RADIO
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Limited with a Groin Issue
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. For the most part, the Commanders have a healthy roster heading into Week 1, but Croskey-Merritt is one of the few exceptions. Given that he wasn't able to log a full practice to kick off the week, there's a chance that the 25-year-old could miss Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Fantasy managers should monitor his status in practice over the next two days. If he upgrades to a full practice, he should be cleared to play in the season opener. Otherwise, he'll likely carry an injury designation into the weekend. If he can't play in this divisional battle, Rachaad White would step up as the lead back, likely ranking as a low-end RB2 in fantasy football.
Source: Nicki Jhabvala
Source: Nicki Jhabvala
Chig Okonkwo Could be Headed Towards Breakout Campaign
Washington Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo is likely an afterthought for most fantasy managers, but he deserves a serious look this upcoming season. The Commanders signed Okonkwo to a three-year deal this past offseason. The assumption is that they gave him a long-term deal with the intention of him operating as the top pass-catching tight end. The 27-year-old was recently listed as the starter on the unofficial depth chart. Okonkwo has posted three straight seasons with 50 receptions or more. He'll now be in a better offense led by quarterback Jayden Daniels. If everything goes right, Okonkwo has legitimate top-12 upside with his new organization.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Antonio Williams' Path to Immediate Production May Be Blocked
A third-round pick out of Clemson this past April, Washington Commanders rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams appeared to have a chance to play a significant role in his team's offense at the start of the summer. However, the Commanders' addition of veteran wideout Stefon Diggs in early August may have eliminated Williams' path to high-end usage early on. Between Diggs and star wideout Terry McLaurin, Washington now has two wide receivers who should both easily clear 100+ targets if they are able to stay on the field in 2026. Commanders tight end Chig Okonkwo has recorded at least 50 receptions in three straight seasons and may also be more heavily featured in the Washington pass game than Williams. While Williams remains an intriguing option in dynasty leagues, his redraft value for 2026 could be limited without an injury to the wide receivers ahead of him on the Commanders' depth chart.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Keeps Building His Case for More Work
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt has made a stronger case for more work heading into Year 2. The rushing production was already there after he turned 175 carries into 805 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, but the bigger development this summer has come without the ball. Washington senior writer Zach Selby called Croskey-Merritt's pass protection arguably the biggest thing that stood out during a good camp, and that matters after those struggles cost him snaps at times last season. Dan Quinn has also praised the progress he's made as a receiver. A late-August groin injury interrupted things for a bit, but Croskey-Merritt was back on the practice field Sept. 1 and spoke with reporters after practice two days later. Rachaad White still gives Washington another option, especially on passing downs, so this is not suddenly a one-back setup. Still, RotoBaller has moved Croskey-Merritt from RB43 earlier this offseason to RB37 in its Sept. 6 half-PPR rankings. He has done enough this summer to justify the bump.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kaytron Allen Faces an Uphill Battle to Earn Playing Time
Washington Commanders running back Kaytron Allen could struggle to earn meaningful snaps during his rookie season. The Commanders spent their sixth-round pick this year on Allen, who finished his collegiate career as Penn State's all-time leading rusher. Despite his impressive NCAA track record, he may struggle to carve out a significant role right away in the NFL. He's currently third on the running back depth chart behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White. Croskey-Merritt made a great impression as a rookie last season with 805 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns, and White was signed this offseason as a perfect complement because of his prowess as a receiver. The Commanders have two very strong options for passing and receiving downs, leaving Allen in more of a depth role. He'll get some opportunities to handle change-of-pace snaps, and he'd presumably take on a bigger role if Croskey-Merritt or White get hurt. For now, though, he's likely off the fantasy radar in redraft leagues. His ADP of 231.3 confirms that he's an afterthought in most drafts at the moment.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Rachaad White the Subject of Positive Reports During Camp
Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White drew positive reviews for his performance throughout training camp this summer. A minor hamstring injury sidelined White for the final two preseason games, but even though he didn't touch the ball in a game, he still flashed upside as a ball-carrier and receiver during camp. White is gearing up for his first season in Washington after four years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was the RB4 in PPR leagues in 2023 before falling to RB22 and RB32 over the last two years, respectively. White's exact fantasy outlook depends on how the Commanders distribute the volume. Right now, we'd assume Jacory Croskey-Merritt and White both get involved on early downs, with Croskey-Merritt seeing a slightly larger carry share. However, White is the far more productive back on receiving downs, so he should get on the field in passing situations and carve out a decent target share. White has logged 40+ receptions in all four NFL seasons and 50+ receptions in three of the four. As a result, managers in PPR leagues should consider snagging him as their RB3/flex this year. As it stands, he ranks as RotoBaller's RB40 in redraft leagues. He has an ADP of 116.1, which corresponds to the 10th round of fantasy drafts and makes him the 40th running back off the board.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Treylon Burks Faces a Tougher Road to Consistent Targets
