Who Should I Start? Bryce Young or Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Monday, September 15, 12:54 AM

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed 35 of 55 pass attempts for 328 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception during Sunday's Week 2 contest against the Arizona Cardinals. He also took three sacks in the loss. While Young and the whole Panthers offense were slow to get going, they showed real signs of life in the fourth quarter and nearly pulled off an improbable comeback. The former No. 1 pick's three touchdowns are a testament to his ability to lead pass-heavy scoring drives and keep the Panthers competitive even when playing from behind. Both of these skills will serve him well going forward, as sportsbooks continue to set the Panthers as underdogs, indicating that Young will need to continue throwing the ball often and with success. Next week, he'll face the Atlanta Falcons, who dismantled J.J. McCarthy this week but allowed Baker Mayfield to throw for three touchdowns in Week 1. Young should rank as a mid-range QB2 heading into the divisional battle.

Friday, September 12, 9:26 PM

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt is expected to step in as the Washington Commanders' starter following the devastating Achilles injury to Austin Ekeler in Thursday night's 27-18 loss to Green Bay. Croskey-Merritt has flashed efficiency early, posting 14 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown through two games despite playing fewer than 33% of the snaps. With only Jeremy McNichols currently active alongside him, the rookie should handle the bulk of early-down rushing duties, while McNichols sees work in passing situations. Chris Rodriguez Jr., a healthy scratch in the first two games, is also a candidate to be active moving forward. While Croskey-Merritt entered the season as a deep sleeper, he suddenly finds himself in line for a heavy workload. He's now an important fantasy asset with starting potential for the remainder of the 2025 season.