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Jacory Croskey-Merritt could be in line for an enhanced workload, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
Fantasy managers of Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt should stay patient, according to ESPN insider Dan Graziano.
Graziano shed some light on the Commanders‘ three-headed backfield monster and believes Croskey-Merritt will begin getting the lion’s share of carries as the 2025 season progresses.
The Commanders have been using a backfield rotation of Croskey-Merritt, Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jeremy McNichols since No. 1 RB Austin Ekeler went down with a torn Achilles tendon in Washington’s Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Croskey-Merritt, a seventh-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft out of Arizona, leads the Commanders in carries (29) amid Washington’s 2-2 start. But Croskey-Merritt and Rodriguez shared the team lead in carries (7), and Rodriguez outgained the rookie 59-47 in Washington’s 34-27 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
The Commanders (2-2) will face off against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
ESPN insider: Commanders ‘View Croskey-Merritt’ As ‘Most Capable’ RB
Fantasy managers likely chose Croskey-Merritt as a late-round RB with potential bye week upside or to stash as he builds up his work load late in the season.
According to Graziano, there is no reason to believe that will change.
“They’re very happy at the moment using a committee with Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jeremy McNichols and rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt,” Graziano reported Wednesday. “But they do view Croskey-Merrit as the most capable one of the three to emerge as an all-around threat out of the backfield. As he gains more experience, I would expect his role to increase.”
Ekeler’s injury only bolstered that belief, though there could be fantasy managers who are getting impatient. Croskey-Merritt is not a particularly strong receiving threat out of the backfield — he has just three catches for 15 yards — and has just 90 rushing yards and one touchdown over Washington’s past three games.
“If you have him on your fantasy roster, I’d hold on,” Graziano wrote. “There’s a chance he could be the lead back there over the second half of the season.”
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Could Be More Involved When Jayden Daniels Returns
The Commanders got some great news about franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels on Wednesday, since the second-year QB has been cleared by medical staff and practiced in full.
That news could have a profound impact on Croskey-Merritt’s potential the rest of the year, since he had his best game as a pro with Daniels as the signal caller. Croskey-Merritt had 10 carries for 82 yards and his first NFL rushing TD against the New York Giants in Washington’s 21-6 win.
The Commanders did amass 147 rushing yards with backup Marcus Mariota against the Falcons on Sunday, with Croskey-Merritt putting up the second-most of any Commanders RB.
But opposing defenses truly fear Daniels as a rushing threat — far more than even the primary-rusher Mariota — which should mean more openings between the tackles on RPOs for Commanders backs.
If Daniels can stay healthy the rest of the season, and Croskey-Merritt is going to begin earning the bulk of carries, he is going to be a valuable fantasy player for an offense that has run nearly as many run plays (105) as passes (120) through the season’s first four weeks.
Pat Pickens is an experienced sports writer and media personality who has written for outlets like NHL.com, the Associated Press, the New York Times and USA Today. He covers the NFL, NBA, NHL and NBA as a breaking news contributor at Heavy. More about Pat Pickens
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