Who Should I Start? Jaxson Dart or Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Tuesday, October 14, 10:39 AM

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart has helped his team to two big home wins over the Chargers and Eagles in his three games since taking over as starting QB, but he also lost a game on the road to the Saints. In Week 6, he threw for 195 yards and a touchdown in New York's Thursday Night Football upset of the Eagles and added 58 yards and a rushing score to help him be one of the highest scoring quarterbacks of the week. His rushing potential makes him a good fantasy play in almost any matchup since he brings both a high ceiling and a high floor. This week, he faces a very tough matchup, though, against the Broncos, who just shut down Jalen Hurts and Justin Fields to win their last two games. The game will also be in Denver, which will surely be a hostile environment for the rookie. Dart has shown enough to be worth a look as a second QB or bye-week fill-in off the waiver wire, even in this tough matchup. Looking further ahead, he'll have a tough rematch with the Eagles on the road in Week 8 before matchups with the 49ers and Bears that look a little more favorable. Even if he isn't an elite play in those matchups, his rushing production is enough to keep him as a viable fantasy option in most formats.

Friday, October 10, 7:32 PM

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt broke out with his best game of the season in Week 5 against the Chargers, totaling 150 yards and two touchdowns on 16 touches. The Croskey-Merritt takeover finally happened in Week 5, posting a season-high 50.9% snap share, handling 50% of the team's rush attempts, and running 31.3% of the team's routes. All marks were the highest of any Washington back in Week 5, and he delivered with a remarkable performance. For the season, he's rushed 283 yards and four touchdowns on 43 carries, averaging a league-best 6.6 yards per carry. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury provided some reason to keep the optimism in check, saying that the rookie still has "ways to go" in terms of playing without the ball in his hands. His work in pass protection has improved, but that is still an area where veteran Jeremy McNichols is most trusted. Third-year back Chris Rodriguez Jr. saw his lowest snap count and fewest carries in a game since becoming active in Week 5, suggesting he may be slipping back into a depth role. Croskey-Merritt should be expected to handle the bulk of the touches again in Week 6 against a Bears defense that is allowing an absurd 6.1 yards per carry and the fourth-most PPR points per game to opposing running backs. He should be fired up as a high-upside RB2 on Monday night.