Jacory Croskey-Merritt Injury News & Updates

Croskey-Merritt rushed the ball seven times for 32 yards in Sunday's 31-0 loss to the Vikings.

Croskey-Merritt was once again uninspiring in Week 14, playing 10 snaps on offense, which was 12 fewer than fellow running back Chris Rodriguez (22). Croskey-Merritt has now gone eight straight games without reaching the end zone, and he hasn't crossed 40 yards on the ground since Week 6. With Washington's season going sideways and Rodriguez getting the majority of the workload in the backfield, Croskey-Merritt is an unappealing fantasy option at the moment.

Croskey-Merrit rushed four times for 20 yards in the Commanders' 27-26 overtime loss to the Broncos on Sunday night.

The rookie running back has fallen behind Chris Rodriguez as the Commanders' preferred early-down running back, as Croskey-Merrit was out-snapped 37 to 13 by Rodriguez, who rushed 11 times for 41 yards and one touchdown. Both backs played fewer snaps than Jeremy McNichols, who produced six carries for 30 yards and two catches for zero yards on 44 offensive snaps. Involved in a three-man committee, Croskey-Merrit can't be trusted in fantasy lineups.

Croskey-Merritt carried the ball nine times for 28 yards and caught his only target for five yards in Sunday's 16-13 overtime loss to the Dolphins.

Chris Rodriguez got the start for the Commanders and wound up seeing 16 touches to Croskey-Merritt's 10, while significantly out-gaining the rookie as well. The coaching staff will get a Week 12 bye to re-evaluate the offense, but Croskey-Merritt's role seems more likely to shrink than grow, as he's gone five straight games without reaching 40 rushing yards. On the season, he's produced 498 rushing yards on 114 totes for 4.4 yards per carry, but that number has plummeted to 2.9 YPC during that five-game swoon.

Croskey-Merritt rushed the ball 11 times for 30 yards in Sunday's 44-22 loss to the Lions. He was not targeted.

Croskey-Merritt was rotating with Jeremy McNichols in a backup role behind Chris Rodriguez (shoulder) for most of the first half However, Rodriguez didn't record a carry following a one-yard touchdown plunge late in the second quarter, opening up a path for increased touches for Croskey-Merritt. The rookie didn't take particular advantage with a long gain of only six yards, though he could be in line for lead-back duties in Week 11 against Miami if Rodriguez remains sidelined.

Croskey-Merritt (tooth) practiced fully Thursday.

Croskey-Merritt underwent a dental procedure between this past Sunday's loss to the Seahawks and Wednesday, leaving him limited at the first session of Week 10 prep. Now that he's been able to handle every practice rep one day later, he's poised to resume leading the Commanders backfield Sunday against the Lions. Croskey-Merritt has tallied double-digit carries in four of the last five games, a stretch in which he's combined for 70 touches for 316 yards from scrimmage and two rushing TDs.

Croskey-Merritt (tooth) practiced on a limited basis Wednesday.

According to John Keim of ESPN.com, Croskey-Merritt was donning a black non-contact jersey Wednesday due to having received some dental work. Since Austin Ekeler (Achilles) was lost for the season Week 2, Croskey-Merritt has paced the Commanders backfield to the tune of 88 touches for 404 yards from scrimmage and three rushing TDs over the last seven games. Ultimately, Friday's injury report will reveal whether or not Croskey-Merritt heads into the weekend with a designation for Sunday's contest against the Lions.

Croskey-Merritt rushed the ball 12 times for 38 yards in Sunday's 38-14 loss to the Seahawks.

Croskey-Merritt managed double-digit rushing attempts for the fourth time in his last five games, though he also ceded a significant amount of work to Chris Rodriguez. The split backfield wasn't solely a product of garbage time, as Croskey-Merritt only out-touched Rodriguez 5-4 at halftime. Washington's choice to change the touch allocation may have come as a result of Croskey-Merritt's inefficiency, as he's now been held below 4.0 yards per carry in four consecutive games while failing to log a rush of at least 20 yards in that span. Overall, he has been held below 40 yards from scrimmage in three straight contests.

