Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt broke out for 150 total yards and two touchdowns in Week 5 against the Chargers, but he has disappointed in the past two weeks despite favorable matchups. Croskey-Merritt is still the clear No. 1 back in Washington, posting his three highest rushing attempt and route participation rates of the season over the past three weeks. The seventh-round rookie has still been one of the most efficient runners in the league despite the two-week lull, posting the third-highest success rate (60.3%) and eighth-highest explosive rush rate (6.8%) among running backs with at least 50 carries. He's not as involved in the passing game, which lowers his ceiling a tad, but he is still capable of delivering a big fantasy performance. He'll face a Kansas City Chiefs defense that hasn't been great on a down-to-down basis, ranking 22nd in rush success rate (42.6%). Croskey-Merritt ranks as RotoBaller's RB23 in PPR leagues for Week 8.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt had just 33 rushing yards in a loss to the Cowboys. Dynasty Analysis: He "added" one catch for -1 yard on the day. This was a brutally disappointing day for the rookie, who dynasty managers were hoping to see put up a big day against a Dallas defense that's been awful this season. Instead, the Commanders fell behind and were forced to throw for much of the day. "Bill" still has a lot of fantasy appeal but the breakout really has yet to happen, making him more of a flex option at the moment.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt had his worst performance of the season in Week 6 against the Bears, handling 17 carries for 61 yards with one reception for seven yards and losing a fumble for the second consecutive game. It's concerning to see him put the ball on the ground this frequently, but the coaching staff showed faith in him and went right back to him. On a positive note, the rookie seventh-rounder posted his highest snap share of the season at 66.7%. Croskey-Merritt should again handle the bulk of the touches in Week 7 against a Dallas defense that just allowed Rico Dowdle to rack up 239 total yards. They are allowing the fourth-most PPR points per game to opposing running backs, which sets up Croskey-Merritt for a nice bounce-back game. He is a must-start in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Smash Starts: Jordan Mason, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and More Week 7 Fantasy Studs Call them must-starts, call them smashes — but one rule still applies: When you see the star - you smash. Jump in for this week's best fantasy plays. [Read More]

From FantasyLife

Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said that the team is "still confident" in rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt despite his ball-security issues, according to Tashan Reed of The Washington Post. Croskey-Merritt was unable to keep the momentum he had coming out of a breakout game in the Week 5 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, as he had 61 rushing yards on 17 carries and caught one pass for seven yards in the Monday night loss to the Chicago Bears. The 24-year-old also had a crucial fumble early in the game that led to a Bears touchdown. With Austin Ekeler (Achilles) out for the season, JCM isn't going anywhere in Washington's backfield and is clearly a better lead-back option than both Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jeremy McNichols. Croskey-Merritt should maintain heavy volume in a plus matchup in Week 7 and is ripe for a bounce-back performance against the division-rival Dallas Cowboys.

From RotoBaller

Rest-of-Season (ROS) Rankings: Brian Thomas and DK Metcalf are Rising for Week 7 Geoff Ulrich takes a look at the Rest-of-Season Rankings for fantasy football ahead of Week 7, featuring Brian Thomas, DK Metcalf and more. [Read More]

From FantasyLife

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt broke out with his best game of the season in Week 5 against the Chargers, totaling 150 yards and two touchdowns on 16 touches. The Croskey-Merritt takeover finally happened in Week 5, posting a season-high 50.9% snap share, handling 50% of the team's rush attempts, and running 31.3% of the team's routes. All marks were the highest of any Washington back in Week 5, and he delivered with a remarkable performance. For the season, he's rushed 283 yards and four touchdowns on 43 carries, averaging a league-best 6.6 yards per carry. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury provided some reason to keep the optimism in check, saying that the rookie still has "ways to go" in terms of playing without the ball in his hands. His work in pass protection has improved, but that is still an area where veteran Jeremy McNichols is most trusted. Third-year back Chris Rodriguez Jr. saw his lowest snap count and fewest carries in a game since becoming active in Week 5, suggesting he may be slipping back into a depth role. Croskey-Merritt should be expected to handle the bulk of the touches again in Week 6 against a Bears defense that is allowing an absurd 6.1 yards per carry and the fourth-most PPR points per game to opposing running backs. He should be fired up as a high-upside RB2 on Monday night.

From RotoBaller

Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said that rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt still has a "ways to go" with his play when the football isn't in his hands, according to John Keim of ESPN. "Pass protection, pass game, any sort of lead blocks. He has to keep working to become a complete back but since day one when he touches the ball he does good things with it," Kingsbury added. It's about par for the course with most young RBs in the NFL. The 24-year-old displayed his upside in the Week 5 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, carrying the ball 14 times for a season-high 111 yards and two touchdowns, but he also lost a fumble. But will it be enough to get JCM out of a committee backfield approach in Washington that also includes Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jeremy McNichols? Fantasy managers should be willing to find out with Croskey-Merritt in their starting lineups for a Monday night affair against the Chicago Bears to close out Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Commanders' RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt scored 28.00 fantasy points in Sunday's Week 5 win in Los Angeles Chargers. Croskey-Merritt ran for 111 yards and caught two passes for 39 yards with two touchdowns. It's the 1st time this season Croskey-Merritt scored at least 25 fantasy points in a game.

