Who Should I Start? Isiah Pacheco or Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Tuesday, December 23, 9:20 AM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco took back over as the lead back for the Chiefs this week, stepping in ahead of veteran Kareem Hunt and taking eight carries for 34 yards while adding six catches for 41 yards in the team's loss to the Titans last week. Pacheco could be in for a heavy workload moving forward, since the team could phase out Hunt now that the playoffs are no longer a possibility. The team could take the next two weeks to evaluate Pacheco and rookie Brashard Smith for their future roles, but Pacheco is in a brutal matchup this week against the Broncos, who have been elite against the run. Pacheco does have touchdown-dependent upside and should get a good workload, but he's still a long-shot flex play to add off the waiver wire this week due to the matchup.

Monday, December 22, 12:19 PM

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt saw a decreased workload in Week 16 with the return of teammate Chris Rodriguez Jr., but was still productive, scoring his second touchdown in as many games. Croskey-Merritt toted the rock just eight times (25 yards) in Washington's 29-18 loss to the Eagles on Saturday -- ten fewer carries than he sported a week ago in Rodriguez's absence. However, he still played clearly ahead of Jeremy McNichols in the rushing attack, despite the latter pacing him in snaps 15-11. The 24-year-old may not garner the same upside he did at the beginning of the campaign, but fantasy managers in a pinch can turn to him for low-end flex production when Washington squares off with the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17.