Croskey-Merritt rushed nine times for 25 yards and failed to bring in his only target in the Commanders' 28-7 loss to the Chiefs on Monday night.

Croskey-Merritt was held under 3.0 yards per carry for the second consecutive game in what was a second straight lopsided loss for the Commanders. The rookie back outpaced backfield mates Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols by eight carries each, but McNichols was much more involved in the passing game while recording a team-high five catches and 64 yards while also logging a co-team-high six targets. Meanwhile, Croskey-Merritt continued to be an afterthought in the passing game, a trend that conspires to limit his fantasy value when rushing opportunities and/or running room is at a premium. The outlook doesn't get any rosier in Week 9, as the Commanders welcome a tough Seahawks defense to town for a Sunday night showdown.

Croskey-Merritt took 13 carries for 33 yards while catching one of two targets for a loss of one yard in Sunday's 44-22 loss to Dallas.

Croskey-Merritt couldn't find any running lanes against one of the worst rushing defenses in the league Sunday. The seventh-round rookie still led Washington's backfield in touches, but he ceded a short rushing touchdown to backup Chris Rodriguez (3-12-1). It is unclear whether Jayden Daniels (hamstring) or Marcus Mariota will be under center for next Monday's tilt against the Chiefs, but Croskey-Merritt figures to continue spearheading the Commanders' backfield rotation in Week 8.

Croskey-Merritt rushed 17 times for 61 yards and brought in his only target for seven yards in the Commanders' 25-24 loss to the Bears on Monday night. He also lost a fumble.

The rookie seventh-round pick was coming off a career-best performance Week 5 against the Chargers, but he surprisingly found tough sledding on the ground against a Bears defense that has struggled to contain the run. Croskey-Merritt's late-first-quarter fumble also was costly, as he lost the ball at his own 33-yard line and saw the Bears score a touchdown on a Caleb Williams one-yard run five plays later. Despite the miscue, Croskey-Merritt remained the clear lead option in the ground attack, as No. 2 back Jeremy McNichols recorded just two carries. Croskey-Merritt's outlook for Week 7 remains bright, as a road matchup with the porous Cowboys defense is on tap Sunday.

Croskey-Merritt rushed 14 times for 111 yards, two touchdowns and a fumble lost while catching both of his targets for 39 yards in Sunday's 27-10 win over the Chargers.

Croskey-Merritt finally broke out of the backfield committee that was holding him back in fantasy with a dominating two-touchdown performance against the Chargers. The seventh-round rookie commanded 14 of Washington's 20 running back carries Sunday, eclipsing a personal high of 10 set back in his initial breakout game in Week 1. One would assume that the 150-yard, multi-score showing should cement the starting job for the Arizona product moving forward. A preseason darling heading into drafts, Croskey-Merritt's managers can officially fire up the hype train heading into a soft matchup against the Bears next Monday.

Croskey-Merritt carried the ball seven times for 47 yards and caught both his targets for 10 yards in Sunday's 34-27 loss to the Falcons.

The rookie running back led the Commanders' backfield in touches on the day with nine, but Chris Rodriguez paced the team in rushing yards, turning seven totes into 59 yards, while Deebo Samuel got three carries in addition to his receiving work and Jeremy McNichols also chipped in with three touches. The overall effectiveness of the arrangement -- 6.7 yards per carry for Washington's backfield as a whole -- was impressive once again, but none of the team's RBs will be reliable fantasy plays without a consistent path to more volume. Croskey-Merritt will try to make an impact with what touches he gets in Week 5 against the Chargers.

Croskey-Merritt (knee) is active for Sunday's game against the Falcons.

