RADIO
Commanders Elevate RB Craig Reynolds from Practice Squad Amid Injuries
Washington Commanders running back Craig Reynolds has been elevated from the practice squad for Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts in London. Washington needed another healthy body with Rachaad White (shoulder) ruled out, and the move also adds some uncertainty around how much Austin Ekeler will be asked to do right away. Ekeler only rejoined the Commanders earlier this week after recovering from last season's Achilles tear, so the team has had just a few practices to work him back into the offense. Reynolds' elevation doesn't necessarily mean Ekeler will be inactive, but it gives Washington another option if his workload is limited. Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Kaytron Allen are also available in a backfield that suddenly has several moving parts. Reynolds may end up serving mostly as depth Sunday, but his elevation is worth noting with White unavailable and Ekeler's immediate role still unclear.
Source: Ben Standig
Source: Ben Standig
Jacory Croskey-Merritt A Solid RB2 in Week 4 with Potential for Larger Role
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt handled a career-high 20 touches in Week 3's win over the Seattle Seahawks. Croskey-Merritt wasn't overly efficient on his touches, rushing for just 36 yards on 19 carries and adding one catch for seven yards, but the second-year back has seen steady volume in each game so far. Croskey-Merritt also had a 48-yard touchdown wiped out by an unfortunate illegal formation penalty. Now with Rachaad White (shoulder) ruled out for Week 4, Croskey-Merritt should maintain a high-volume role and potentially see more involvement as a receiver. It's an appealing Week 4 matchup against a Colts defense that is allowing the fourth most rushing yards per game (141.3) and tied for the second most rushing touchdowns (five) in the league through three games. In a game with one of the higher projected totals of the week, Croskey-Merritt projects as a solid RB2 for Week 4, ranking as RotoBaller's RB23 in PPR formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Austin Ekeler Could See Consistent Role Right Away
Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler recently signed a one-year deal with the organization. He's back with Washington after only playing two games last season due to a torn Achilles tendon. The expectation was that Ekeler would play a depth role, but he might have a bigger impact than expected right away. Fellow back Rachaad White (shoulder) has been ruled out for the Week 4 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Jacory Croskey-Merritt will be the lead back with Kaytron Allen and Ekeler getting snaps behind him. Ekeler might be on the field more than expected during his first game back with the team.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Rachaad White Ruled Out for Week 4
After suffering a shoulder injury in the team's Week 3 win over the Seahawks, Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White (shoulder) failed to make a practice appearance this week and has now been ruled out for a Week 4 matchup with the Colts, to be played in London, England. White has handled the second-most carries on the team, behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and his absence could open the door to increased opportunity for sixth-round rookie Kaytron Allen. Quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow) has already been ruled out for his second straight game, while wide receiver Terry McLaurin injured his hamstring during Friday's practice and is now listed as questionable. Against a suddenly undermanned Commanders offense, the Colts DST becomes an interesting streaming option in Week 4.
Source: John Keim
Source: John Keim
Rachaad White Not Practicing on Friday
Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White (shoulder) did not practice on Friday as the team prepares to face the Indianapolis Colts in London. After suffering a shoulder injury in the 33-31 win over the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, White has been unable to practice this week and is unlikely to play in Week 4. Earlier in the week, the team signed veteran running back Austin Ekeler, likely to replace White in the lineup. With Jacory Croskey-Merritt expected to handle the bulk of the work, Ekeler should factor in on obvious passing downs against a Colts defense that has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to running backs this season. With the bye week looming in Week 5, White's most likely return will be on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6.
Source: John Keim - ESPN
Source: John Keim - ESPN
Rachaad White Is Not Practicing Thursday
Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White (shoulder) is not practicing on Thursday, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic. The Commanders are preparing for their game in London against the Colts on Sunday, but it isn't certain if White will be a part of the game plan. The veteran running back sustained the injury last week against the Seahawks but was able to return to the game in the second half. He finished the game with eight carries for 35 yards and a six-yard touchdown catch, showing a solid connection with backup QB Marcus Mariota. White could return to practice Friday and still play on Sunday, but if he isn't able to work through the issue in time, Jacory Croskey-Merritt would likely get more playing time in passing situations, with Kaytron Allen possibly mixing in as well.
Source: Tashan Reed
Source: Tashan Reed
Rachaad White Won't Practice on Wednesday
Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said that running back Rachaad White (shoulder) will not take part in practice on Wednesday, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic. White had eight carries for 35 yards and caught a six-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Marcus Mariota in the Week 3 upset win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, but he injured his shoulder in the process. The good news is that White was able to return to the game, so his injury does not appear to be too serious. The Commanders could be giving him a little extra rest before their trip to London this weekend to face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4. If White can return to practice on Thursday or Friday, he figures to have a decent shot at playing this week as the pass-catching backfield complement to Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Through his first three games with Washington, White has been efficient, carrying the ball 22 times for 100 yards (4.5 yards per carry) and catching all nine of his targets for 51 yards and a touchdown.
