RADIO
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Should Practice Next Week
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) was not participating in Monday's practice, but it sounds like he should return to the field next week, according to John Keim of ESPN. Croskey-Merritt is believed to be dealing with a minor groin injury that caused him to sit out of the team's final two preseason games. But as long as JCM is back on the practice field next week, he should be in line to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Sept. 13. Heading into his second year in the NFL, Croskey-Merritt is positioned to lead Washington on early downs, but his fantasy upside will be capped by the presence of newcomer and pass-game specialist Rachaad White (hamstring), who is expected to see most of the targets out of the backfield as a receiver. Both backs are a little banged up, though, so it is possible that rookie Kaytron Allen sees a bigger role out of the gates in Week 1. In season-long redraft leagues, Croskey-Merritt should be drafted as an RB3/flex with upside in his sophomore campaign. The former seventh-rounder from Arizona impressed with 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries in his first NFL season, adding only nine receptions for 68 yards through the air in 17 games.
Source: ESPN.com - John Keim
Source: ESPN.com - John Keim
Jeremy McNichols Opens Season on Injured Reserve
The Washington Commanders placed running back Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps) on Injured Reserve on Sunday on roster cutdown day, according to Zach Selby of the team's official website. The move leaves the Commanders with three RBs on their initial 53-man roster -- Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, and rookie Kaytron Allen. The 30-year-old McNichols was designated to return in 2026, but he will not be eligible to make his season debut until Week 5 after injuring his quad earlier in August. The former fifth-rounder by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2017 NFL draft from Boise State is entering his third year in D.C. after combining for 99 carries, 482 rushing yards, and five touchdowns in 34 games (two starts) with Washington in the last two years. McNichols has added 34 receptions for 223 yards on 43 targets as a receiver. Once McNichols returns from IR, he will most likely factor in on special teams for the Commanders, leaving him off the fantasy football radar in all leagues.
Source: Commanders.com - Zach Selby
Source: Commanders.com - Zach Selby
Kaytron Allen's Path to Early-Season Work Gets Clearer
Washington Commanders running back Kaytron Allen has a little more room to work with after final cuts. Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps) was placed on injured reserve with a designation to return, which keeps him out for at least the first four games. Washington also released Robert Henry Jr. and Craig Reynolds, while Jerome Ford had already landed on IR earlier in August. Allen is still behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White, so this is not suddenly a path to starter volume. It does move the sixth-round rookie closer to regular-season touches, especially after he handled 36 preseason carries for 119 yards and a touchdown. Allen also got first-team work late in camp while Croskey-Merritt and White were banged up, though he split some of those reps with Henry. The finale was rough, with Allen losing a fumble on his first touch, and he averaged only 3.31 yards per carry during the preseason. Still, McNichols being unavailable for at least four games leaves Allen with a clearer early-season role than he had a week ago.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kaytron Allen Struggles in Limited Usage in Preseason Finale
Washington Commanders rookie running back Kaytron Allen played a limited role in his team's preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens on Friday, logging three carries for four yards and losing a fumble. Allen's day was done after the first quarter, with veteran back Craig Reynolds and undrafted free agent Robert Henry Jr. handling Washington's backfield work the rest of the way. Allen's usage could be considered a positive sign for fantasy managers, as it could indicate that the team plans to rely on him for a heavy workload early in the year. Commanders backs Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) and Rachaad White (hamstring) are both currently dealing with injuries, although neither is expected to be sidelined long-term. However, Allen has not been particularly efficient in the preseason, averaging just 3.31 yards per attempt on 36 carries. Allen could be worth targeting as a late-round stash in deeper league formats, but fantasy managers may want to temper their expectations.
Source: ESPN.com
Source: ESPN.com
Commanders Holding Rachaad White Out of Preseason Finale
Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White (hamstring) is not active for the team's preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens on Friday, according to Commanders.com. It is not a surprise that White will not play in the final preseason game after injuring his hamstring in training camp practice last Wednesday. Jacory Croskey-Merritt (lower body) and Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps) are also banged up and will not play on Friday night, leaving rookie Kaytron Allen, Robert Henry, and Craig Reynolds to work out of the backfield against the Ravens. The 27-year-old White is entering his first year in D.C. in 2026 after rushing for 2,656 yards and 14 touchdowns and catching 205 passes for 1,450 yards and another 11 scores as a receiver in his four years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He should be ready for Week 1 of the regular season against the Cincinnati Bengals, where he figures to be the Commanders' top pass-catching back, giving him late-round sleeper appeal in PPR fantasy formats. White had at least 40 catches in all four of his seasons in Tampa and exceeded 50 catches three times.