The knee issue kept Croskey-Merritt from practicing Wednesday and Thursday, but he took a questionable tag into the weekend after logging a full session Friday. With Croskey-Merritt apparently bouncing back well following Friday's practice, he'll be available Sunday as part of a backfield committee with Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez, though quarterback Marcus Mariota and wide receiver Deebo Samuel could also factor into Washington's game plan on the ground. After Austin Ekeler (Achilles) suffered a season-ending injury in the Week 2 loss to the Packers, Croskey-Merritt played a season-high 40 percent of snaps in the Week 3 win over the Raiders, finishing with 26 yards and a touchdown on eight carries to go with a five-yard reception.

Croskey-Merritt (knee) is in line to play Sunday in Atlanta, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Croskey was held out of all drills Wednesday and Thursday due to a knee injury, and despite his return to all activity Friday, the Commanders tagged him as questionable for Week 4 action. Assuming he avoids the inactive list about 90 minutes before Sunday's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff, he'll resume his backfield committee with Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez in the wake of Austin Ekeler's season-ending torn Achilles from Week 2.

Croskey-Merritt (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Atlanta after returning to full practice Friday, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

Following the upgrade to full participation, Croskey-Merritt's absences Wednesday and Thursday don't appear too concerning. Commanders coach Dan Quinn even said that the rookie looked good during Friday's practice, per John Keim of ESPN.com. Fantasy managers may still want to keep an eye on the situation, but it appears Croskey-Merritt will be ready for his committee role this Sunday, likely splitting backfield snaps with Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy McNichols again. The Commanders may need a lot from the group, as they're missing QB Jayden Daniels (knee), WR Terry McLaurin (quad), WR Noah Brown (groin) and TE John Bates (groin).

Croskey-Merritt (knee) was present for Friday's practice, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.

Croskey-Merritt was listed as a non-participant in Wednesday and Thursday's practices, so his presence at Friday's session is a step in the right direction. Either way, the Commanders' upcoming injury report will reveal both the running back's participation level, as well as his game status for Sunday's road matchup against the Falcons.

Croskey-Merritt (knee) didn't practice Thursday.

Croskey-Merritt made a surprise appearance on Wednesday's practice report as a DNP due to a knee issue. Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reported Wednesday evening that the rookie's injury isn't considered to be a serious one and that he may be able to practice Thursday, but that didn't come to pass. Croskey-Merritt thus has one more opportunity Friday to prove his health ahead of the weekend, at which point the team seems likely to give him some sort of designation for Sunday's game in Atlanta. Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez are on hand in the event Croskey-Merritt is limited or even sidelined Week 4.

Croskey-Merritt's knee injury that kept him from practicing Wednesday is not considered serious, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.

Jhabvala notes that it wouldn't be a surprise if Croskey-Merritt practices Thursday after logging a DNP on Wednesday. The rookie running back had a strong Week 1 performance, rushing 10 times for 82 yards and one touchdown, but he's turned 12 carries into just 43 rushing yards (3.6 yards per carry) in the two games since, though Croskey-Merritt did save his Week 3 fantasy players with a late touchdown. Despite Austin Ekeler's season-ending Achilles tear in Week 2, this Washington backfield remains a three-man conundrum that makes it difficult to trust any for fantasy lineups.

Croskey-Merritt didn't practice Wednesday due to a knee injury.

In the first game without Austin Ekeler (Achilles) this past Sunday against the Raiders, Croskey-Merritt led the Commanders backfield in offensive snaps (23 of 58), followed by Chris Rodriguez (22) and Jeremy McNichols (15). Croskey-Merritt wasn't all that efficient with his touches (nine for 31 yards from scrimmage), but he salvaged his day with a rushing touchdown. Meanwhile, Rodriguez paced the team in carries (11) for 39 yards, and McNichols had four rushes for 78 yards and a TD. It's unclear if Croskey-Merrritt's status is in peril for Sunday's game in Atlanta, but his activity level, or lack thereof, bears watching as the week continues to get a sense of his odds to suit up Week 4.