Source: The Athletic - Tashan Reed
Source: The Athletic - Tashan Reed
Rachaad White's Efficiency Could Lead to Bigger Role in Washington
Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White's production in the Week 3 upset win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday was not eye-popping, but it was the efficiency that stood out. The 27-year-old had a season-high eight carries for 35 yards (4.4 yards per carry) and also caught his only target for a six-yard touchdown, his first of the year. White's touchdown reception came in the first quarter from veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota, who was filling in for injured starter Jayden Daniels (elbow). He has had a minimal role through three weeks in his first season with the Commanders, but he is also averaging a career-high 4.5 yards per carry. Second-year back Jacory Croskey-Merritt saw a bigger piece of the backfield pie on Sunday, but he averaged just 1.9 yards per tote on his 19 rushing attempts. White could see more usage in the coming weeks if he continues to play well and JCM struggles to stand out, making him a decent bench stash in point-per-reception formats. Right now, he is rostered in just under 60% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Austin Ekeler to Reunite with Commanders
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, free-agent running back Austin Ekeler is set to reunite with his former team, the Washington Commanders, pending a physical. Ekeler recently tried out for the Carolina Panthers following Jonathon Brooks' move to the injured list, but he will instead return to a familiar club. Ekeler spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons in D.C. before suffering a torn Achilles in 2025, which ultimately cut his season short. During the 2024 season, the veteran back served as the primary pass-catcher, catching 35 of 41 targets for 366 yards and adding another 367 yards with four scores on the ground. However, managers should not expect him to take on a similar role with D.C. in his second stint, as the team has relied on Jacory Croskey-Merritt on early downs and Rachaad White on passing downs. While White did exit Sunday's game with a shoulder injury, he eventually returned, suggesting it was not overly serious. For now, Ekeler is best left on the waiver wire and should only be viewed as a deep-league stash option in the event White faces a setback.
Source: Ian Rapoport
Source: Ian Rapoport
Rachaad White Returns After Shoulder Injury
Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White (shoulder) returned to Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks after leaving shortly before halftime. White was initially listed as questionable to return, but JP Finlay reported that he was back on the field in the second half. He had two carries for four yards and caught a six-yard touchdown before leaving. White has already added two more carries since returning, bringing him to four rushes for 12 yards on the afternoon. His return is encouraging after the earlier scare, though it does not necessarily mean the shoulder issue is completely behind him.
Source: JP Finalay
Source: JP Finalay
Rachaad White Questionable to Return
Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks with an apparent shoulder injury, David Harrison of Locked On Commanders reported via the X platform. White had two carries for four yards before exiting Sunday's game.
Source: David Harrison via X.com
Source: David Harrison via X.com
Rachaad White Projects As Flex Option in Week 3
Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White had a strong performance in Week 2's loss to the Cowboys, handling seven carries for 43 yards and adding six catches (six targets) for 40 yards as a receiver. White earned more work after a quiet Week 1 and ended up evenly splitting touches with Jacory Croskey-Merritt, with 13 each. White may see more opportunities moving forward as Croskey-Merritt has struggled some early on. White has not yet found the end zone as a Commander, and that will be a tough ask again in Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks, who have not allowed a rushing touchdown yet this season. White has a safer floor in PPR formats, though the ceiling of Washington's offense is lower with Marcus Mariota in place of Jayden Daniels (elbow). White projects as a decent flex option and ranks as RotoBaller's RB44 for Week 3.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jacory Croskey-Merritt A Risky Option in Week 3 Against Seattle
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt was bottled up for only 48 yards on 13 touches in Week 2's loss to the Dallas Cowboys. And after leading Rachaad White in touches, 17 to nine, in Week 1, the two each saw 13 touches apiece in Week 2. White looked good and produced 83 total yards against Dallas and could see more work going forward. Among qualified rushers per NFL Pro, Croskey-Merritt's minus-25 rushing yards over expected ranks third worst. The second-year back will also be without the team's top QB in Jayden Daniels (elbow) as they face the vaunted Seattle Seahawks defense in Week 3, who are allowing 3.7 yards per carry so far this season, which is tied for seventh-best in the league. Croskey-Merritt projects as a low-end flex option in Week 3, coming in as RB40 in RotoBaller's Week 3 PPR rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kaytron Allen Operating as a Reserve Early in Rookie Season
Washington Commanders running back Kaytron Allen has been the clear No. 3 option on the depth chart through the first two weeks of the 2026 season. While he does have nine carries for 40 rushing yards, that's not nearly enough to get him on the fantasy radar. Plus, he has played less than 10% of the team's offensive snaps, and he doesn't have a target in the passing game yet. Allen has operated as nothing more than a change-of-pace behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White, and he'll remain in that type of role as long as both backs are healthy. Even if Croskey-Merritt or White were to miss a game due to injury, we'd be hesitant to insert Allen into any fantasy lineups. The rookie is an intriguing dynasty stash given that Washington doesn't have a long-term solution at running back, but he faces an uphill battle to achieve fantasy relevance in redraft leagues for this season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jacory Croskey-Merritt's Weekly Fantasy Value Slipping Away
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt is trending down in fantasy football, largely due to his declining role on offense. Croskey-Merritt went from a 49% snap share and 16 carries in Week 1 to a 37% snap share and 12 carries in Week 2. Meanwhile, versatile teammate Rachaad White has stepped into a larger role and played more than half of the snaps last Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. This could have been a result of game script, but more likely than not, it was fueled by Croskey-Merritt's inefficiency so far (3.8 YPC) and his lack of production in the receiving game. Going forward, Croskey-Merritt's fantasy value will continue to suffer from reduced volume, but he'll also take a further hit due to the state of the offense. The Commanders enter Week 3 without quarterback Jayden Daniels (elbow), which means that Marcus Mariota will take over the offense. It's hard to imagine Mariota keeping the Commanders in a competitive game against the Seahawks, and the resulting negative game script will have an unfavorable impact on Croskey-Merritt's role. He's a fringe RB3/flex in deep leagues against a strong Seattle defense.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
