Getty Images

In Week Two, rookie running back Matt Jones had 146 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in the Redskins’ 24-10 victory over the Rams.

Jones also lost a fumble in that game and he lost another one near the end zone in the team’s Week Three loss to the Giants, a performance that was followed by a drop in playing time against the Eagles in last week’s victory. Coach Jay Gruden said that the reduction in snaps wasn’t because the team lacks faith in Morris’s ability to hold onto the football.

“He’s never lost my trust,” Gruden said, via Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. “A couple of weeks ago it was Alfred [Morris] who was in my doghouse and he’s not. It’s just the way to works out with the handoffs and the carries. I like both of those guys.”

Public comments from coaches about playing time are usually best taken with a grain of salt, but the first four weeks bear out the fluidity in the Washington backfield. Morris has seen the most snaps three times and played less than Jones and third-down back Chris Thompson against the Giants. Thompson barely played against the Rams, but has averaged 31 snaps in the other three games of the season.

Losing fumbles isn’t a good look for any back and it’s a particularly bad one for a rookie, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Jones back in the mix against Atlanta this weekend.