Washington Commanders rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt garnered a significant amount of buzz throughout training camp and the preseason. It proved to be warranted in Washington's 21-6 Week 1 victory over the New York Giants as Croskey-Merritt rushed for a team-high 82 yards and a touchdown via just 10 carries. It won't be long before he's the Commanders' lead ball carrier.
The Croskey-Merritt hype somewhat died down when the Commanders released their unofficial depth chart. Even as of now, the rookie seventh-round selection is listed as RB4 on Washington's official website. It's obviously totally baseless, as Croskey-Merritt was their best running back in Week 1.
Croskey-Merritt's most impressive gain occurred late in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory. Nursing a two-score lead with 2:26 remaining, the Commanders' offense faced a 2nd-and-8 from their own five-yard line. The East-West Shrine Bowl MVP burst through a hole outside for an explosive 42-yard gain, slipping various tackle attempts in the process.
BILL GOES 42 YARDS!
— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025
NYGvsWAS on FOXhttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/Y9N9HtYMFw
Powered by that explosive play, Croskey-Merritt rushed for 39 yards over expected (RYOE) in Week 1. That placed third-best among running backs across opening weekend, per Next Gen Stats, trailing just Travis Etienne Jr. and Derrick Henry. His 3.91 yards over expected per attempt was second best.
Despite the impressive Week 1 showcase, there's room for Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury to expand Croskey-Merritt's workload in the coming weeks. Even though his 10 carries were a position-high mark, he only played 33% of the team's offensive snaps. With Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols combining for 10 total carries, it meant Croskey-Merritt saw just 50% of the available carries at running back.
It was the veteran Ekeler who totaled a position-high 33 snaps, accounting for 47% of Kingsbury's offensive plays. It's clear the Commanders still trust him in the passing game, both as a pass catcher and protector. Ekeler registered three receptions for 31 yards; meanwhile, Croskey-Merritt only ran 19% of the routes in Week 1, per Adam Levitan.
Fellow running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. was a healthy scratch. Croskey-Merritt created more yards than what was blocked for him, averaging 8.2 yards per carry. Ekeler rushed for 26 yards via six carries, averaging 4.3 per opportunity.
It's safe to say Croskey-Merritt earned more than 23 snaps moving forward. His agility, toughness, and big-play ability were on display. It'll become increasingly difficult for Dan Quinn and Kingsbury to keep their rookie playmaker sidelined.
Sunday’s showcase was the continuation of a heartwarming pre-draft story. Croskey-Merritt rushed for 1,190 yards and 17 touchdowns at New Mexico in 2023. He transferred to Arizona ahead of 2024, but eligibility rules limited him to just one regular appearance for the Wildcats. That predictably led to a draft-weekend slide for Croskey-Merritt, who was drafted at 245th overall by the Commanders. The Alabama native already looks like a draft-weekend steal.
The Commanders tried to quiet the hype surrounding Croskey-Merritt's name by burying him on a meaningless depth chart. Kingsbury also eased him into the lineup in Sunday's win over the Giants. Croskey-Merritt continues to maximize every opportunity and should gradually become the go-to back in Washington this season.
