The Washington Commanders are looking to build off a 12-5 season in which they made it to the NFC Championship. This marked their best regular season record and deepest playoff run since 1991. Unfortunately, their offseason has been clouded by contractual dissatisfaction, headlined by Brian Robinson Jr. and Terry McLaurin.
On Friday, Washington put an end to the Robinson Jr. situation by trading him to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
This leaves the Commanders’ running back room with Austin Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt. Jeremy McNichols, Demtric Felton and Kazmeir Allen are also on the Washington roster, but have a less certain outlook for a spot and an even further leap to any sort of fantasy football relevance. While Ekeler is expected to serve as the lead back, and has some solid pass-catching chops, there is room for production beyond him. Expect both rRodriguez and Croskey-Merritt to see a boost in their fantasy football outlook following the trade, but which is the more desired Commanders running back?
The Case for Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt:
The Commanders selected Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt with the 245th overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. After rushing for 1,190 yards and recording 18 total touchdowns across 12 games at New Mexico in 2023, Croskey-Merritt was ruled ineligible after just one game at Arizona last year. He tallied 13 carries for 109 yards and a touchdown in the one matchup he played, which was against his former team of New Mexico. Croskey-Merritt does deserve some praise for remaining a part of the Arizona program following the ineligible ruling, suiting up for the scout team all season in practice.
Croskey-Merritt has made the most of his preseason opportunities and showcased why he can be an impact player. In Washington’s preseason opener against the Patriots, he tallied seven carries for 24 yards and added an eight-yard reception. He then took 11 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals while adding a pair of receptions.
He is much more than your typical seventh-round running back, with it necessary to keep his unique path in mind. If he had played a full season last year, it is almost certain he would have been taken off the board far sooner in the draft. Croskey-Merritt has drawn rave reviews from the coaching staff throughout training camp, and the decision to make this trade is at least partially a vote of faith in the 24-year-old.
The Case for Chris Rodriguez Jr:
The Commanders spent a sixth-round pick on Chris Rodriguez Jr. in the 2023 NFL Draft. His opportunities have been limited to this point, with just 86 carries for 420 yards and four touchdowns across his two seasons in the NFL. Before this, he spent five seasons at Kentucky, tallying 3,644 yards and 32 total touchdowns.
While he has not had his true NFL breakout yet, head coach Dan Quinn has been extremely complimentary of the 24-year-old. He tallied six carries for 62 yards in the previous preseason game after recording 22 rushing yards on six carries in the preseason opener. Quinn has previously mentioned the likelihood of Rodriguez having a chance to serve as the goal line back with his tackle-breaking ability in a small space in mind.
The Verdict:
The Commanders’ backfield is shaping up to be some sort of committee, which is far from ideal from a fantasy football perspective. While Chris Rodruguez Jr. could end up being a touchdown vulture, look at Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt as the more desirable back due to his more diverse skillset. There is a level of athleticism and pop that he possesses that is not the case across the rest of the running back room.
There comes a certain point where talent wins out, and there is a real chance that he proves to be the most talented back on this Commanders roster. Even with Ekeler’s presence in mind, the 30-year-old has a concerning injury history and failed to crack 1,000 yards from scrimmage last year for the first time since 2020. He had 733 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns across the 12 games he played.
Washington needs someone to step up as the early down back and prove they can be effective in between the tackles. Even across Ekeler’s successful career, this has not been one of his strengths. The rookie is currently posting an ADP of 214, but expect this number to climb notably following the Brian Robinson Jr. trade. The running back snaps are up for grabs, and Crosky-Merritt has made a strong case for why he deserves them. Expect it to be a process in sorting out the split of opportunities during the early parts of the season, but for the rookie to be able to rise to the top. Have Crosky-Merrit penciled in as a late-round target, and don’t be shocked if he makes a push for a top 30 fantasy output among running backs as the season progresses.
