Jacory Croskey-Merritt vs Justice Hill: Who Should You Start?
Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Justice Hill are both viable fantasy running backs heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Jacory Croskey-Merritt averaged 8.0 PPG across 17 games with the Washington Commanders, while Justice Hill posted 5.5 PPG in 10 appearances for the Baltimore Ravens.
A 2.5-PPG gap gives Jacory Croskey-Merritt the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran for 805 yards and 8 touchdowns; Justice Hill posted 93 and 2. 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.
