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Jacory Croskey-Merritt was projected to take on a larger workload for Washington’s Week 4 game against Indianapolis in London after Rachaad White was ruled out with a shoulder injury. The Oct. 2, 2026, RotoWire update described Croskey-Merritt as the Commanders’ RB1, but rookie Kaytron Allen and recently signed Austin Ekeler were also in the backfield mix, so a bigger role was an expectation—not a guarantee of exclusive lead-back duties.
Why Croskey-Merritt was in line for more work
White’s reported shoulder-related absence was the reason RotoWire gave for expecting Croskey-Merritt to see a larger workload against the Colts. The update was published before the London game, so it describes a pregame outlook rather than confirmed carries, snaps, or results.
What his first three games showed
Through Washington’s first three regular-season games of 2026, Croskey-Merritt had 47 carries for 142 rushing yards and one touchdown, or 3.0 yards per carry, according to RotoWire’s Oct. 2 update. That rushing volume provides context for the projection, but it does not by itself establish how many touches he would receive in Week 4.
His snap share was another part of the picture: RotoWire reported that he had played fewer than 50 percent of Washington’s offensive snaps in two of those three games. Carries and snap share measure different things; the carry total shows his rushing opportunities, while the snap figure indicates he had not consistently been on the field for most of the offense.
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Why the role was not guaranteed
White’s absence opened an opportunity, but RotoWire also identified Allen and Ekeler as candidates for work in the backfield. The available pregame report therefore supports an expectation of increased opportunity for Croskey-Merritt, not a claim that he would handle every backfield touch or command a fixed share.
The report does not establish the game’s eventual workload or outcome. Those would require a postgame source; the Oct. 2 item is a forecast made ahead of Washington’s Week 4 matchup in London.
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