Croskey-Merritt carried the ball eight times for 26 yards and a touchdown and caught his only target for five yards in Sunday's 41-24 win over the Raiders.

The Commanders rolled with a committee in the wake of Austin Ekeler (Achilles) being lost for the season, and Croskey-Merritt scored one of the team's three rushing TDs on the afternoon, with QB Marcus Mariota and Jeremy McNichols getting the others. McNichols' 60-yard touchdown stole the show, but Chris Rodriguez led the backfield with 11 carries, and JCM made his impact with a one-yard plunge in the third quarter. The rookie has 125 rushing yards and two TDs on an impressive 5.7 yards per carry through his first three NFL games, but given the offense's success in this one, he seems unlikely to get a big increase in volume in Week 4 against the Falcons.

Croskey-Merritt is expected to become the No. 1 running back after an MRI confirmed that Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles during Thursday's loss to the Packers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Ekeler played nearly half of the offensive snaps and logged 19 touches through the first two games, so his absence leaves a massive opportunity. Croskey-Merritt looks like the favorite to claim the bulk of those duties, but veteran running back Jeremy McNichols should play a role in the passing game while Chris Rodriguez -- who was a healthy scratch for the first two games -- may mix in too. Through two games, Croskey-Merritt rushed 14 times for 99 yards (7.1 YPC) and a touchdown but failed to haul in either of his two targets.

Croskey-Merritt rushed four times for 17 yards and failed to bring in his only target in the Commanders' 27-18 loss to the Packers on Thursday night.

After an eye-catching NFL debut in Week 1 against the Giants, Croskey-Merritt came into Thursday night's matchup with some enhanced expectations. However, game script conspired against the Commanders' ground attack, as Green Bay already owned a 14-3 lead at halftime. Croskey-Merritt ultimately saw four fewer carries than Austin Ekeler, who exited late in the third quarter with an Achilles injury, and three less than Jayden Daniels as well. With Ekeler's injury of the non-contact variety, it's certainly possible a tear may be the ultimate diagnosis, a development that would brighten Croskey-Merritt's long-term outlook even further. Under any circumstance, the rookie seventh-round pick should be in line for more opportunities during a Week 3 home matchup against the Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 21.

Croskey-Merritt rushed 10 times for 82 yards and a touchdown while failing to catch his only target in Sunday's 21-6 win over the Giants.

Croskey-Merritt got as many rushing attempts as Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols combined. The highlights of the rookie seventh-round pick's NFL debut were a six-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a 42-yard run in the fourth. Croskey-Merritt looks like the team's go-to option on early downs heading into Thursday's Week 2 game at Green Bay, but his lack of pass-catching ability should allow Ekeler to stay involved in passing situations.

Croskey-Merritt won't play in Saturday's preseason game against Baltimore, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.

Assuming a minor injury isn't at play, this is the latest hint that Croskey-Merritt is on track for not only a roster spot but also a Week 1 role on offense. The Commanders traded Brian Robinson to the 49ers on Friday, leaving Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez as the favorites to split backfield work with Austin Ekeler, although Jeremy McNichols could also factor in a bit. Ekeler is also listed among the 33 Commanders that won't play Saturday, but Rodriguez and McNichols aren't.

Croskey-Merritt's impressive summer contributed to Washington's decision to trade Brian Robinson to the 49ers on Friday, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports.

A trade was rumored all week, with Robinson even held out of Monday's preseason loss to Cincinnati. RB Chris Rodriguez started that game and had a 40-yard run on the second snap, before Croskey-Merritt stepped up on the second drive with a 27-yard TD. Those two are the favorites to replace Robinson when a power runner is needed, but Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols are also candidates to take over some of the snaps Robinson handled last year. It'll be one of the key backfields to monitor Week 1, with no guarantee that Croskey-Merritt's rising ADP leads to a fantasy-friendly role in the opener. The usage in September won't necessarily be the same as that later in the season, of course, and positive reports on Croskey-Merritt throughout the summer suggest he has a shot to emerge as the lead runner.

