Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Works as No. 2 back
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Croskey-Merritt carried the ball nine times for 28 yards and caught his only target for five yards in Sunday's 16-13 overtime loss to the Dolphins.
Chris Rodriguez got the start for the Commanders and wound up seeing 16 touches to Croskey-Merritt's 10 while significantly out-gaining the rookie as well. The coaching staff will get a Week 12 bye to re-evaluate the offense, but Croskey-Merritt's role seems more likely to shrink than grow, as he's gone five straight games without reaching 40 rushing yards. On the season, he's produced 498 rushing yards on 114 totes for 4.4 yards per carry, but that number has plummeted to 2.9 YPC during that five-game swoon.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: RBs to Sit
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Croskey-Merritt is tough to trust as even a flex option in Week 10 against Detroit. He has scored 5.8 PPR points or less in four games in a row, and he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 5. He also has combined for just three catches for 9 yards on five targets in his past four outings. The Lions are also No. 3 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and Detroit hasn't allowed a running back to score a touchdown in the past four games against Cincinnati, Kansas City, Tampa Bay and Minnesota. I would avoid Croskey-Merritt in the majority of leagues.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Logs limited practice Wednesday
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Croskey-Merritt (tooth) practiced on a limited basis Wednesday.
According to John Keim of ESPN.com, Croskey-Merritt was donning a black non-contact jersey Wednesday due to having received some dental work. Since Austin Ekeler (Achilles) was lost for the season Week 2, Croskey-Merritt has paced the Commanders backfield to the tune of 88 touches for 404 yards from scrimmage and three rushing TDs over the last seven games. Ultimately, Friday's injury report will reveal whether or not Croskey-Merritt heads into the weekend with a designation for Sunday's contest against the Lions.
Croskey-Merritt rushed the ball 12 times for 38 yards in Sunday's 38-14 loss to the Seahawks.
Croskey-Merritt managed double-digit rushing attempts for the fourth time in his last five games, though he also ceded a significant amount of work to Chris Rodriguez. The split backfield wasn't solely a product of garbage time, as Croskey-Merritt out-touched Rodriguez only 5-4 at halftime. Washington's choice to change the touch allocation may have come as a result of Croskey-Merritt's inefficiency, as he's now been held below 4.0 yards per carry in four consecutive games while failing to log a rush of at least 20 yards in that span. Overall, he has been held below 40 yards from scrimmage in three straight contests.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: RBs to Sit
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Croskey-Merritt looked on the verge of having a breakout rookie season when he scored 27 PPR points against the Chargers in Week 5. In the three games since then, Croskey-Merritt has combined for just 12.5 PPR points against Chicago, Dallas and Kansas City, and he should be considered a flex option at best in Week 9 against Seattle. The Seahawks have allowed one running back to rush for more than 50 yards, which was Christian McCaffrey in Week 1, and Rachaad White in Week 5 is the lone running back to run for a touchdown against Seattle. Croskey-Merritt has a limited role in the passing game with seven catches for 60 yards on 11 targets for the season, and if he doesn't find the end zone in Week 9 then his Fantasy production should once again be minimal.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Little with nine touches Monday
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Croskey-Merritt rushed nine times for 25 yards and failed to bring in his only target in the Commanders' 28-7 loss to the Chiefs on Monday night.
Croskey-Merritt was held under 3.0 yards per carry for the second consecutive game in what was a second straight lopsided loss for the Commanders. The rookie back outpaced backfield mates Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols by eight carries each, but McNichols was much more involved in the passing game while recording a team-high five catches and 64 yards while also logging a co-team-high six targets. Meanwhile, Croskey-Merritt continued to be an afterthought in the passing game, a trend that conspires to limit his fantasy value when rushing opportunities and/or running room is at a premium. The outlook doesn't get any rosier Week 9, as the Commanders welcome a tough Seahawks defense to town for a Sunday night showdown.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: RBs to Sit
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Croskey-Merritt had a huge game in Week 5 at the Chargers with 27 PPR points. Since then, he's combined for 10.0 PPR points in two games against the Bears and Cowboys. It's hard to trust him as anything more than a flex in Week 8 at Kansas City, and the Chiefs are No. 7 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Kansas City hasn't allowed a running back to score a touchdown in the past three games against Jacksonville, Detroit and Las Vegas, which are tough matchups against Travis Etienne, Jahmyr Gibbs and Ashton Jeanty, and that trio was held to 8.8 PPR points or less against the Chiefs. This could be a rough outing for Croskey-Merritt on Monday night.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Held in check Sunday
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Croskey-Merritt took 13 carries for 33 yards while catching one of two targets for a loss of one yard in Sunday's 44-22 loss to Dallas.
