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Chris Rodriguez Injury Update
Chris Rodriguez Jr is dealing with a groin injury. He was ruled inactive for Washington’s Week 15 game against the New York Giants after being listed as questionable.
There are two notable athletes with this name. One is Chris Rodriguez Jr the running back for the Washington Commanders. The other is Chris Rodriguez the pitcher who has battled shoulder issues for the Los Angeles Angels. This article is only about the Commanders running back and his recent injuries.
Rodriguez’s latest problem is the groin. The issue showed up on the Week 15 injury report when he did not practice on Wednesday. Reporters noted that he had been carrying a big workload in recent weeks and that this could be a soft tissue response to that usage.
Through the five games before the injury Rodriguez had taken over as Washington’s lead early down back. He played more than forty percent of the snaps in several games and logged double digit carries in four of his last five outings. In that stretch he handled fifty five touches which was more than any other Commanders back.
The exact moment when the groin injury happened is not clearly documented. He finished the Week 14 loss to the Vikings with ten carries for fifty two yards then reported sore after the game. The team then opened Week 15 with him held out of practice and labeled him day to day.
On Thursday and Friday he was able to return in a limited role at practice. That improvement led Washington to list him as questionable and national reports framed his status as a true game time decision. The plan was for him to test the groin in warmups before the Giants game and then make a final call.
On Sunday he never made it onto the field. Beat reporters confirmed he was downgraded to out on the final game status update and appeared on the inactive list. With him sidelined the Commanders leaned on Jacory Croskey Merritt and Jeremy McNichols while Chase Edmonds provided depth.
This groin issue comes shortly after another injury for Rodriguez. In Week 10 against the Detroit Lions he hurt his shoulder in the second half after scoring a rushing touchdown. He jogged to the locker room and was ruled questionable to return then missed the rest of that game.
The shoulder did not turn into a long absence. By Week 11 injury reports showed Rodriguez practicing in full and he was cleared to play in a committee role the next weekend. That quick recovery helped him keep his spot as a key part of the backfield before the later groin setback.
The early signs with the groin are a bit more positive now. Washington’s Week 16 injury report shows Rodriguez practicing fully which suggests the strain is healing. The team expects him to be available again if he continues to respond well to work in the days before kickoff.
For Washington the main concern is managing his workload. Groin injuries can flare up if a player returns to heavy usage too fast. Coaches may share early down snaps more evenly with Croskey Merritt to keep Rodriguez from overloading the muscle group.
For fantasy managers the injury turns Rodriguez from a steady volume play into a riskier option. His upside comes from his role near the goal line and in short yardage. His downside is a possible snap cap or an in game aggravation if the groin tightens again.
The broader picture is that Rodriguez has shown he can carry a starter level rushing load when healthy. Washington trusted him after other backs went down or were traded. The key now is whether he can stay on the field through the rest of the season without another setback to the groin or shoulder.
Disclaimer:
This article focuses solely on the injury update for Chris Rodriguez Jr., the running back for the Washington Commanders. It is not related to Chris Rodriguez, the pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels. Always consult team updates and medical professionals for the most current and accurate injury information.
