Who Should I Start? Jaydon Blue or Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Monday, October 13, 11:41 AM

Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue saw a decrease in workload on Sunday during his team's 30-27 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The rookie was expected to see an increase in playing time in Week 6, but Dallas' ground game was relatively ineffective against Carolina's defense, prompting the team to air it out more. With backfield mate Miles Sanders (knee, ankle) set to miss the remainder of the season, Blue's role should grow as he becomes more comfortable on an NFL field. However, he doesn't figure to have much standalone value with Javonte Williams dominating touches and looking effective. For now, fantasy managers can consider the former Texas Longhorn a solid handcuff, but not a startable option with Williams in front of him.

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.