Start Michael Pittman Jr. over Jacory Croskey-Merritt — Week 1 Start/Sit Verdict

Pittman's volume gives him the safer edge over Croskey-Merritt

Pittman's high-volume possession role is the separator: his WR-2 workload and red-zone skill give him more ways to score than Croskey-Merritt's rushing-first profile. The projection gap is meaningful because Croskey-Merritt lacks the receiving work to make up ground in PPR, while both players carry the same questionable tag. Croskey-Merritt's lead-back role offers touchdown upside, but the actual risk is Washington trailing and losing access to that rushing volume; Pittman is the better play, though his WR-2 role leaves less margin than a featured receiver would.

What flips it: Croskey-Merritt is cleared and gains a larger passing-game role.

AI editor

Jacory Croskey-Merritt

RB41WSHvs PHI

7.37.88.3 Projected Points

Sit

Michael Pittman Jr.

WR26PITvs ATL

7.29.712.3 Projected Points

Toss-Up

Why Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Sit

Lead back and volume runner. Decisive one-cut rusher with tackle-breaking contact balance; limited passing-game work.

Sit — RB41 by consensus and projection: 3% target share in 2025, Questionable on the latest report.

His lead-back label creates touchdown upside, but limited passing-game work offers little PPR rescue if Washington trails.
The matchup provides no established sample, so his case depends heavily on rushing volume and availability.

Why Michael Pittman Jr.

Toss-Up

WR2 and high-volume possession target. Big-bodied contested-catch winner over the middle and in the red zone.

Toss-up — WR26 consensus, projects WR23 this week: ATL is the 10th-softest matchup vs WRs, 21% target share in 2025.

Pittman's possession role creates multiple paths to points beyond contested catches, including steady work over the middle and near the goal line.
His high-volume profile is more dependable than Croskey-Merritt's rushing-dependent workload, even with both players questionable.

Head-to-head stats

Metric	Jacory Croskey-Merritt	Michael Pittman Jr.
Projected points	7.37.88.3	7.29.712.3
Consensus rank	RB41	WR26
Opponent vs position	PHI · 19 of 320-game sample	ATL · 23 of 320-game sample
Rushing Yards	17 of 32	—
Rushing TDs	19 of 32	—
Rushing Attempts	23 of 32	—
Receptions	9 of 32	16 of 32
Receiving Yards	26 of 32	19 of 32
Anytime TD	20 of 32	29 of 32
Receiving TDs	—	29 of 32
Targets	—	21 of 32
Target share	3%(2025)	21%(2025)
Reception share	3%(2025)	22%(2025)
Implied total · spread	20.5+5.5	22.8-3.0
Depth chart	RB1	WR2
Snap share	40%(2025)	86%(2025)
Injury designation	Questionable	Questionable
Start/Sit record	—	0–0+1 toss-up