Finally, we saw the Commanders unleash Croskey-Merritt in Week 5 against the Chargers, and he went off for 14 carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns and two catches for 39 yards on two targets. We hope Washington continues to lean on Croskey-Merritt as the lead running back ahead of Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jeremy McNichols, and I would start Croskey-Merritt as a No. 2 running back in all leagues. The Bears are No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and five running backs this year have scored at least 13.1 PPR points against Chicago in four games.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Goes off for two scores Sunday
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Remains stuck in committee
Rotowire
Croskey-Merritt carried the ball seven times for 47 yards and caught both his targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 34-27 loss to the Falcons.
The rookie running back led the Commanders' backfield in touches on the day with nine, but Chris Rodriguez paced the team in rushing yards, turning seven totes into 59 yards, while Deebo Samuel got three carries in addition to his receiving work and Jeremy McNichols also chipped in with three touches. The overall effectiveness of the arrangement -- 6.7 yards per carry for Washington's backfield as a whole -- was impressive once again, but none of the team's RBs will be reliable fantasy plays without a consistent path to more volume. Croskey-Merritt will try to make an impact with what touches he gets in Week 5 against the Chargers.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Good to go for Week 4
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: At practice Friday
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Knee issue not considered serious
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: RBs to Sit
Rotowire
Maybe we'll see Croskey-Merritt step forward as the No. 1 running back for the Commanders in Week 4, but it was messy in Week 3 against Las Vegas. In the first game without Austin Ekeler (Achilles), Chris Rodriguez Jr. started and led Washington with 11 carries, finishing with 39 yards and no targets. Jeremy McNichols played the fewest snaps, but he had the best game thanks to a 60-yard touchdown run, which boosted his stats to 78 yards on four carries, although he also had no targets. Croskey-Merritt played the most snaps in a blowout 41-24 victory, and he finished with eight carries for 26 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 5 yards on one target. I'm hesitant to trust any Washington running back against the Falcons, who are No. 6 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. At best, Croskey-Merritt is a flex option in deeper leagues.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: No practice due to knee injury
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Sleeper RBs
Rotowire
This will be Washington's first game without Austin Ekeler (Achilles), and hopefully, it means a significant increase in touches for Croskey-Merritt. He looked great in Week 1 against the Giants with 10 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown, but he was negated at Green Bay in Week 2 with four carries for 17 yards. The key will be his role in the passing game since he has two targets and no catches on the season, and we'll see what Washington does with Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. The Raiders so far have been solid against the run in matchups against New England and the Chargers, and Jayden Daniels (knee) is out this week for the Commanders. But I'm willing to gamble on Croskey-Merritt as a flex in all leagues with Ekeler now out for the season.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: More opportunities ahead?
Rotowire
Croskey-Merritt is expected to become the No. 1 running back after an MRI confirmed that Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles during Thursday's loss to the Packers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Ekeler played nearly half of the offensive snaps and logged 19 touches through the first two games, so his absence leaves a massive opportunity. Croskey-Merritt looks like the favorite to claim the bulk of those duties, but veteran running back Jeremy McNichols should play a role in the passing game while Chris Rodriguez -- who was a healthy scratch for the first two games -- may mix in too. Through two games, Croskey-Merritt rushed 14 times for 99 yards (7.1 YPC) and a touchdown but failed to haul in either of his two targets.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Limited to four touches in loss
Rotowire
Croskey-Merritt rushed four times for 17 yards and failed to bring in his only target in the Commanders' 27-18 loss to the Packers on Thursday night.
After an eye-catching NFL debut Week 1 against the Giants, Croskey-Merritt came into Thursday night's matchup with some enhanced expectations. However, game script conspired against the Commanders' ground attack, as Green Bay already owned a 14-3 lead at halftime. Croskey-Merritt ultimately saw four fewer carries than Austin Ekeler, who exited late in the third quarter with an Achilles injury, and three less than Jayden Daniels as well. With Ekeler's injury of the non-contact variety, it's certainly possible a tear may be the ultimate diagnosis, a development that would brighten Croskey-Merritt's long-term outlook even further. Under any circumstance, the rookie seventh-round pick should be in line for more opportunities during a Week 3 home matchup against the Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 21.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Racks up 82 yards, TD in debut
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Resting for preseason finale
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Moving up depth chart
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Scores on second drive
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Eight touches in preseason loss
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Goes late to Commanders
Rotowire
The Commanders selected Croskey-Merritt in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 245th overall.
Croskey-Merritt parlayed an impressive 2023 season at New Mexico (1,190 yards, 17 touchdowns) into a spot in Arizona's backfield in 2024. However, eligibility issues derailed his season after just one game (106 yards, one touchdown). That hurt Croskey-Merritt's ability to put one more impressive season on tape. Croskey-Merritt is older for a running back prospect (24), but his production was promising at New Mexico, and he showed to be a rugged runner there. He's a north-south type of back who won't help much in the passing game but could still push for a roster spot in Washington.
