Colston Loveland or Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 3 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Start Loveland — the consensus rank and snap share edges are too wide to ignore.
Colston Loveland is the higher consensus play (TE3 to RB41) and plays a 87% snap share to Croskey-Merritt's 48%. No signal favors Croskey-Merritt this week. The gap is wide.
Colston Loveland
5.87.79.7 Projected Points
Jacory Croskey-Merritt
7.88.38.8 Projected Points
Colston Loveland’s market
Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s market
Why Colston Loveland
SitTE1 and pass-catching mismatch. Seam-stretching move tight end with flex alignment and rising target volume.
Sit — TE3 consensus, projects TE16 this week: PHI is the 2nd-toughest matchup vs TEs, 24.0 implied team total.
- PHI ranks 2 of 32 against TEs (one of the tougher matchups, 2-game sample).
- Vegas implies 24.0 team points as 1.5-point favorites.
- Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 87% snap share.
Latest on Loveland
Loveland has been on the field for 86.6% of the Bears' offensive snaps through two games, the highest share among offensive players other than Williams or a lineman.
Where has Bears TE Colston Loveland been this season?ESPN · Sep 28, 2026Loveland has been almost invisible through two games with just one catch for three yards on five targets, and his primary role has instead been as a blocker, including being responsible for the block on the game-ending sack allowed against Minnesota.
SI.com (Bears On SI) · Sep 22, 2026When even the "little guys" are getting a hat on a hat, it's that much easier to post 59 points and over 500 yards.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Jacory Croskey-Merritt
SitLead back and volume runner. Decisive one-cut rusher with tackle-breaking contact balance; limited passing-game work.
Sit — bench-tier RB at consensus RB41: SEA is the 10th-toughest matchup vs RBs, 3% target share.
- SEA ranks 10 of 32 against RBs (one of the tougher matchups, 3-game sample).
- Vegas implies 21.5 team points as 3.5-point underdogs.
- Listed RB on the latest depth chart with a 48% snap share.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Colston Loveland | Jacory Croskey-Merritt |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 5.87.79.7 | 7.88.38.8 |
| Consensus rank | TE3 | RB41 |
| Opponent vs position | PHI · 2 of 322-game sample | SEA · 10 of 323-game sample |
| Receptions | 2 of 32 | 17 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 2 of 32 | 14 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 1 of 32 | — |
| Targets | 2 of 32 | — |
| Anytime TD | 1 of 32 | 6 of 32 |
| Rushing Yards | — | 5 of 32 |
| Rushing TDs | — | 1 of 32 |
| Rushing Attempts | — | 16 of 32 |
| Target share | 9% | 3% |
| Reception share | 2% | 5% |
| Implied total · spread | 24.0-1.5 | 21.5+3.5 |
| Depth chart | TE1 | RB1 |
| Snap share | 87% | 48% |
Recent form
Colston Loveland — last 2 weeks
| Week 2 | vs MIN | 0.30.81.3 |
| Week 1 | vs CAR | 0.00.00.0 |
Jacory Croskey-Merritt — last 2 weeks
| Week 2 | vs DAL | 4.85.35.8 |
| Week 1 | vs PHI | 11.612.112.6 |
Signal breakdown
- 9.7 vs 8.8 projected PPR pointsColston Loveland +
- Rank 3 vs 41Colston Loveland +
- Opponent DvP rank 2 vs 10 (32 = softest)Colston Loveland +
- Implied 24.0 vs 21.5 team pointsColston Loveland +
- No injury designationseven
- 87% vs 48% snap shareColston Loveland +
Compare different players
Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.
More Loveland comparisons
More Croskey-Merritt comparisons
- J. Croskey-MerrittJacory Croskey-MerrittRBWSHvs SEAB. CorumBlake CorumRBLARvs DEN
- J. Croskey-MerrittJacory Croskey-MerrittRBWSHvs SEAR. HarveyRJ HarveyRBDENvs LAR
- J. Croskey-MerrittJacory Croskey-MerrittRBWSHvs SEAT. SpearsTyjae SpearsRBTENvs NYG
- J. Croskey-MerrittJacory Croskey-MerrittRBWSHvs SEAW. MarksWoody MarksRBHOUvs IND
This week’s toughest calls
- K. Walker IIIKenneth Walker IIIRBKCvs MIA
K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs DEN
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs DENQ. JudkinsQuinshon JudkinsRBCLEvs CAR
- Q. JudkinsQuinshon JudkinsRBCLEvs CARC. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TEN
- C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TEND. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs PHI
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs PHIB. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs NE
- B. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs NEB. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs MIN
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs PIT
D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs DEN
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs DENC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATL
- C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATLP. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NE
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NEM. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs ATL
- M. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs ATLQ. JohnstonQuentin JohnstonWRLACvs BUF
- Q. JohnstonQuentin JohnstonWRLACvs BUFJ. DownsJosh DownsWRINDvs HOU
- K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs GB
G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs ARI
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs ARIS. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NYJ
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NYJT. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs ATL
- T. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs ATLT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs MIA
- T. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs MIAJ. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs BAL
- J. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs BALI. LikelyIsaiah LikelyTENYGvs TEN
- D. PrescottDak PrescottQBDALvs BAL
J. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs BUF
- J. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs BUFT. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs NE
- T. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs NEB. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs ARI
- B. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs ARIP. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs MIA
- P. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs MIAB. NixBo NixQBDENvs LAR
- B. NixBo NixQBDENvs LARM. StaffordMatthew StaffordQBLARvs DEN
- E. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs ARI
J. BatesJake BatesKDETvs NYJ
- J. BatesJake BatesKDETvs NYJH. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs MIA
- H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs MIAT. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs DAL
- T. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs DALC. BoswellChris BoswellKPITvs CIN
- C. BoswellChris BoswellKPITvs CINC. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs MIN
- C. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs MINT. SmackTrey SmackKGBvs ATL
- Giants D/STGiants D/STDSTNYGvs TEN
Lions D/STLions D/STDSTDETvs NYJ
- Lions D/STLions D/STDSTDETvs NYJSaints D/STSaints D/STDSTNOvs LV
- Saints D/STSaints D/STDSTNOvs LVVikings D/STVikings D/STDSTMINvs TB
- Vikings D/STVikings D/STDSTMINvs TBBengals D/STBengals D/STDSTCINvs PIT
- Bengals D/STBengals D/STDSTCINvs PITTitans D/STTitans D/STDSTTENvs NYG
- Titans D/STTitans D/STDSTTENvs NYGBills D/STBills D/STDSTBUFvs LAC
- B. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs MIND. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs DEN
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NEJ. WarrenJaylen WarrenRBPITvs CIN
- C. HubbardChuba HubbardRBCARvs CLE
C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATL - C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATLC. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TEN
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs PHIT. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs PIT
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs PITT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs MIA
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs ARID. Samuel Sr.Deebo Samuel Sr.WRSFvs ARI
- D. Samuel Sr.Deebo Samuel Sr.WRSFvs ARII. LikelyIsaiah LikelyTENYGvs TEN
Get a Start/Sit call on your whole roster →
Save your team once and see a Start, Sit, or Toss-Up verdict on every player, every week — with the matchup, usage and game-script evidence behind each call.
Add to My Team — freeOr browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.