Croskey-Merritt couldn't find any running lanes against one of the worst rushing defenses in the league Sunday. The seventh-round rookie still led Washington's backfield in touches, but he ceded a short rushing touchdown to backup Chris Rodriguez (3-12-1). It is unclear whether Jayden Daniels (hamstring) or Marcus Mariota will be under center for next Monday's tilt against the Chiefs, but Croskey-Merritt figures to continue spearheading the Commanders' backfield rotation in Week 8.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Goes off for two scores Sunday
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Croskey-Merritt rushed 14 times for 111 yards, two touchdowns and a fumble lost while catching both of his targets for 39 yards in Sunday's 27-10 win over the Chargers.
Croskey-Merritt finally broke out of the backfield committee that was holding him back in fantasy with a dominating two-touchdown performance against the Chargers. The seventh-round rookie commanded 14 of Washington's 20 running-back carries Sunday, eclipsing a personal high of 10 set back in his initial breakout game in Week 1. One would assume that the 150-yard, multi-score showing should cement the starting job for the Arizona product moving forward. A preseason darling heading into drafts, Croskey-Merritt's managers can officially fire up the hype train heading into a soft matchup against the Bears next Monday.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Good to go for Week 4
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Croskey-Merritt (knee) is active for Sunday's game against the Falcons.
The knee issue kept Croskey-Merritt from practicing Wednesday and Thursday, but he took a questionable tag into the weekend after logging a full session Friday. With Croskey-Merritt apparently bouncing back well following Friday's practice, he'll be available Sunday as part of a backfield committee with Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez, though quarterback Marcus Mariota and wide receiver Deebo Samuel could also factor into Washington's game plan on the ground. After Austin Ekeler (Achilles) suffered a season-ending injury in the Week 2 loss to the Packers, Croskey-Merritt played a season-high 40 percent of snaps in the Week 3 win over the Raiders, finishing with 26 yards and a touchdown on eight carries to go with a five-yard reception.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: At practice Friday
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Croskey-Merritt (knee) was present for Friday's practice, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
Croskey-Merritt was listed as a non-participant in Wednesday and Thursday's practices, so his presence at Friday's session is a step in the right direction. Either way, the Commanders' upcoming injury report will reveal both the running back's participation level, as well as his game status for Sunday's road matchup against the Falcons.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Knee issue not considered serious
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Croskey-Merritt's knee injury that kept him from practicing Wednesday is not considered serious, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Jhabvala notes that it wouldn't be a surprise if Croskey-Merritt practices Thursday after logging a DNP on Wednesday. The rookie running back had a strong Week 1 performance, rushing 10 times for 82 yards and one touchdown, but he's turned 12 carries into just 43 rushing yards (3.6 yards per carry) in the two games since, though Croskey-Merritt did save his Week 3 fantasy line with a late touchdown. Despite Austin Ekeler's season-ending Achilles tear in Week 2, the Washington backfield remains a three-man conundrum that makes it difficult to trust any for fantasy lineups.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: No practice due to knee injury
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Croskey-Merritt didn't practice Wednesday due to a knee injury.
