With the Washington Commanders facing Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football, the one component of the team that will be interesting to watch is the running back room featuring Jacory Croskey-Merritt. When Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. was a healthy scratch last Sunday in the win over the New York Giants, Croskey-Merritt made due with the opportunity and had an electric game, likely leading to more chances.
In the latest column by ESPN NFL insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, the two spoke about the buzz around the league after Week 1, with one part focusing on the running back hierarchy on various teams.
They would speak about Washington and how Croskey-Merritt rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, with Fowler saying that not only does he expect the “momentum to continue” and that he will be the lead running back “eventually.”
“I kept hearing how high Washington was on Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the preseason, and he delivered Sunday with 82 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. I'm expecting his momentum to continue,” Fowler wrote.
“Austin Ekeler will remain a factor, and the Commanders trust Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. Croskey-Merritt might not be the lead back yet, but he will be eventually,” Fowler continued. “Commanders players have been impressed by the patience and vision he showed when running with the first-team offense in camp.”
Why Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt will be the lead running back
While the Commanders are looking to deliver big in the 2025 season, the production of Croskey-Merritt could be an interesting storyline to follow beyond fantasy football purposes. Croskey-Merritt was a seventh-round pick and dazzled Washington during the offseason and preseason, leading to the immediate standout outing in Week 1, as Graziano agreed with the notion that he will eventually be the lead player in the unit.
“I tentatively agree,” Graziano wrote. “When Rodriguez was announced as inactive Sunday, it was a clear sign that Croskey-Merritt was in for a significant role. A tiny part of me wonders if the Commanders might have Rodriguez up for Thursday night's game with the Packers and give some other backs more work to avoid overloading Croskey-Merritt with two high-usage games in a five-day span.”
“But I have no inside information to suggest that, and being in that locker room after Sunday's game, I can say they were very happy with what they got from the seventh-round rookie,” Graziano continued. “I expect him to be their main guy for the bulk of this season along with Ekeler, who has his own specific role.”
As the NFL insiders mention, the Commanders still have Ekeler, McNichols, and Rodriguez Jr., as Croskey-Merritt will look to keep standing out with the next opportunity on Thursday against the Packers.
