5 O’Clock Club: Who will have the most rushing yards, receiving yards and touchdowns for the Commanders in ‘26?

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Even in a running-back-by-committee situation, it is normal to know which player is a team's lead back'.

Heading into the 2026 season, it's tough to assess exactly how Washington's running backs will be used in offensive coordinator David Blough's new offense. In fact, it's tough to even be confident how many RBs will make the roster or exactly who they will be.

No true marquee names

Washington's top two running backs appear to be a pair of young Day 3 draft picks from the 2025 & 2026 drafts - rookie Kaytron Fatman' Allen, drafted in the 6th round this past April, and 2nd-year player, Jacory Bill" Croskey-Merritt, drafted in the 7th round a year ago.

Returning for his third consecutive season in Washington is veteran Jeremy McNichols, who has looked effective for the Commanders in playing about a quarter of the offensive snaps in 24 & 25, but who has tallied just 1,364 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns in an eight-year NFL career.

One veteran free agent runner signed in March, Rachaad White, has the fattest NFL resume, with over 4,000 scrimmage yards and 25 touchdowns in 4 seasons since being selected in the 3rd round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers. He is a versatile back who has 2,656 rush yards & 14 rushing touchdowns, along with 1,450 receiving yards & 11 TD catches.

The positional depth chart is rounded out by veteran Jerome Ford and undrafted rookie Robert Henry Jr.

Pounding it on the ground

Croskey-Merritt carried the ball 175 times for 805 yards and 8 touchdowns as a rookie in 2025, but he was an afterthought in the passing game, with 13 targets and 9 receptions for 68 yards on the season.

Allen was used similarly in his four years at Penn State, accumulating 4,180 rush yards and 39 rushing TDs, compared to just 490 receiving yards and 4 touchdown receptions.

In his 4-year NFL career, Jerome Ford tallied 1,463 rush yards (7 TDs) vs 647 receiving yards (5 TDs).

POLLSAiring it out

It feels like the competition for third-down back to pass protect and catch passes - along with taking the occasional handoff - is a 2-man race between McNichols and White, with McNichols having the advantage of having spent the past two seasons with Washington's coaching staff, while White has been substantially more productive in those two seasons and for his career as a whole. That said, Jerome Ford also has some proven NFL pass-catching chops, with 81 receptions for 544 yards and 5 touchdowns in two seasons (23 & 24) before his role in the offense was dramatically reduced last year in Cleveland.

POLLSMaking the 53-man roster

Adam Peters and Dan Quinn opened the 2024 season with 3 running backs - Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, and Jeremy McNichols.

Last year (2025) the Commanders opened the season with 4 running backs - Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols, Bill Croskey-Merritt, and Chris Rodriguez - and did not add a full time back as a replacement when Austin Ekeler was lost for the season in Week 2, spending most of the year with 3 RBs until Chase Edmonds was added near the end of the season (he played only 1 offensive snap as a Commander).

POLLS