Who Should I Start? Jacory Croskey-Merritt or Mike Washington Jr.

Friday, August 14, 2:25 PM

With the Washington Commanders sitting their key offensive players in Friday night's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins, second-year running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt will be in street clothes, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic. Rachaad White and Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps) aren't playing either, so rookie Kaytron Allen, Jerome Ford, and Robert Henry should split backfield touches against Miami. Croskey-Merritt led the Commanders' backfield in 2025 after being taken in the seventh round out of the University of Arizona, recording 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries in 17 games played. The Commanders will give Bill every opportunity to earn a bigger workload in Year 2, but White poses a real threat to JCM, especially in the passing game. Croskey-Merritt must also clean up his ball-security issues in order to take the next step. Going into his sophomore campaign, Croskey-Merritt is best viewed as an RB3/flex target in standard-scoring formats. His next chance to suit up in the preseason will come next Saturday on the road against the Detroit Lions.