Source: Commanders.com
Source: Commanders.com
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Not Playing in Preseason Finale
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (lower body) is not active for Friday's preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens, per the team's official website. Croskey-Merritt tweaked his lower body in training camp practice last Thursday, and although the injury is not believed to be serious, the Commanders have held the second-year back out as a precaution and will not have him suit up on Friday. In addition to JCM, Rachaad White (hamstring) and Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps) are banged up and will not play against Baltimore, leaving rookie Kaytron Allen, Robert Henry, and Craig Reynolds to man the team's backfield in the preseason finale. The 25-year-old Croskey-Merritt had a successful rookie season in 2025 after being taken in the seventh round out of Arizona, running for 805 yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries to lead the team. Washington hopes to develop him into a three-down back, but the addition of White, a pass-catching specialist, could make that difficult to achieve in 2026. RotoBaller has Croskey-Merritt ranked as the No. 37 overall RB for his second NFL season.
Source: Commanders.com
Source: Commanders.com
Kaytron Allen Splitting First-Team Work with Undrafted Free Agent
The Washington Commanders were short-handed at running back during Wednesday's joint practice with the Ravens, providing sixth-round rookie Kaytron Allen with some of his most extensive work with the first-unit offense, but he was not the only rookie to benefit from the absence of Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) and the limitation of Rachaad White (hamstring). With the team's top two backs both dealing with short-term injuries, Allen split first-team reps with undrafted free agent Robert Henry Jr., with both players making their share of positive plays, according to Commanders senior writer Zach Selby. Through two preseason games, Allen has more than doubled Henry's touch count, but the latter has been more efficient with his opportunities, averaging a full yard more per carry. As a Day 3 pick, Allen was never guaranteed a fantasy-viable workload, but still splitting time in what could essentially be seen as a best-case scenario, any bull case he had takes a serious hit, and there appears to be little reason to pay him mind in 2026 drafts.
Source: Zach Selby
Source: Zach Selby
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Still Out With Lower-Body Injury
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (lower body) remains sidelined at Wednesday's training camp practice, according to Tashan Reed of The Washington Post. Croskey-Merritt is believed to be day-to-day with a groin injury that he suffered in practice last Thursday. Rachaad White (hamstring) and Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps) have also been banged up lately, so Washington's backfield is a little beat up right now. Head coach Dan Quinn said last week that Croskey-Merritt is expected to return to training camp practice at some point this week, so he should be ready for the Week 1 regular-season opener against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles in early September. The 25-year-old had a successful rookie year in 2025 after he was a seventh-round pick out of Arizona, leading the Commanders with 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries while also catching nine passes for 68 yards as a receiver in 17 games. The Commanders are giving Bill every opportunity to earn a bigger role in the backfield, but the offseason addition of pass-catching specialist White will likely keep his overall fantasy upside limited, especially in PPR leagues. RotoBaller currently has JCM ranked as the No. 37 fantasy RB for 2026.
Source: The Washington Post - Tashan Reed
Source: The Washington Post - Tashan Reed
Kaytron Allen on Track to Round Out the Backfield
Washington Commanders running back Kaytron Allen remains behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White on the depth chart, but as the current projected No. 3 ball-carrier, he should have no trouble making the 53-man roster. A sixth-round pick out of Penn State, Allen made a significant impact in Week 2 of the preseason as he handled a team-high 10 carries, although it resulted in a modest total of 30 yards (3.0 YPC). He also caught one pass for no gain. Purely based on volume, it looks like the Commanders could give Allen a role as early as Week 1 of the regular season, even if he's not quite as involved as Croskey-Merritt or White. Allen is the RB68 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Dealing with Groin Injury
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) was limited in practice on Monday with an undisclosed injury, but head coach Dan Quinn clarified on Tuesday that the running back is dealing with a lower-body injury. According to Ben Standig, it is a groin injury but is not considered significant. Croskey-Merritt was spotted catching passes and jogging lightly on Tuesday, and he could be on his way to another limited practice. The second-year back led the Commanders with 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries last year and added nine catches for 68 yards. He could return to full practice later this week and still be good for a regular workload in Week 1 against the Eagles, but his progress will definitely be important to monitor. Rachaad White (hamstring) is also working through an injury that isn't considered to be serious, leaving rookies Kaytron Allen and Robert Henry, along with veteran Craig Reynolds, as the Commanders' healthy running backs right now. Croskey-Merritt is the RB37 in RotoBaller's rankings, with White not far behind him at RB40. Watch carefully to see who is ready for Week 1, since both have good upside but also significant risk factors with their current injuries.
