FANTASY FOOTBALL NEWS

Jacory Croskey-Merritt Leads Washington's Backfield

By Jody Smith | Updated on Mon, Sep 8 2025 12:16 AM UTC

Though he entered the game as Washington's No. 3 RB, seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt lived up to his considerable preseason hype by rushing for a team-high 82 yards and his first NFL touchdown as the Commanders cruised to a 21-6 victory over the Giants.

Crosky-Merritt emerged as a fantasy sleeper with a strong preseason showing. The resulting trade of Brian Robinson to San Francisco cemented Crosky-Merritt as a mid-to-late round target with upside.

In Washington's opener, he lived up to that billing.

2025 Fantasy Football Impact

Veteran RB Austin Ekeler drew the start and was featured in Washington's first two drives, playing 13 snaps in the first quarter.

However, in the 2nd quarter, Croskey-Merritt made an impact, churning off an 11-yard gain and capping the drive with his first touchdown from 6 yards out.

Later, he cut loose for a 41-yard gainer and ended the game with 10 totes, averaging a healthy 8.2 yards per carry.

Washington's backfield distribution:

• Ekeler - 33 snaps, 6 attempts, 3 targets

• Croskey-Merritt - 23 snaps, 10 attempts, 1 target

• Jeremy McNichols - 13 snaps, 4 attempts, 0 targets

Despite being out-snapped by Ekeler, Croskey-Merritt was more effective and likely earned a bigger share of the RB carries moving forward.

Jody Smith, Analyst

Jody Smith has been playing fantasy football for over 30 years, the last 15 as an analyst, writer, and editor. Jody's rankings have been among the most consistent, placing him inside the top-10 in multi-year accuracy.