Kaytron

Allen

ESPN’s John Keim expects to hear an update on White tomorrow morning. Backup RB Jeremy McNichols is dealing with a quad injury and RB Jerome Ford (hamstring) was recently placed on injured reserve. As things currently stand, starting RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, rookie RBs Kaytron Allen and Robert Henry, and veteran RB Craig Reynolds are the four healthy players. Croskey-Merritt’s reported passing game improvements have come at the right time. Allen played well on a sizable preseason Week 1 workload. He might be in line for RB2 duties if White were to miss time.

Whether Croskey-Merritt can participate in the Commanders’ three-day mandatory minicamp, from June 16-18, is unknown. That said, Standig believes RB coach Anthony Lynn’s “positivity is notable.” Lynn thinks the team can take Croskey-Merritt’s game “to another level and get him potentially in the lead role.” To do this, Croskey-Merritt must take on more responsibility in the passing game this summer. Lynn adds that the young back’s “hands are very good, his movement skills are very good, and there’s no reason why he couldn’t win routes.” The staff is happy with its new-look backfield, but Standing writes that RBs Rachaad White, Jeremy McNichols and Jerome Ford “are not high-volume playmaking threats,” like “Bill” is, and rookie RB Allen is still getting up to speed. Once Croskey-Merritt arrives, he must prove that he can meaningfully contribute as a receiver and as a pass protector. Doing so would unlock a fantasy-friendly role.

The two-down grinder will join a Washington backfield alongside Rachaad White and Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Allen (5’11/216) was a four-star recruit with offers from every powerhouse in the country. After landing at Penn State, he immediately showed why he was so sought after coming out of high school. He ran for a pair of touchdowns against Auburn in his third career game and cleared 100 yards versus Central Michigan the next week. Allen would go on to lead the Nittany Lions in carries while competing with five-star freshman Nick Singleton for touches. That would be the case for all four of his seasons at Penn State. Allen’s outstanding career culminated in a 210-1,303-15 rushing line in 2025, making him Penn State’s all-time leading rusher. He does all the little things well as a runner, allowing plays to develop and following blockers like a seasoned pro. The biggest drawback is a lack of top-end speed or agility. Allen’s mark of 3.8 yards after contact per carry ranked just outside the top 50 backs in the country last year. The fact that he opted not to do athletic testing at the NFL Combine or his Pro Day suggests his numbers would have been underwhelming.