ASHBURN, Virginia -- Chris Thompson is the Washington Redskins' most dangerous running back. He's also one of their best offensive players -- and, perhaps, one of their most indispensable.

That doesn't mean he'll get a lot more time with Rob Kelley nursing a cartilage rib injury. More work? Yes. Become the full-time back with substantially more carries if Kelley can't play Sunday? No.

Thompson is one of the Redskins' best weapons. In many ways, he's one of their most irreplaceable players, too; they don't have anyone else on the roster who can handle what he does: provide a spark in the pass game, still carry the ball and also pass protect. He's the sort of dynamic back they've wanted.

But he's also 5-foot-8, 190 pounds. He's become more durable the past few years, but the Redskins don't want to wear him down, either, by using him as a full-time back

Indeed, Redskins coach Jay Gruden said Thompson's role could be expanded.

Chris Thompson had three carries for 77 yards and two TDs in Week 2. He also had three catches for 29 yards. Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

"But he's so important to us on third down we just have to be careful," he said. "He's not the biggest guy in the world. We don't want him to get 20-25 carries a game and get a lot of pounding on that body. He's definitely needed in pass protection and the routes and all that stuff on third down and red zone. So we'll try to expand his role a little bit, but we don't want to go too crazy with him."

The Redskins entered this season wanting to get Thompson more opportunities than last year. So far, that hasn't been the case. He averaged 7.3 touches from scrimmage in 2016, and after two games this season it's 6.5. He has been targeted in the passing game 12 times, with seven catches.

Even if Kelley does play, it should be the Redskins' goal to give Thompson a little more work. The good thing for them: Thompson is a rare back who can make big plays at any time. He doesn't need a lot of touches to find a rhythm in order to make an impact.

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In two games, Thompson has a combined 13 touches from scrimmage. In that time he's gained 162 yards and scored two touchdowns. He should have had a third, but he dropped a wide open pass over the middle with about 50 yards of green ahead of him.

He makes plays. But don't expect him to now get 20 touches a game -- 10 or 12 would be a good number for him. It allows him to have a bigger impact and yet keep him fresh.

But the other aspect to keep in mind: If tight end Jordan Reed is limited with his chest/sternum issue, then the Redskins need to perhaps get Thompson a couple more touches. He's a reliable play-maker in an offense struggling for consistency in the passing game.

Still, if Kelley can't play against Oakland -- he's considered day-to-day -- then it's Samaje Perine and Mack Brown who benefit the most. Perine carried the load in the fourth quarter Sunday, finishing with 67 yards on 21 carries. The more he carried the better he got; 38 of those yards occurred on the game-winning drive. He was more decisive than earlier in the game. The Redskins drafted him challenge Kelley for the starting job or to replace him if he was hurt.

"I like the way he ran. He's a tough, physical guy like we thought," Gruden said.

As for Brown, he has terrific burst through the hole and teammates have raved about his skill and potential. One predicted he'd be a 1,000-yard rusher if he got the chance. The problem: consistency. The Redskins have wanted to see more, in terms of knowing what to do or how to do it. That's why his summer flashes haven't yet turned into fall success. But he is capable of providing his own spark on occasion.

That's what Thompson does in his role. The Redskins can't lose that ability, which is why with him a little less will always equal a lot more.