Who Should I Start? Brian Robinson Jr. or Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Saturday, September 13, 1:14 AM

San Francisco 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr. may see an uptick in usage when the team faces the Saints on Sunday. With quarterback Brock Purdy (toe, shoulder) out, wide receiver Jauan Jennings (shoulder) questionable, and tight end George Kittle (hamstring) on injured reserve, San Francisco is short on playmakers. In Week 2, San Francisco may prefer to grind things out on the ground now that Mac Jones is under center. If that's the case, Robinson should mix in regularly in order to avoid overworking Christian McCaffrey (31 touches in Week 1). Robinson projects as an RB4 in Week 2. While he is not a must-start, he is a viable flex in deeper leagues and should be rostered in most leagues.

Wednesday, September 17, 7:49 AM

Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt is listed as the team's starting running back, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. Throughout the first two weeks of the season, Croskey-Merritt has had a sizeable role in the offense, but he has typically been deployed as the No. 2 option, behind Austin Ekeler. However, with Ekeler suffering a torn Achilles during their Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers, it appears the rookie will see an uptick in workload. In Week 1, the first-round rookie made an immediate impact, totaling 82 yards and a score on 10 attempts. However, in the second week, he took a step back, earning just four attempts for 17 yards. However, fantasy managers should expect the Arizona product to see double-digit attempts weekly, given his new placement on the depth chart. Croskey-Merritt carries low-end RB2 value heading into a Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.