The Washington Commanders produced one of the NFL’s top rushing offenses last season and appear in line to do so once again in 2025 with 157.3 yards per game on the ground, second-most of any team. A season-ending injury to Austin Ekeler did hurt the outlook for the backfield, but fantasy football darling Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez are in line to pick up the slack alongside Jeremy McNichols.
With the Commanders entering Week 4 still working out the backfield split, which running back will emerge as a better fantasy football option between Croskey-Merritt, Rodriguez, and McNichols to a lesser extent?
Evaluating the Commanders backfield
Prior to Ekeler’s injury, the split of backfield duties appeared clear in Washington. The veteran handled 47% and 52% of snaps during the first two weeks as the primary back, seeing much of the passing-down work thanks to his pass-protection skills. Following that injury, Rodriguez saw a promotion to the active roster but four different backs all mixed in during Week 3’s contest against the Raiders. The signs of an ugly committee are upon us.
In that Week 3 game, Croskey-Merritt paced all runners with 40% of snaps, though his eight carries ranked second on the day. Rodriguez finished second in snap share at 38% while pacing the backfield with 11 rush attempts. Meanwhile, Jeremy McNichols mixed in on 26% of snaps with four carries but much of the passing work. Of course, wideout Deebo Samuel also saw three carries as a dynamic option in certain packages.
Without a runner above a 40% snap share, it’s tough to project much fantasy football success here. There’s upside with each of the options though depending on what kind of production fantasy managers are hoping for.
Commanders backfield outlook
Jacory Croskey-Merritt
A sleeper seventh-round pick who turned into one of the biggest names in fantasy football this offseason, Croskey-Merritt remains the player to roster in Washington at the moment. The rookie averages 8.7 FPPG over his first three appearances with 22 rushes for 125 yards and two touchdowns. He’s seen just three targets in the passing game, but fantastic vision and 4.45 40-yard dash speed make up for it with big-play ability. The rookie put that on display with a 42-yard run and 27-yard touchdown rush in Week 1, so he can escape from the defense and break free in a hurry. While not a workhorse by any means, there’s plenty of upside for “Bill” as an RB2 based on efficiency as long as he’s taking a decent share of carries. He should typically finish first or second in rushing attempts during any given week.
Chris Rodriguez
Despite having two years of experience in the Commanders’ system under his belt already, Rodriguez ended up a healthy inactive during the first two weeks. A 2023 sixth-round pick, he posted just 420 rushing yards and four touchdowns during the first two seasons in a limited role. He posted 39 yards on 11 carries in Week 3 without a target, and since he doesn’t bring the same speed Croskey-Merritt does, Rodriguez profiles as a grinder back best suited for early-down and goal-line work. He could serve as a touchdown-dependent FLEX in a pinch, but without a receiving role or a profile for the big play, he’s not as exciting a play as his backfield mate.
Jeremy McNichols
Croskey-Merritt and Rodriguez will soak up the majority of rushing work in this backfield, but a third challenger will also muddy things up in Washington. A fifth-round selection by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2017, McNichols has bounced around the NFL but found a role with the Commanders last season. He rushed for 261 yards and four scores on 55 attempts and caught nine of his 12 targets for 27 yards through the air. The veteran has rushed just eight times this year but took an attempt 60 yards for an impressive touchdown this past week and may have earned some additional work. More importantly, he profiles as the choice on passing downs thanks to his reliable blocking. McNichols will eat into the other two’s workload some, but doesn’t project as much more than a stash in fantasy at the moment.
