- Kyle Monangai is much from buried on the Bears’ depth chart: D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer should not hold the rookie RB19 from having an opportunity to climb the Bears’ working again pecking order in 2025.
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt is being neglected after a novel faculty profession: The seventh-rounder performed in only one recreation in 2024 as a result of eligibility points, however he was beforehand considered one of faculty soccer’s most efficient working backs.
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Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
There’s by no means time to take your foot off the pedal in dynasty fantasy soccer; it is a year-round course of. Scouting the Ashton Jeantys and Cam Wards of the world for fantasy potential is the simple half. Finding the Kyren Williamses and Puka Nacuas tends to be a bit more durable.
So, we’re diving into rookie stashes place by place. These three working backs might go off the board late or under no circumstances in 2025 dynasty rookie drafts, however they’re value stashing as a result of their skill and group surroundings.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders
Croskey-Merritt sits as simply the RB20 in 2025 dynasty rookie drafts, buried in a category stuffed with potential workhorses. While the Commanders made him the ultimate working again chosen within the 2025 NFL Draft, his potential to ultimately lead the group’s backfield makes him a dynasty stash.
Brian Robinson Jr. is coming into a contract yr after ending 2024 because the PPR RB29, Austin Ekeler simply turned 30 years outdated and Jeremy McNichols has been with 10 groups since 2017. The door is large open for a brand new RB1 to emerge within the Commanders’ backfield, doubtlessly this season however definitely subsequent.
Croskey-Merritt performed in just one recreation this previous season at Arizona as a result of an eligibility challenge. Before that, he dominated his competitors at New Mexico to the tune of the fourth-best PFF total grade (92.7) amongst FBS working backs in 2023. That yr, he averaged 0.34 missed tackles per try (tied for twelfth in FBS) and racked up the fifth-most speeding scores (17).
While Robinson is within the driver’s seat to start the 2025 marketing campaign, don’t rely out Croskey-Merritt to slowly climb Washington’s depth chart and switch right into a fantasy worth.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s College PFF Grades
Trevor Etienne, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers prolonged working again Chuba Hubbard on a four-year, 33.4 million deal merely seven months in the past, locking him in because the group’s starter for the foreseeable future. Long-term contracts for breakout working backs are removed from foolproof, although.
Carolina’s entrance workplace has a brand new chief because the group signed Miles Sanders, who additionally was recent off a profession yr, to a four-year, $25.4 million contract in 2023 earlier than releasing him this previous offseason, however it’s a reminder — one which maybe hits too near house — that backfields are unstable.
As famous by PFF lead fantasy analyst Nathan Jahnke, Etienne brings an identical skillset to the working backs forward of him on the Panthers’ depth chart (Rico Dowdle and Hubbard), giving him a stellar alternative to overhaul not less than Dowdle. He has third-down potential after hauling in 32 of a potential 33 passes in 2024 at Georgia, and his run-game promise is obvious in his 3.9 yards after contact per carry over the previous three seasons — the sixth-best fee amongst 2025 draft-eligible Power Five working backs.
If not in 2025, Etienne is poised to climb the Panthers’ working again depth chart in 2026.
Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears
Much was fabricated from the Bears’ want for working again assist this offseason, and so they responded meekly by re-signing Travis Homer and drafting Monangai within the seventh spherical. Neither transfer was significantly world-changing on paper for Chicago’s backfield, which D’Andre Swift leads for now. But don’t let Monangai’s draft slot idiot you into dynasty passivity.
Monangai has related potential to Kansas City Chiefs RB1 Isiah Pacheco, additionally a seventh-round select of Rutgers, to take over his group’s backfield briefly order. Swift is coming off a PPR RB19 season wherein he was the one NFL working again to see greater than 230 carries and never prime 1,000 speeding yards. He averaged greater than 5.0 yards per carry in solely 4 outings and went the ultimate seven video games of the 2024 season with no 15-point fantasy efficiency.
D’Andre Swift’s 2024 PFF Grades and Rushing Statistics
Meanwhile, Monangai’s 139 compelled missed tackles over the previous two seasons have been the eighth most amongst FBS working backs, and he didn’t fumble as soon as throughout 4 seasons of motion with the Scarlet Knights.
Roschon Johnson might get the primary crack at surpassing Swift for the Bears’ lead function, however Monangai should not be buried to the purpose the place he doesn’t get some touches to show his worth as a rookie and past.