Who Should I Start? Travis Etienne Jr. or Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Sunday, September 28, 9:38 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. dominated the San Francisco 49ers with 19 carries for 124 yards and a touchdown in his team's 26-21 Week 4 win. The 26-year-old is off to a terrific start to the 2025 season, with 65 carries for 394 yards and two touchdowns as a rusher, and six catches for 32 yards and a score as a receiver through his first four games. Etienne Jr. is also dominating backfield touches in Jacksonville so far, as Jaguars backup running backs Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. combined for just six touches in Week 4. Etienne Jr. profiles as a must-start fantasy running back going into a Week 5 showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs.

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.