The Washington Commanders are heading into Week 15 with urgency - and a whole lot of uncertainty - as they prepare to face the New York Giants. With a season that's been slipping away, and injuries piling up, all eyes are now on the backfield, where the team’s running back situation just got even murkier.
Starting quarterback Jayden Daniels is officially out after aggravating an elbow injury, which means veteran Marcus Mariota steps in under center. While Mariota brings experience, he doesn’t have Daniels’ dynamic mobility - and that’s going to put even more pressure on offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury to get the ground game going early and often. Against a Giants front that’s been stout against the run, that’s no small task.
The challenge? The Commanders are banged up where it matters most.
Chris Rodriguez Jr., who had been showing real promise in recent weeks, is sidelined with a groin injury. The team played it cautious all week, but ultimately, Rodriguez wasn’t cleared to go.
That opens the door for rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to see a bigger role - and possibly a defining opportunity.
Croskey-Merritt’s story is one that’s easy to root for. A seventh-round pick who climbed the depth chart during training camp with a strong preseason, he turned heads early in the year before fading into a rotational role. Now, with Rodriguez out and the season slipping into evaluation mode, this could be his shot to prove he belongs in the Commanders’ long-term plans.
But there’s a catch - and it’s a big one. Ball security has been an issue for Croskey-Merritt.
And with snowy, icy conditions expected at MetLife Stadium, the margin for error shrinks even more. Kingsbury may lean on veterans Jeremy McNichols and Chase Edmonds instead, especially if he’s looking for reliability in a game that could be decided by field position and turnovers.
That would be a tough pill to swallow for Croskey-Merritt, who was the Offensive MVP of the East-West Shrine Bowl and has flashed playmaking potential when given the chance. But it would also send a clear message: the coaching staff isn’t ready to fully trust the rookie just yet.
It’s important to keep perspective here. Croskey-Merritt was the 245th overall pick in this year’s draft, and he missed most of his final college season.
Nobody expected him to be an instant star. But with the Commanders in evaluation mode and the playoffs out of reach, these are the kinds of games where young players either earn a future role - or fall behind.
If he gets the touches, Croskey-Merritt has a real chance to remind the league why he was such a standout during the preseason. But if the staff turns to the veterans instead, that may speak volumes about where he stands in the pecking order heading into the final stretch of the season.
One thing’s for sure: with Daniels out and Rodriguez sidelined, Washington’s offense is going to need someone to step up. Whether that’s Croskey-Merritt or one of the vets, the Commanders can’t afford to let this opportunity slip by.