What is Going on in the Commanders Backfield and How to Take Advantage of it for Fantasy Football?

Commanders Backfield Fantasy Football

Brian Robinson Jr.

Brian Robinson Jr. has back-to-back seasons of finishing as a top 30 running back in fantasy football. However, he has missed a couple of games in each of those seasons. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will be making over $3 million. The Commanders want to trade away Robinson and get some value for him before he leaves in free agency. If the Commanders are willing to trade away their starting running back, they must really believe in the other guys in their running back room.

Austin Ekeler

The now 30-year-old Austin Ekeler is coming off two disappointing seasons since his RB2 and RB1 finishes in 2021 and 2022, respectively. He played in twelve games last season in his first year with the Commanders and averaged over ten fantasy points a game. He is a great pass-catching running back and is also in the last year of his contract with Washington.

Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Chris Rodriguez Jr. has played two seasons in the NFL and has not had much fantasy production. Half of his fantasy points last year came in Week 13, when he had 13 carries for 94 rushing yards and a touchdown. Rodriguez is also in the final year of his contract.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Jacory Croskey-Merritt (also goes by Bill) was a seventh-round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He had a weird eligibility issue, causing him to only play in one game with Arizona in 2024. No player has been getting more hype than Bill in the offseason, and his touchdown in the preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals on national television broke the internet.

The hype has probably gone too far on JCM, but he still has a chance to play a significant role in the offense.

How is the Commanders Backfield Going to Shake Out

Robinson Jr. will not be on the Commanders by Week 1. They will find a trade partner for him and move on from him. The backfield is most likely going to be a committee between Ekeler, Rodriguez, and Croskey-Merritt. Ekeler will be the third-down back while Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt will split the early down work.

However, Rodriguez has had chances in the NFL before and has not been that productive. There is not much upside with him. There is a ton of upside around Croskey-Merritt. The Commanders really love him. They are not trading their starting running back because they believe in Austin Ekeler and Chris Rodriguez. They believe in Jacory Croskey-Merritt to be their guy. It might take a few weeks for him to win the starting job, but he has the best chance on the team to be the starter. I am all in on the “Bill” bandwagon. He is also the only running back signed next year (and is signed for four years), making him the best choice to be the running back of the future for the Commanders, starting in 2025.