The NFL season is in full swing. As happens every year, injuries are rearing their ugly heads. As fantasy football managers prepare to set Week 4 lineups, it’s important to stay informed on the latest injury news.
Washington Commanders RB Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt missed some practice time due to an injury. What is his current status and outlook for this week’s matchup with the Falcons?
Is Jacory Croskey-Merritt Playing Week 4?
Croskey-Merritt popped up on this week’s practice report with a knee issue, marking his first appearance on the injury list this season. This represents a new concern for the rookie running back who had been progressing through his development without any notable health problems.
There was no noticeable play during last week’s game in which he appeared to suffer any injury. He completed the contest without any visible difficulties, making this knee issue a development that occurred either during practice this week or as a delayed reaction to something from the previous game.
Since Croskey-Merritt is a rookie, and a seventh-round rookie at that, his absence from practice carries slightly more significance. Rookies typically don’t receive veteran rest days and need every practice repetition to continue their development. When a late-round pick misses practice, it’s usually for legitimate health reasons rather than maintenance.
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The encouraging development is that Croskey-Merritt returned to practice on Friday as a full participant. This represents significant progress from his Wednesday and Thursday absences and suggests the knee issue is resolving as the week progresses.
While getting in only one practice session is not ideal for any player, particularly a rookie who needs the repetitions, he is trending in the right direction. His full participation on Friday demonstrates that the knee responded well to treatment and rest.
Despite this positive development, it’s still too soon to consider him a lock to play against Atlanta. The fact that this is his first injury designation and that it appeared on a Wednesday initially suggested this could be a minor issue that the team was managing cautiously.
Last night, Adam Schefter reported that JCM is expected to play.
Croskey-Merritt Fantasy Football Outlook
Last week got a little funky for Washington, and that led to some weird counting numbers. They might not score three 40-plus yard touchdowns in another month this season, and they did it in just over a half hour of game time on Sunday.
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Having said that, this is a full-blown committee in an offense that, when at full strength, has access to arguably the most athletic QB in the game. That’s not a recipe for success.
- Week 3 Snaps: Chris Rodriguez (21), Croskey-Merritt (21), Jeremy McNichols (14)
- Week 3 Touches: Rodriguez (11), Croskey-Merritt (9), McNichols (4)
Regardless of who is under center, I expect this to be a hot-hand situation that brings little to the table for us. The Falcons are the third-best post-contact run defense this season, introducing further risk into a backfield that lacks certainty in any matchup.
— Kyle Soppe, PFSN Fantasy Analyst
