The Philadelphia Eagles enter Week 1 as favorites over the Washington Commanders, but divisional familiarity and several offseason changes could make Sunday's opener difficult.
Here are five concerns entering the matchup.
Daniels can extend plays and punish undisciplined pass-rush lanes. Philadelphia must pressure him without creating easy escape routes.
The Commanders ranked fourth with 134.7 rushing yards per game, while Philadelphia finished 22nd in run defense. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White and Daniels give Washington several options.
The Eagles are playing their first meaningful game with Sean Mannion calling plays. Hurts must adjust to having his offensive coordinator in the booth as the unit establishes its identity under a new play-caller.

#Eagles #plays

Washington Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) was limited during practice Thursday, Sept. 10.
SOURCE: Commanders.com
Why It Matters: Fantasy players will need to monitor the situation to see if Croskey-Merritt will be cleared to play in Week 1. He should see a majority of the carries if he plays and can be at least a flex option in most fantasy leagues.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jacory Croskey-Merritt listed as limited

#croskey #limited

The Washington Commanders open the 2026 NFL season in 10 days. Washington goes on the road for the first two games against NFC East foes Philadelphia and Dallas. It's a rough stretch to open the season for the Commanders, and being as close to 100% healthy is critical.
We know Washington will be without star left tackle Laremy Tunsil (torn triceps) and defensive tackle Johnny Newton (torn pec). The Commanders have the depth to withstand Newton's loss, but you can't replace someone of Tunsil's caliber. He's a Hall-of-Fame talent and remains one of the NFL's best at his position.
The good news for Washington is it has Brandon Coleman. While Tunsil's injury takes Coleman away from the left guard position, the third-year lineman has experience playing left tackle. He was the Commanders' left tackle during their 12-5 2024 season. He also had three starts in Philadelphia: two in his rookie year and one last season.
How healthy are the Commanders everywhere else? Over the past few days, they've gotten much healthier. Several key players have returned to practice, including Daron Payne, Marcus Mariota, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, K'Lavon Chaisson and others. Croskey-Merritt and Chaisson returned in each of the past two days.
Quinn gave an update on some of those players before the team broke for a long weekend.

#season #days

Washington Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) returned to practice on Tuesday, according to a source on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
SOURCE: Ben Standig
Huddle Up: Croskey-Merritt hasn't been rushed back with his groin injury since the initial reporting of the injury last week. With Croskey-Merritt's return to practice on Tuesday, it looks like he's on track for Week 1. In a muddy Washington backfield that also features free-agent signee Rachaad White and rookie Kaytron Allen, Croskey-Merritt is likely to get the first crack at the early-down work for the Commanders. Consider JCM a nice value in drafts before the double-digit rounds as an RB3 on fantasy rosters.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Washington Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt returns to practice

#source

Two weeks from Sunday, the Washington Commanders launch their 2026 season; who do you project to start?
The Commanders open the 2026 season on the road against NFC East opponents, starting in Philadelphia on September 13 and then in Dallas on September 20. Here is my starting lineup for the season opener. How does your lineup differ?
*Note: the offense will be listed as a starting lineup of two receivers and two tight ends, though that has not been declared officially. In addition, the defense will be listed as a 3-4 alignment with three interior defensive linemen, two edges, and two linebackers.
Quarterback: Jayden Daniels
Running Back: Jacory Croskey-Merritt

#season #lineup #Commanders

The Washington Commanders have less than a week to trim their roster from 90 to 53 players. The Commanders made one tough decision on Tuesday, releasing former starting safety Will Harris. Once it became clear that Washington wasn't keeping Harris, the team wanted to do right by him and give him a head start on finding a new team before hundreds of players hit free agency at the same time on Sunday.
With Harris off the bubble and no longer on the roster, which Washington players need to shine during Wednesday's joint practice with the Ravens, followed by Friday's preseason finale?
Here are five players to watch in Wednesday's joint practice with Baltimore:
With Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols battling injuries and Jerome Ford already gone, Henry has another chance to shine. After an impressive preseason opener against the Dolphins, Henry crashed back down to earth last week. As of now, Henry probably hasn't done quite enough to earn a spot on the 53. He must make it hard for the Commanders to cut him. He'll likely split time with Rachaad White and fellow rookie Kaytron Allen. Henry needs to make the most out of every touch.
Last week, head coach Dan Quinn said he wanted to see the rookie sixth-round pick get more work at guard after an impressive first performance. Quinn said that because whoever makes the roster as a backup offensive lineman must be able to play multiple spots. However, after seeing Julian Good-Jones' struggles last week in place of Nick Allegretti, Gulbin should handle every rep, regardless of who is playing quarterback. Gulbin got more work with starter Jayden Daniels during Tuesday's practice, and that should be the case on Wednesday.

