Derrick Henry vs Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Who Should You Start?
There is a real production gap between these two running backs. Derrick Henry (Baltimore Ravens) averaged 16.0 PPG over 17 games in 2025, outscoring Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Washington Commanders, 8.0 PPG) by 8.0 points per week. That separation would need a significant matchup swing to overcome.
Derrick Henry carries a 8.0-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.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. Derrick Henry ran for 1595 yards and 16 touchdowns; Jacory Croskey-Merritt posted 805 and 8. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
One thing to note: both players share a Week 14 bye. That means you need a backup plan at running back for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.