Source: Ben Standig
Source: Ben Standig
Rachaad White Resumes Work After Hamstring Setback
Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White (hamstring) returned to practice Monday after missing Saturday's preseason game against Detroit, according to Zach Selby. White sat out last Wednesday with a hamstring injury, then was able to do some work Thursday before Washington kept him out of the game. Head coach Dan Quinn said at the time that the injury was not expected to be a long-term issue. White spent his first four seasons with Tampa Bay and finished 2025 with 132 carries for 572 yards and four touchdowns, plus 40 catches for 218 yards. His receiving ability remains one of the clearest ways for him to earn work in a Washington backfield that also includes Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The Commanders have not committed to a single lead back, so getting White back on the field matters as that rotation takes shape. Monday's return is a positive step after a brief hamstring setback with Week 1 approaching.
Source: Zach Selby
Source: Zach Selby
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Limited With Undisclosed Injury
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt was limited at Monday's practice with an undisclosed injury, according to Ben Standig. Standig saw Croskey-Merritt pull up at the end of a catch-and-run during Thursday's practice, and the second-year back was held out of Saturday's preseason game against Detroit. He is at least back on the field now, though Washington is keeping his workload down. Croskey-Merritt led the Commanders with 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries as a rookie, adding nine catches for 68 yards. He is also listed first at running back on Washington's current unofficial depth chart. Monday's participation is a positive after he sat out over the weekend, but his workload over the next few practices will be worth watching with Week 1 getting closer.
Source: Ben Standig
Source: Ben Standig
Rachaad White Won't Play on Saturday
Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White (hamstring), who was hurt on his final play of joint practice on Wednesday against the Miami Dolphins, will not play in Saturday's preseason game against the Detroit Lions, head coach Dan Quinn told ESPN's John Keim. Quinn also said that White is "certainly close," so it does not appear his hamstring injury is serious at all. The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala reports that White is out at practice on Thursday and was seen catching footballs on the Juggs machine. The Commanders will have a lighter practice. If White responds well the rest of the week and early next week, he could be cleared to participate in the team's final preseason contest on Friday, Aug. 28, against the Baltimore Ravens. In his first year in Washington, White is expected to serve in a change-of-pace role behind RB1 Jacory Croskey-Merritt, but his pass-catching prowess could make him a sneaky flex option at the RB position in point-per-reception fantasy formats. In his three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, White caught 205 passes on 230 targets for 1,450 yards and 11 touchdowns in 67 games (48 starts). RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 41 RB for 2026.
Source: ESPN.com - John Keim
Source: ESPN.com - John Keim
Rachaad White Dealing with Hamstring Injury
Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White (hamstring) suffered a hamstring injury during a joint practice with the Miami Dolphins, according to Mike Garafolo. Luckily, it's not considered to be a serious injury, so fantasy managers should expect him to be back in the mix soon. White has been competing with Jacory Croskey-Merritt for the lead back role in Washington during training camp. The odds are that Croskey-Merritt gets the bulk of the ground work with White serving as the receiving back. There might be limited reps for White on the ground, but he could be an appealing PPR option if he becomes the pass-catching back. Fantasy managers should check back for another update, but White should be back in practice soon.
Source: Mike Garafolo
Source: Mike Garafolo
Jacory Croskey-Merritt atop Commanders Running Back Depth Chart
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt is the current favorite to be his team's starter in the backfield, according to Ben Standig of the Last Man Standig Substack. A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Croskey-Merritt recorded 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries across 17 games (seven starts) as a rookie. The Commanders also roster veteran backs Rachaad White and Jeremy McNichols (quadriceps), as well as rookie Kaytron Allen, all of whom could push Croskey-Merritt for playing time. Croskey-Merritt recorded just nine catches on 13 targets last season, so he's unlikely to play a true three-down role in Washington. Still, the 25-year-old is a high-upside rusher who should provide value for fantasy managers as long as he sees regular work in the Commanders' offense. RotoBaller currently ranks Croskey-Merritt as the RB38 for redraft leagues entering 2026.
Source: Last Man Standig Substack - Ben Standig
Source: Last Man Standig Substack - Ben Standig