#week #practice

The Washington Commanders trimmed their suddenly crowded running back room by one recently. Last week, Washington placed fifth-year veteran Jerome Ford on the reserve/injured list after he'd suffered a hamstring injury in the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins.
Once Ford was moved to IR, the Commanders and Ford were expected to reach an injury settlement, which would allow Ford to sign with another team once he's healthy. According to Martenzie Johnson of NOTUS, Washington recently released Ford, meaning he's no longer on the roster.
The move is not a surprise. Even if Ford had made it through the preseason healthy, he faced long odds at making the Commanders' 53-man roster. Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White are locks, while rookie sixth-round pick Kaytron Allen is close.
With Washington likely keeping four backs, veteran Jeremy McNichols is the leading candidate for the final spot, but undrafted rookie Robert Henry Jr. is making a push. After a strong showing in the preseason opener, Henry had a rough outing in Saturday's loss to the Lions. McNichols is currently sidelined with a quad injury, but Washington knows him well and everything that he brings to the table.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders trim running back room with the release of one veteran

#washington #Commanders #veteran

The Washington Commanders are already thin at running back.
We aren't even through the preseason, and the Commanders will need to be careful with their running back group. Thursday at training camp practice, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, aka Bill, caught a pass "and seemed to pull up a little bit," as reported by Ben Standig.
The Commanders have already lost Jerome Ford. Ford, who had signed in the offseason from the Cleveland Browns, was injured during last week's preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. During the broadcast, you could see for just a second that Ford was clearly hurting while on the field. Sure enough, an examination revealed Ford's hamstring injury was severe, as the Commanders have already declared Ford to be placed on the injured reserve, and he is out for the season. Ford had gained 813 rushing yards in 2023, and in 2024 he averaged 5.4 yards per carry on his 104 rushing attempts.
RB Rachaad White (hamstring) was hurt on his final play of the joint practice vs Miami. Quinn said he’s “certainly close” but won’t play Saturday.
Another free agent signing, Rachaad White, has also been nursing a sore hamstring. He missed the preseason game against the Dolphins last week, having injured his hamstring during the scrimmage against the Dolphins two days earlier. White's hamstring injury is not nearly as serious as Ford's. In fact, White was at practice Thursday and did some light individual work. He has been ruled out for Saturday's preseason game against the Lions.

#Commanders #white

The Washington Commanders sat almost all of their starters in Friday's 20-7 preseason win over the Miami Dolphins. That list included starting running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt and the player he'll share time with, Rachaad White. Veteran Jeremy McNichols also didn't play.
Their absences created an opportunity for rookie running backs, sixth-round pick Kaytron Allen and undrafted free agent Robert Henry Jr. The rookies took advantage, combining for 160 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Both were impressive, with Allen leading the way with 85 yards. However, Henry looked explosive and could force his way onto the 53-man roster.
Veteran Jerome Ford also played in Friday's game, carrying the ball one time.
Considering how well Washington's rookies looked, it was a bit surprising on Monday when it was revealed that the Commanders were signing veteran back Craig Reynolds. When head coach Dan Quinn met with the media on Sunday, he provided some clarity on McNichols.
"So, Jeremy, he'll be out for a few weeks," Quinn said. "He's got a pretty good quad injury, so he will not be back in for this week. You'll see him off to the side, working some rehab into that spot, but he's got a pretty good quad injury that'll take a few weeks, for sure."

#veteran #mcnichols #allen #he 'll

Fantasy football managers are smarter than ever, so finding a player who's actually being slept on can be difficult. With that in mind, let's shine the spotlight on some players available in the late rounds or even off the waiver wire who could surprise in 2026.
Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season
Over the next week, I'll revisit my favorite sleeper candidates at every key fantasy position. Today, we're taking a look at running backs.
Expectations for seventh-round picks are normally very low, with their main goal being just to make the team. By that measure, Croskey-Merritt had a strong rookie season last year, though it felt like he didn't capitalize enough on his opportunities.
Brian Robinson Jr. being traded before Week 1 and Austin Ekeler suffering a season-ending injury left a three-man committee with JCM, Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jeremy McNichols — which limited everyone's fantasy ceiling.

