Who Should I Start? Rasheen Ali or Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Sunday, January 19, 5:29 PM

According to the team, Baltimore Ravens running back Rasheen Ali (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. Ali did not carry an injury designation into this game but will instead watch this game from the sidelines. As a result, fantasy managers should expect Derrick Henry to operate as the lead back, with Justice Hill slotting behind him and Keaton Mitchell as the No.3 option. Ali also sat out during their wild-card victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over his final four games of the regular season, the 23-year-old tallied 31 yards on ten attempts. Henry carries high-end RB1 upside in DFS in this contest, while Hill is worth a look at as a value play in what could be a high-scoring affair.

Tuesday, May 27, 3:06 PM

Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt is a potential sleeper to watch during the team's offseason activities, according to Ben Standig of The Athletic. "A back-end roster player who could garner significant attention in the offseason: Jacory Croskey-Merritt," Standig wrote. "The 5-foot-11, 208-pounder has the goods to get there despite sitting out nearly the entire 2024 college season with eligibility issues. If Kingsbury falls for this competitive runner's one-cut burst, there could be a running back room shake-up." The seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft spent the first four seasons of his collegiate career at Alabama State before a breakout season at New Mexico, where he rushed 189 times for 1,190 yards and 17 touchdowns. In 2024 at Arizona, he rushed 13 times for 106 yards and one score in one game appearance. While Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler remain penciled in as the RB1 and RB2 for Washington, it sounds like Croskey-Merritt is a name worth monitoring later in the offseason. If he makes the roster, he could be worth stashing in deeper redraft and dynasty leagues. Last season, third-string running back Jeremy McNichols popped up on the fantasy radar, so anything is possible.