Croskey-Merritt (shoulder) took 11 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown in Monday's 31-17 preseason loss to Cincinnati, adding two receptions for no gain on two targets.

Brian Robinson was held out amid trade rumors, while Austin Ekeler was merely rested. Chris Rodriguez got the start, broke off a 40-yard run on the second play, and took all four snaps on the opening drive with Jayden Daniels. Croskey-Merritt then came in for the second drive and quickly scored a 27-yard. Rodriguez took most of the third series, followed by Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols sharing snaps until the end of the third quarter. The week before, Croskey-Merritt started over Rodriguez in a loss to New England but came out of the game with a minor injury. After getting back to full strength in a hurry, the rookie seventh-round pick seems to be competing with Rodriguez for the chance to potentially replace Robinson. A handful of Washington beat writers have praised Croskey-Merritt as one of the standouts of training camp, fueling fantasy interest even before the recent reports about Robinson being shopped.

Croskey-Merritt (shoulder) participated in Saturday's training camp practice in a limited capacity, Commanders writer Ben Standig reports.

Croskey-Merritt was spotted in a non-contact jersey and was limited to individual work during Saturday's practice. The rookie seventh-rounder is working through a shoulder injury that he suffered during the Commanders' preseason opener against the Patriots, when he turned seven carries into 24 yards and caught his lone target for eight yards. Croskey-Merritt is battling Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez for the RB3 job behind Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler.

Croskey-Merritt suffered a minor shoulder injury during Friday's 48-18 preseason loss to the Patriots, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.

The rookie was held out of Tuesday's scrimmage but is expected back in practice soon. While it's unclear if he'll play in Monday's exhibition against Cincinnati, reports out of Washington training camp suggest Croskey-Merritt is on track for a Week 1 roster spot. He was the first RB through the rotation in the preseason opener, working ahead of Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez (Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler were rested) en route to eight touches for 32 yards.

Croskey-Merritt rushed seven times for 24 yards and caught his only target for eight yards in Friday's 48-18 preseason loss to the Patriots.

Croskey-Merritt had been drawing rave reviews for his performance in training camp but failed to stand out Friday, though he was notably the first running back in the game for Washington while Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler were resting. The rookie seventh-round pick out of Arizona is competing for the third spot on Washington's running back depth chart with Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez. McNichols scored a rushing touchdown in the third quarter Friday. The race for a roster spot is too close to call at this stage, so all three of Croskey-Merritt, McNichols and Rodriguez will likely get chances to bolster their respective cases Aug. 18 against the Bengals in the Commanders' next preseason game.

Croskey-Merritt has made a huge impression at the first week of training camp, according to Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan.

When Paulsen asked six other Washington beat reporters to name the player that has stood out most at training camp, four of them named Croskey-Merritt immediately. He was merely a seventh-round pick this spring after eligibility issues limited him to one game at Arizona last year, but it sounds like Croskey-Merritt is already making a strong bid for the Week 1 roster, and possibly even for some touches early in the season. The Commanders have Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler atop their backfield depth chart, followed by Chris Rodriguez, Jeremy McNichols and others battling for depth roles. The first task for Croskey-Merritt this August is to get his foot in the door as the No. 3 running back.

The Commanders selected Croskey-Merritt in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 245th overall.

Croskey-Merritt parlayed an impressive 2023 season at New Mexico (1,190 yards, 17 touchdowns) into a spot in Arizona's backfield in 2024. However, eligibility issues derailed his season after just one game (106 yards, one touchdown). That hurt Croskey-Merritt's ability to put one more impressive season on tape. Croskey-Merritt is older for a running back prospect (24), but his production was promising at New Mexico, and he showed to be a rugged runner there. He's a north-south type of back who won't help much in the passing game but could still push for a roster spot in Washington.