One week after Ladell Betts got a crack at the starting running back job for the Redskins because of an injury to Clinton Portis, now Rock Cartwright gets the same shot, filling in for Betts, who suffered a season-ending injury last week versus the Cowboys.

Prior to last week, if you asked most people who Rock Cartwright was, most would have answered the younger brother of Hoss and Little Joe working for Ben Cartwright on the Ponderosa.

Instead, Cartwright is the kick returner for the Redskins who got pressed into starting duty with the team’s top two backs – Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts – down with injuries.  Cartwright stepped up with 67 yards rushing on 13 carries, the most yards he gained since a 118-yard effort back in December of 2005.

The 5’7 Cartwright was a seventh-round pick of the Redskins in the 2002 Draft, the 257^th player selected.  Only four players were drafted lower.  Despite being just the third-leading rusher for Kansas State with 292 yards, Cartwright was an All-Big 12 honorable mention, thanks to his receiving and special teams work.  As a junior, Cartwright had 5 TDs, backing up Jonathan Beasley and Josh Scobey.

Cartwright joined the Wildcats after playing two seasons for Trinity Valley Community College.  As a sophomore, Cartwright helped the Cardinals to a Southwest Junior College Conference title.

Washington picked Cartwright due to his special teams ability.  He played in all 16 games his rookie season and returned 10 kicks.  He also saw limited time as both a runner and a receiver.  Cartwright scored his first NFL TD on a 12-yard reception in the penultimate game of the 2002 season against the Houston Texans.

In 2003, the Redskins turned over their starting running back job to Trung Canidate, a first-round pick of the Rams from the 2000 Draft, who Washington acquired in a trade to replace veteran Terry Allen.  Ankle and foot injuries limited Canidate to 10 starts and opened playing time for Cartwright, who responded with 411 yards rushing and 4 TDs.

But Cartwright went back to special teams when Washington acquired Portis in a big offseason deal.  He became the club’s primary kick returner in 2006, when he amassed 1,541 kick return yards, good for second in the NFL.  Cartwright had a 100-yard kick return versus the Cowboys in the second week of the season, scoring the team’s only touchdown in a 27-10 loss.

Cartwright followed up with two more strong seasons as a kick returner, averaging over 25 yards per return in both 2007 and 2008.  He was filling the same role with the Redskins this year before injuries decimated the team’s backs.  The chance to start again is not lost on the soon-to-be 30-year old back.

“Man, this is something I dreamed about," Cartwright told Mike Wise of the Washington Post. "This is something I dream about, is just being able to go in and be the back, and be able to try to put the team on my back. I dream about this. This is what you live for, for this opportunity.”

It is an opportunity Cartwright should have in Week 12, as Portis has been ruled out.  A strong outing by Cartwright versus the Eagles could give him another week as the starter, as the Redskins mull giving Portis another week to recover from his head injuries.  If Cartwright is the starter in two weeks, he will go up against the Saints.

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