Fantasy Football Takeaways: Jacory Croskey-Merritt Leads The Utilization Report For Week 6 Welcome to the Utilization Report, presented by DraftKings, where Dwain McFarland highlights his top fantasy football takeaways heading into Week 6. [Read More]

From FantasyLife

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt stepped up in Week 5 against the Chargers, taking 14 carries for 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The other running backs were less involved, with Chris Rodriguez Jr. only getting five carries for seven yards and Jeremy McNichols only one carry for six yards. Croskey-Merritt played a season-high 47% of snaps, while McNichols and Rodriguez only played 25% each. The seventh-round pick from Arizona seemed to gel well with returning QB Jayden Daniels and helped the team secure a big road win over the Chargers. This week, Croskey-Merritt and the Commanders are home against the Bears on Monday Night Football, which should be a good matchup for the rookie to continue to assert himself as the leader of the backfield going forward. He's definitely the most dynamic option of the group with the highest fantasy upside.

From RotoBaller

Fantasy Football Takeaways: Jacory Croskey-Merritt Leads The Utilization Report For Week 6 Welcome to the Utilization Report, presented by DraftKings, where Dwain McFarland highlights his top fantasy football takeaways heading into Week 6. [Read More]

From FantasyLife

Week 6 Early Fantasy Football Rankings: Moving Up Drake Maye and Jacory Croskey-Merritt Ian Hartitz released his early Week 6 fantasy football rankings, highlighting players like Drake Maye, A.J. Brown and Jacory Croskey-Merritt. [Read More]

From FantasyLife

Fantasy Football Takeaways: Jacory Croskey-Merritt Leads The Utilization Report For Week 6 Welcome to the Utilization Report, presented by DraftKings, where Dwain McFarland highlights his top fantasy football takeaways heading into Week 6. [Read More]

From FantasyLife

Dynasty | Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt had 111 rushing yards, two catches, 39 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a win against the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: It wasn't all rainbows and unicorns for "Bill," who also lost a fumble in the game. Still, this was the performance dynasty managers had been waiting for as he dominated the backfield and took control of what had been a frustrating committee. If this is the start of things to come, his ADP and rookie ranking are both going to make a serious uptick. It seems any chance to buy may have passed this week.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt had the best game of his young career in his team's 27-10 Week 5 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Croskey-Merritt recorded 14 carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns, adding two catches for 39 yards as well. The 24-year-old has now recorded 43 carries for 283 yards and four touchdowns so far this season. Perhaps most encouragingly, Croskey-Merritt earned more than double the touches in Week 5 (16) of fellow Commanders running backs Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jeremy McNichols combined (seven). If Croskey-Merritt can fully seize the lead rushing role in Washington, he could become a must-start fantasy running back sooner than later.

From RotoBaller

Commanders' RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran for 111 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns in Sunday's win in Los Angeles Chargers.

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt has weekly upside because he's been so efficient and dynamic on his touches, but the role is still murky as part of a three-man committee in the Washington backfield. Croskey-Merritt is tied with third-year back Chris Rodriguez Jr. in snap share over the past two weeks without Austin Ekeler, each playing 37.4% of the snaps and earning 18 touches apiece. Veteran back Jeremy McNichols has filled in primarily on late downs, playing 11 of 19 third and fourth-down plays over the past two weeks. Croskey-Merritt's role should continue to increase as he gets more experience. The rookie has been one of the most efficient runners in the league over his first month of NFL games. His 5.8 yards per carry ranks second best, while his 58.6% success rate is the best among all running backs. That may not continue in a tough Week 5 matchup against the Chargers, as they have been the stingiest defense against the run. They've allowed just 10.6 PPR points per game on the season. That leaves Croskey-Merritt as a low-end flex play in Week 5.

From RotoBaller

ESPN's Dan Graziano reports that the Washington Commanders are "very happy at the moment using a committee" in the backfield, but they "view (rookie running back) Jacory Croskey-Merritt as the most capable one of the three to emerge as an all-around threat." Since veteran running back Austin Ekeler (Achilles) suffered an Achilles tear in Week 2, the Commanders have split backfield playing time fairly evenly between Croskey-Merritt, Chris Rodriguez Jr., and Jeremy McNichols. Overall, through his first four NFL games, Croskey-Merritt has recorded 172 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries to go along with three catches for 15 yards on five targets. As long as all three Washington backs are sharing snaps, none profile as fantasy starters. However, it sounds as though Croskey-Merritt is the most likely Commanders running back to eventually seize a true lead role.

From RotoBaller

Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt had a second straight underwhelming performance in the 34-27 Week 4 loss on the road to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Croskey-Merritt had seven carries, which tied Chris Rodriguez Jr., for 47 yards (6.7 yards per carry), and caught both of his targets for 10 additional yards in the passing game. The good news is that the 24-year-old led Washington's backfield with nine touches and had a healthy 6.7 yards per rush. However, Rodriguez was even more efficient with his seven carries and led the team in rushing with 59 yards, and Jeremy McNichols and receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. also stole five carries. JCM is going to remain involved in the Commanders' offense, but in this committee approach, he shouldn't be viewed as anything more than an RB3/flex play in fantasy. Since Austin Ekeler (Achilles) went down with a season-ending injury in Week 2, Croskey-Merritt has 15 carries for 73 yards and three catches for 15 yards.

From RotoBaller