The opportunity is right there in front of Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt — he’s just not making the most of it.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay singled out Croskey-Merritt, Washington’s leading rusher in 2025, as the NFL’s player with the “Most to Prove” after 2 games.
“Jacory Croskey-Merritt had a chance to build on his promising rookie campaign and cement his status as the Washington Commanders’ feature back this year, but thus far has squandered a golden opportunity,” Kay wrote on September 22. “Through two games this season, JCM has recorded a pedestrian 106 yards and one touchdown on 28 totes. Most of that production came in the opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, with Croskey-Merritt getting phased out in favor of backup Rachaad White during a Week 2 meeting with the Dallas Cowboys.
“After tallying just 68 yards on nine catches last year, Croskey-Merritt unsurprisingly remains a non-factor in the passing game — reeling in just two catches that have gone for a combined negative two yards. The addition of White, one of the league’s better receiving backs, ensures that Croskey-Merritt won’t see more than a token target or two per week.”
Brutal Injury Changes Commanders’ Offense
The Commanders saw the 1 player on the roster they can’t afford to lose go down in Week 2 when starting quarterback Jayden Daniels dislocated his left elbow in the Week 2 road loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
With Daniels likely out for an extended period of time, Croskey-Merritt will be counted on to shoulder some of that load for the offense.
Croskey-Merritt was 1 of the few bright spots on the Commanders as a rookie in 2025. When Daniels missed 10 games due to injuries, Croskey-Merritt stepped in and led the Commanders with 805 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns while averaging a robust 4.6 yards per carry.
Through 2 games in 2026, Croskey-Merritt’s yards-per-carry average has dipped under 4.0 yards — the unofficial Mendoza Line (which is also unofficial) for NFL running backs.
Rookie Exceeded Expectations in Dismal Season
Croskey-Merritt had a circuitous path to making an NFL roster.
He spent his first 4 years at HBCU Alabama State but only played 3 seasons because of the pandemic.
He transferred to New Mexico in 2023, where he had a breakout season with 1,190 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. He was named All-Mountain West Conference.
He only played one game in 2024 with the University of Arizona before an eligibility issue sidelined him — an erroneous one, at that — but earned praise throughout the year for basically staying locked in and serving as a de facto assistant coach.
The Commanders selected Croskey-Merritt in the 7th round (No. 245 overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Commanders Leading Rusher Called NFL’s Player With ‘Most to Prove’