Commanders' Jacory Croskey-Merritt gets new RB depth chart spot after Austin Ekeler injury

Bill, aka JCM, aka Jacory Croskey-Merritt: It's your time.

The Washington Commanders updated their RB depth chart late Tuesday, and it looks how everyone expected.

The No. 1 spot now belongs to the seventh-round rookie Croskey-Merritt.

The move was inevitable after Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles last Thursday to end his season.

Behind Croskey-Merritt are RB2 Jeremy McNichols and RB3 Chris Rodriguez Jr.

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Croskey-Merritt excited everyone in the preseason, then raised that excitement level in Week 1 when he ran 10 times for 82 yards and a touchdown.

But then he hardly saw the football in a negative game script in Week 2 against the Packers.

If Ekeler had stayed healthy, there'd be a real question about where JCM stands in the pecking order.

Now, though, the Commanders didn't have a whole lot of choice.

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The rookie should see lots of work early and often the rest of the way. It'll be a chance for him to validate all that summer hype.

McNichols and Rodriguez are both adequate backs, but neither should challenge Bill for the main workload as long as he does what's asked of him.

Losing Ekeler is a setback for the Commanders no matter how Croskey-Merritt plays. But now, there's no choice. He has to stay on the field, and he has to perform. It's Bill's time.

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