Washington Commanders wide receiver Treylon Burks had a good enough summer to put himself back on the fantasy radar, but the receiver room changed around him. Burks was getting legitimate first-team work early in camp after catching only 10 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown in eight games last season. Washington then added Stefon Diggs, who is expected to handle the No. 2 role opposite Terry McLaurin. Burks now sits behind Diggs on the current depth chart, and the Commanders have talked about using him more as a specialized deep threat. That's a much different fantasy outlook than the possible starting job he was chasing earlier in the summer. Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane, Dyami Brown and rookie Antonio Williams only add more competition for whatever targets are left. None of this is really about Burks playing poorly. Dan Quinn praised his speed and work throughout camp, and he clearly earned a spot in the rotation. There just isn't an obvious path to enough weekly volume for Burks to matter outside of deeper leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Stefon Diggs Set for High-Volume Role in Washington
Washington Commanders wide receiver Stefon Diggs is set for a high-volume role with his new team. Diggs is coming off an impressive season with the Patriots, in which he caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns. He finished as the overall WR17 in PPR leagues and turned in his seventh 1,000-yard campaign in the last eight years. Now with the Commanders, Diggs finds himself in a slightly different role compared to last year. This year, he'll operate as the No. 2 receiver behind Terry McLaurin. While that could lower his ceiling and threaten his chance of another 1,000-yard season, it should also benefit him by taking away some of the defense's attention. In other words, he'll likely be covered by opponents' No. 2 cornerbacks, while the top corners lock onto McLaurin. As long as quarterback Jayden Daniels stays healthy for most of the season, Diggs has a great chance to be a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3 this year.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Terry McLaurin Continues to Develop Chemistry with Young QB
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was limited to 10 games in 2025, with only three of those outings started by quarterback Jayden Daniels. With limited time together, the pair was unable to build upon the chemistry they'd established in 2024, when McLaurin caught a career-high 13 touchdowns, and Daniels took home Offensive Rookie of the Year Honors. Despite playing most of the season with backups Marcus Mariota and Josh Johnson, McLaurin showed no signs of slowing when he was on the field, turning in one of his most efficient seasons to date. His 2.29 yards per route run in 2025 were the most since his 2019 rookie season and ranked 13th in the NFL, and with both McLaurin and Daniels healthy heading into 2026, the eighth-year veteran has the capacity to greatly exceed his current ADP of WR26.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jayden Daniels Primed for a Bounce-Back Season in 2026
Washington Commanders third-year quarterback Jayden Daniels, out of LSU, had a down season in 2025 after his rookie campaign, in which he finished as the QB5 while rushing for 891 yards and throwing for 3,568 yards, and led the Commanders to the NFC title game. His 2025 season was derailed by multiple injuries, and he played in only seven games. Daniels is healthy entering the 2026 season with an improved receiving group. The Commanders brought in Stefon Diggs over the Patriots, Chig Okonkwo from the Titans, and Terry McLaurin is healthy entering the season. Diggs remained efficient on a per-route basis with the Patriots last season, and McLaurin had a career year with Daniels in 2024, when he had 1,096 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns on 117 targets. Daniels still has elite rushing upside and should bounce back in a big way this season. RotoBaller ranks Daniels as the QB4 for the season and the 60th overall player off the board.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Antonio Williams' Outlook Negatively Impacted by Offseason Moves
Washington Commanders wide receiver Antonio Williams has seen his fantasy stock fall as a result of the team's offseason moves. The biggest move the Commanders made was the signing of veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who is coming off an impressive season with the Patriots in which he caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards. He has a firm grasp on the No. 2 receiver role alongside Terry McLaurin, dropping Williams to third on the depth chart. The rookie out of Clemson has upside, but it's safe to say that he won't jump to the top two spots on the depth chart as long as McLaurin and Diggs are healthy. Williams currently ranks as the WR98 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for 2026. He's going undrafted in most leagues, with a current ADP of 229.9.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jacory Croskey-Merritt Gets Some Work In
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (lower body) was seen getting some work in Tuesday, with John Keim of ESPN posting video of him going through drills. Croskey-Merritt did not appear in any of Washington's three preseason games and is still working his way back from the injury, so this is a step in the right direction rather than a full practice return. The second-year back ran for 805 yards and eight touchdowns on 175 carries as a rookie and currently sits atop Washington's depth chart. Rachaad White and rookie Kaytron Allen are also on the 53-man roster. Croskey-Merritt's status will be worth tracking when the Commanders get into their normal Week 1 practice schedule, but seeing him back doing field work is at least a positive sign after his late-August absence.
Source: John Keim
Source: John Keim
Terry McLaurin Has Clear Top-10 Upside if Injury Bug Stays Away
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin possesses the talent needed to be a top-10 receiver in fantasy football, and he's looking to shake off an ugly 2025 season marred by injuries. McLaurin caught 38 passes for 582 yards and three touchdowns across 10 games last year. He missed seven contests and quarterback Jayden Daniels missed 10 contests; they were on the field together for just three games. If both can stay healthy for most of the 2026 season, McLaurin should have no trouble re-establishing himself as a top-18 fantasy receiver, and perhaps even getting back to the WR1 range. Washington did sign Stefon Diggs in free agency, but McLaurin is clearly the No. 1 receiver here. In fact, Diggs' presence may actually help McLaurin by luring away cornerbacks, or at least reducing the rate at which McLaurin sees double coverage. We're very excited about the upside of McLaurin, who is somewhat of a steal at his current ADP of 53.0.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
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
