Jacory Croskey-Merritt vs Saquon Barkley: Who Should You Start?
Deciding between Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Saquon Barkley is a common lineup dilemma for fantasy managers. The Washington Commanders running back put up 8.0 PPG in 2025 over 17 games; Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles averaged 13.4 in 16. A 5.4-point margin that could shift on any given week.
The per-game difference of 5.4 points favors Saquon Barkley, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one running back to the other.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran for 805 yards and 8 touchdowns; Saquon Barkley posted 1140 and 7. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt has his bye in Week 14, and Saquon Barkley rests in Week 5. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at running back for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
