The Commanders are looking to bounce back from a brutal tie with the Giants last week as they face the 49ers on Monday Night Football in San Francisco. While both teams have multiple injuries to monitor, one key development on Saturday was the confirmation that Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) will miss the game. Without Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White could emerge as a fantasy option if he can deal with his own injury issues. Let’s look at what to expect from the Commanders’ backfield in Week 6 and try to pinpoint where they may offer value and upside.
In this post, we’ll cover the latest on Croskey-Merritt’s injury and break down the fantasy outlook for White and the rest of the Commanders’ backfield in this week’s matchup against the 49ers and beyond.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Injury Update
This season, the Commanders have used a mix of Croskey-Merritt and White in the backfield. With White out with a shoulder injury in Week 4, the team brought back veteran Austin Ekeler to add to the rotation. With White back in Week 5, he played 60% of snaps and led the backfield. While he played fewer snaps, Croskey-Merritt still led Washington’s running backs with 11 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown, posting a solid 14.2 FPTS.
However, Croskey-Merritt missed all of the team’s practices this week, and Coach Dan Quinn said the running back won’t play on Sunday after aggravating a groin injury that has bothered him since earlier this season. With Croskey-Merritt sidelined, White and Ekeler are expected to handle much of the backfield work, with Jeremy McNichols also a potential factor if activated from IR.
With a Week 7 bye, the Commanders should be cautious with Croskey-Merritt to keep him healthy for the rest of the season. The team will give him this Sunday off, but Quinn said his timeline beyond that is still TBD.
Rachaad White Fantasy Football Outlook
White took seven carries for 18 yards and caught his only target for two more yards in his return in Week 5. White took seven carries for 18 yards and caught his only target for two more yards on his return in Week 5. While he had only 3.0 FPTS in that game, he performed better in Week 2 against the Cowboys (14.3 FPTS) and in Week 3 against the Seahawks (11.1 FPTS).
White was heavily involved as a receiver against the Cowboys, catching six passes for 40 yards and rushing for 43 yards on seven carries. If the Commanders play from behind this week against the 49ers, it could be a pass-heavy game script and play to his strengths as a pass-catcher.
The 49ers have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to running backs this season and have struggled against them as receivers, giving up an average of 7.4 catches for 48.4 receiving yards per game.
If White gets most of the snaps and the Commanders have to pass more, he could rack up receptions and become a great fantasy football play if he can get into the end zone.
His one touchdown this season came on a passing play in Week 3 against Seattle:
White is still dealing with his shoulder injury, and he has been limited in practice this week. While he doesn’t have an injury designation, he could still be less than 100%.
If White isn’t ready to carry the full load, Ekeler could do more, but he was also limited in practice this week. While both veterans are a little banged up, White should still do most of the work, with Ekeler mixing in for an occasional change of pace.
Against the 49ers, White is a low-end RB2 or a solid FLEX play, especially in PPR leagues where he can be less touchdown-dependent.
The Bottom Line: Jacory Croskey-Merritt makes Rachaad White a FLEX option in PPR leagues
White will likely get enough work to have touchdown-dependent upside on Monday Night Football. The Commanders offense has been good enough to give him a solid chance to get into the end zone and catch enough passes to be a fantasy football option in PPR leagues.
He isn’t on the main DFS slate, but he will be a key play in single-game Showdown contests like the NFL Showdown $1.5M Monday Night Showdown [$500K to 1st] (WAS @ SF) on DraftKings. White has a salary of only $6,600 in a FLEX spot in that contest and could be a key value to consider with his increased workload. If he really goes off, he could even be a contrarian play at $9,900 in a Captain’s Pick spot.