#season #week

For the first time since training camp opened on Wednesday, fans were in attendance for Day 3 of camp for the Washington Commanders. The day began with some injury news, as head coach Dan Quinn revealed tight end John Bates was dealing with a strained hamstring and would miss "a couple of weeks."
But there was some good injury news: after missing only one practice with a sore foot, wide receiver Treylon Burks was back.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels had his best practice of the week so far, making multiple excellent throws. Daniels and Burks connected for an impressive conversion during third-down drills. Overall, though, it was another day where the defense held the upper hand.
So, which players stood out on Day 3? We look at four standouts from the third day of Washington's training camp.
Every day, it seems like a running back is making this list. Rachaad White is off to a fast start, and so is Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Jeremy McNichols, the 30-year-old, 10-year veteran, said, "Don't forget about me."

#camp

The Washington Commanders are underway at training camp! That, of course, means the season is right around the corner, and we'll soon have answers to our biggest questions.
One of the questions is how the running back rotation will work out. Jacory Croskey-Merritt had a respectable rookie season, but the team added Rachaad White, Kaytron Allen, and Jerome Ford this offseason. Any of that trio could push for a large role, meaning Croskey-Merritt has his work cut out for him.
The second-year running back is coming to camp prepared, though. During the first day of camp on Wednesday, Croskey-Merritt showed up noticeably more built. The running back reportedly put on eight pounds of muscle over the offseason due to wanting to break more tackles.
"I just want to be stronger, be able to break more tackles," Croskey-Merritt said. "I just want to be able to do more stuff, and I think it's going to pay off, man."
The running back played in all 17 games as a rookie and ended with 805 yards and eight touchdowns. Croskey-Merritt had a mediocre stretch over the middle of the season, though, and he struggled to break through contact. The hope is that the experience and added weight will help in that area in 2026.

#running

Hey Commanders fans, what do you know about Robert Henry Jr?
With the Washington Commanders rookies having already reported for the 2026 training camp, let's learn about Henry. Initially, it is perfectly understandable if no one in the Commanders fan base knew of Henry in his first two years of college. You see, he played for Jones College in Ellisville, Mississippi, a junior college in 2021 and 2022. Henry then transferred, finding a new football home at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).
Playing at UTSA from 2023-2025, Henry blossomed in his senior season, accumulating 1,045 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 151 carries, averaging 6.9 yards per attempt. One of the things that Commanders scouts no doubt noticed about Henry was his development in his ability to break off an explosive run for big yardage. Henry produced five rushes of 70-plus yards in 2025. This was not only the best, but was three more than any other FBS player. Henry was named a first-team All-American Athletic Conference and was a Doak Walker Award semifinalist.
Standing 5-foot-9, weighing 196 pounds, Henry is not exactly Derrick Henry in stature. This is another reason Henry went undrafted in April's 2026 NFL Draft. When the seventh and final draft rounds had concluded, there was Henry still available, and the Commanders ****** ed him, signing him to an undrafted free agent deal.
The Commanders' running back room has Jacory Croskey-Merritt "Bill" and Jeremy McNichols returning from the 2025 team. Chris Rodriguez departed, signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a free agent. Offseason additions have included signing free agents Rachaad White and Jerome Ford. The draft brought Kaytron Allen from Penn State in the sixth round.

#henry #utsa

The Minnesota Vikings shocked some folks by not making it a point to revamp their running back room this offseason. The team reworked the deal of Aaron Jones, brought back Jordan Mason, and drafted Demond Claiborne. All those moves did not want give the Vikings the biggest shot in the arm, but they seem happy with their backfield as is.
According to PFF's Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman, there remains work to be done. They recently ranked the 32 best running backs in the NFL, and the only one in the backfield to be ranked was Jones. Sadly, he was placed into the 29th spot ahead of only players like Jacory Croskey-Merit, Jadarien Price, and Chris Rodriguez.
They write, "Jones is in the twilight of his career, but he still racked up 747 yards from scrimmage across just 12 games last season. When healthy, he can still be a productive committee piece, which he currently is alongside Jordan Mason. A healthier offensive line could also contribute to increased production on the ground, while potentially superior quarterback play could offer more chances for Jones in the passing game."
Jones will be entering his third season with the Vikings in 2026, and has had one great season and one not so great. Both he and the team are banking on a bounce back in 2026 before what could be an expected change next offseason.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Which Vikings running back was ranked in the top 32 by PFF?

