Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt has made the most of his opportunities after the team lost veteran Austin Ekeler for the season. The 2025 seventh-round pick has filled in admirably as the Commanders fight through a wave of injuries, especially on offense.
After some big games to start the year, the rookie has cooled off heading into Week 8, and unfortunately for Washington, he still hasn’t found a way to show off the explosive plays he displayed to start the season against the Chiefs tonight.
What Happened to Washington Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt?
Croskey-Merritt is not injured; he’s one of the few pieces on the Commanders’ offense who is not dealing with some sort of injury at the moment, with big names ailing. However, his impressive start to the 2025 season has cooled off considerably.
When going up against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7, Croskey-Merritt rushed for 33 yards on 13 carries. While better, he ran for 61 yards on 17 carries in the Commanders’ 25-24 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 6. These are far from his monstrous Week 5 performance against the Los Angeles Chargers, where he was able to rush for 111 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.
Heading into Week 8, Croskey-Merritt was ranked 11th among running backs in the league based on PFSN’s RB Impact metric.
Unfortunately for the Commanders, he hasn’t been able to do much better against the Chiefs on Monday Night Football. Mariota leads the team in rushing with 22 yards, while Croskey-Merritt has turned seven carries into just 18 yards. He’s also had plenty of chances, getting the lion’s share of snaps in the Week 8 matchup.
Commanders halftime RB snap count
Jacory Croskey-Merritt 22
Jeremy McNichols 10
Chris Rodriguez Jr. 1Out of 32 plays
— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) October 28, 2025
While Croskey-Merritt has struggled, Jeremy McNichols has been the more productive back through two quarters as a solid presence in the passing game. McNichols has turned three receptions into 52 yards, all of which have come behind or at the line of scrimmage.
Thankfully, the Commanders have kept things close despite no Daniels and a less-than-stellar offense. The defense held the Chiefs in check in the first half, but that can only last so long against a quarterback as good as QB Patrick Mahomes.
They will hope Croskey-Merritt can find a way to make some significant gains as he’s been close to a few massive runs. However, the offense has moved somewhat well under Mariota’s direction tonight. Will they be able to tie the loose ends together and pull off the upset against a surging Kansas City squad?