In the first game without Austin Ekeler (Achilles) this past Sunday against the Raiders, Croskey-Merritt led the Commanders backfield in offensive snaps (23 of 58), followed by Chris Rodriguez (22) and Jeremy McNichols (15). Croskey-Merritt wasn't all that efficient with his touches (nine for 31 yards from scrimmage), but he salvaged his day with a rushing touchdown. Meanwhile, Rodriguez paced the team in carries (11) for 39 yards, and McNichols had four rushes for 78 yards and a TD. It's unclear if Croskey-Merrritt's status is in peril for Sunday's game in Atlanta, but his activity level, or lack thereof, bears watching as the week continues to get a sense of his odds to suit up Week 4.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Racks up 82 yards, TD in debut
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Croskey-Merritt rushed 10 times for 82 yards and a touchdown while failing to catch his only target in Sunday's 21-6 win over the Giants.
Croskey-Merritt got as many rushing attempts as Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols combined. The highlights of the rookie seventh-round pick's NFL debut were a six-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a 42-yard run in the fourth. Croskey-Merritt looks like the team's go-to option on early downs heading into Thursday's Week 2 game at Green Bay, but his lack of pass-catching ability should allow Ekeler to stay involved in passing situations.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Resting for preseason finale
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Croskey-Merritt won't play in Saturday's preseason game against Baltimore, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Assuming a minor injury isn't at play, this is the latest hint that Croskey-Merritt is on track for not only a roster spot but also a Week 1 role on offense. The Commanders traded Brian Robinson to the 49ers on Friday, leaving Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez as the favorites to split backfield work with Austin Ekeler, although Jeremy McNichols could also factor in a bit. Ekeler is also listed among the 33 Commanders that won't play Saturday, but Rodriguez and McNichols aren't.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Moving up depth chart
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Croskey-Merritt's impressive summer contributed to Washington's decision to trade Brian Robinson to the 49ers on Friday, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports.
A trade was rumored all week, with Robinson even held out of Monday's preseason loss to Cincinnati. RB Chris Rodriguez started that game and had a 40-yard run on the second snap, before Croskey-Merritt stepped up on the second drive with a 27-yard TD. Those two are the favorites to replace Robinson when a power runner is needed, but Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols are also candidates to take over some of the snaps Robinson handled last year. It'll be one of the key backfields to monitor Week 1, with no guarantee that Croskey-Merritt's rising ADP leads to a fantasy-friendly role in the opener. The usage in September won't necessarily be the same as that later in the season, of course, and positive reports on Croskey-Merritt throughout the summer suggest he has a shot to emerge as the lead runner.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Scores on second drive
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Croskey-Merritt (shoulder) took 11 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown in Monday's 31-17 preseason loss to Cincinnati, adding two receptions for no gain on two targets.
Brian Robinson was held out amid trade rumors, while Austin Ekeler was merely rested. Chris Rodriguez got the start, broke off a 40-yard run on the second play and took all four snaps on the opening drive with Jayden Daniels. Croskey-Merritt then came in for the second drive and quickly scored a 27-yard TD run. Rodriguez took most of the third series, followed by Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols sharing snaps until the end of the third quarter. The week before, Croskey-Merritt started over Rodriguez in a loss to New England but came out of the game with a minor injury. After getting back to full strength in a hurry, the rookie seventh-round pick seems to be competing with Rodriguez for the chance to potentially replace Robinson. A handful of Washington beat writers have praised Croskey-Merritt as one of the standouts of training camp, fueling fantasy interest even before the recent reports about Robinson being shopped.
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Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Eight touches in preseason loss
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Croskey-Merritt rushed seven times for 24 yards and caught his only target for eight yards in Friday's 48-18 preseason loss to the Patriots.
Croskey-Merritt had been drawing rave reviews for his performance in training camp but failed to stand out Friday, though he was notably the first running back in the game for Washington while Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler were resting. The rookie seventh-round pick out of Arizona is competing for the third spot on Washington's running back depth chart with Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez. McNichols scored a rushing touchdown in the third quarter Friday. The race for a roster spot is too close to call at this stage, so all three of Croskey-Merritt, McNichols and Rodriguez will likely get chances to bolster their respective cases Aug. 18 against the Bengals in the Commanders' next preseason game.
