Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Jacory Croskey-Merritt
Week 2 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.8 | 48.3 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 15.2 | 0.1 |
Rico Dowdle News
Sunday, September 13, 3:57 PM
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle rushed for just 15 yards on eight carries during Sunday's Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons. He also caught two of his five targets for an additonal six receiving yards. Between carries and targets, Dowdle had 13 opportunities, which is still a somewhat reasonable result. The biggest issue was that he was wildly efficient on the ground and through the air, averaging 1.9 yards per carry and 3.0 yards per catch. Enerting the season, it seemed like Dowdle was going to split the volume from this backfield with Jaylen Warren, but the latter ended up leading the way on Sunday. For now, we're inclined to believe we'll see similar backfield dynamics next week and beyond. Warren has earned the right to touch the ball 15+ times per game as a top-25 fantasy running back while Dowdle is still in more of the low-end RB3/flex tier for now.
Week 2 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.0 | 53.5 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 8.5 | 0.1 |
Jacory Croskey-Merritt News
Friday, September 11, 9:14 AM
After dealing with a groin injury that limited him in both Wednesday and Thursday's practices, Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) has been cleared to play in Sunday's season-opener against the Eagles, according to head coach Dan Quinn. As a seventh-round rookie in 2025, Croskey-Merritt ran for 805 yards and eight touchdowns, ranking as one of the league's most efficient backs on plays run from under center. With new offensive coordinator David Blough expected to call more such plays, and the second-year runner entering the year with a clean bill of health, Croskey-Merritt has Week 1 flex appeal despite a tough opening matchup. While free-agent acquisition Rachaad White is expected to see much of the Commanders' passing-down work, Croskey-Merritt still profiles as the team's early-down back and should stay involved as long as the game remains close, making him RotoBaller's RB35 for Week 1.
Rico Dowdle vs. Jacory Croskey-Merritt
Still trying to decide between Dowdle and Croskey-Merritt? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Rico Dowdle is projected to score 10.8 points this week while Jacory Croskey-Merritt is projected to score 11.0 points.
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