Chase Brown vs Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Who Should You Start?
There is a real production gap between these two running backs. Chase Brown (Cincinnati Bengals) averaged 14.6 PPG over 17 games in 2025, outscoring Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Washington Commanders, 8.0 PPG) by 6.6 points per week. That separation would need a significant matchup swing to overcome.
Chase Brown carries a 6.6-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Chase Brown is the receiving back in this matchup, turning 69 targets into 437 yards, while Jacory Croskey-Merritt profiles as a more traditional rusher with 805 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns. In PPR and half-PPR formats Chase Brown carries the higher weekly floor. In standard leagues the gap tightens considerably.
One scheduling note: Chase Brown is off Week 12 and Jacory Croskey-Merritt Week 14. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in running back for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
