Commanders had also already ruled McKissic out for Sunday’s upcoming matchup against the Texans in Houston.
McKissic has been in Washington since the 2020 season. Before that, he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas State in 2016 and had stints with the Falcons, Seahawks, and Lions. This offseason, McKissic did agree to terms to sign with the Buffalo Bills in free agency, but ended up reversing course and signed a two-year, $7 million deal to remain with the Commanders.
McKissic was one of Washington’s most targeted pass catchers, seeing 40 passes thrown his way through eight games. With him now sidelined for the year, that could mean even more targets for fellow running back Antonio Gibson. This season, Gibson has caught 34 of his 41 targets for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Of course, rookie Brian Robinson Jr. could also factor more into the passing game as well, but he has primarily been used as the club’s go-to option between the tackles, only seeing four targets so far this year.