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt proved to be one of the steals of the 2025 NFL Draft. Croskey-Merritt, better known as Bill, was a seventh-round pick who led the Commanders with 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns last season. Amazingly, 24 other running backs were selected ahead of him last year.
Bill also averaged an impressive 4.6 yards per attempt as a rookie and started only seven games. Even more impressive, Croskey-Merritt reached these numbers by only playing 38.5% of Washington's offensive snaps.
This offseason, ****** ysts and fans wanted to see Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love in Washington. The Commanders were reportedly interested, but how interested, we will never know. Love went No. 3 to the Arizona Cardinals, and Washington selected linebacker Sonny Styles at No. 7 overall.
The Commanders like Bill. They allowed Austin Ekeler and Chris Rodriguez Jr. to depart this offseason and didn't pursue top free-agent running backs such as Kenneth Walker Jr. or Travis Etienne. Washington did add veteran backfield help, signing Rachaad White and Jerome Ford. The Commanders also re-signed dependable and versatile veteran Jeremy McNichols and spent a sixth-round pick on Kaytron Allen.
White is expected to have a significant role in David Blough's new offense. But from all indications, Croskey-Merritt will be Washington's lead back. He bulked up this offseason in anticipation of an increased role. He's also worked on his receiving skills.

Middletown, Virginia, was scheduled to have three Washington NFL players help celebrate America.
Middletown, just south of Winchester and Stephens City, is a small town with a community spirit that enjoys celebrating our privilege to live in this country, the United States of America. The city of Middletown was celebrating our nation's 250th anniversary, and two very familiar Washington football names were scheduled to join the celebration.
Dexter Manley, the fierce pass rusher for the Washington Redskins from 1981-89, was so intense, so quick off the snap of the ball. During his nine seasons in Washington, Manley accumulated 97 quarterback sacks. During his peak NFL seasons, Manley posted four-year runs of 11.0, 13.5, 15.0, and 18.5 quarterback sacks from 1983-1986. He was drafted in 1981 by GM Bobby Beathard in the 5th round, No. 119 overall, out of Oklahoma State University, and is a member of the Commanders Ring of Fame.
Manley wasn't the only Washington legend in Middletown. Former Redskins kicker Mark Moseley, who enjoyed a 17-year NFL career, including 13 with Washington, was also a part of the festivities. Moseley remains the only kicker in NFL history to win an MVP award.
Joining Manley and Moseley was current Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Nicknamed 'Bill,' he was selected by the Commanders in the final round (7th) of the 2025 NFL Draft, No. 245 overall. But Bill didn't let No. 245 discourage him, as he made the Commanders' final roster in 2025 with some sterling play in the preseason. Averaging 4.6 yards per carry and scoring 8 touchdowns, Croskey-Merritt gained 805 rushing yards during the 2025 regular season.

The Washington Commanders knew they had a ton of holes to fill this offseason, and for the most part, they were able to do so.
We know injuries play a large role in the team's 2025 struggles, but a lack of quality depth hurt as well. With OTAs and minicamp over, we've learned a good bit about this team, and there definitely seems to be more quality depth on both sides of the ball.
Whenever talent is added, though, it means some former contributors may lose their roles. Today, let's identify three Commanders' veterans who could be somewhat surprising cuts ahead of Week 1.
Jeremy McNichols has become a familiar face in Washington. The running back played all 17 games in both 2024 and 2025. McNichols has never been a huge part of the offense, but he's a very reliable special-teams contributor, which gives him value.
However, the Commanders overhauled the running back room this offseason, and it may be hard to justify keeping him around again. Bill Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, Kaytron Allen, and Jerome Ford are all in the room, and even rookie Robert Henry Jr. has looked impressive. ******* uming the team keeps four running backs, it wouldn't be surprising to see Ford or Henry sneak in ahead of McNichols.