Jacory Croskey-Merritt vs Ty Johnson: Who Should You Start?
Two running backs who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Washington Commanders) finished the 2025 season averaging 8.0 fantasy points per game in 17 games. Ty Johnson (Buffalo Bills) came in at 5.2 PPG over 17 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt carries a 2.8-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. Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran for 805 yards and 8 touchdowns; Ty Johnson posted 200 and 3. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
One scheduling note: Jacory Croskey-Merritt is off Week 14 and Ty Johnson Week 12. 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.
