Who Should I Start? David Montgomery or Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Tuesday, July 22, 1:52 PM

DetroitLions.com's Tim Twentyman reports that he's seen Detroit Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery on the field together over the first three training camp practices, maybe more than he can remember in the last two years. It appears that new offensive coordinator John Morton likes the Gibbs-Monty combination and the pressure they can put on opposing defenses. Despite the presence of Montgomery in Detroit's backfield, Gibbs is a surefire top-five fantasy RB entering his third NFL season. The former first-rounder has been a Pro Bowler in both of his seasons and ran for 1,412 yards and a league-high 16 touchdowns on 250 carries a year ago, adding 52 catches for the second straight year, 517 yards and four more TDs. Montgomery is dangerous in his own right and had 1,000 yards rushing in 2023, but he's not the all-around stud that Gibbs is.

Sunday, August 24, 12:48 PM

Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt was held out of their preseason finale, along with many key starters. While Croskey-Merritt was nursing a minor shoulder injury early in the week, seeing him receive rest before the regular season is a telling sign for his expected role. Instead, Chris Rodriguez Jr took five carries on the ground while Kazmeir Allen led the backfield with eight touches. Despite being drafted in the seventh round, Croskey-Merritt has emerged as a potential starter in D.C., especially following the trade that sent presumed starter Brian Robinson Jr. to San Francisco. Croskey-Merritt racked up 46 yards and a score in their second preseason game and 24 yards in his debut. Fantasy managers should continue to closely monitor Croskey-Merritt's status leading up to the regular season, as he could carry RB2 upside if he were to be named the team's starter.