Rookie detonation makes a case the Commanders can't ignore in Week 1

Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt | Cooper Neill/GettyImagesThe Washington Commanders gave rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt a chance to prove that his summer surge wasn't just a fleeting flash in the pan with no substance attached. Not for the first time since joining the franchise, he made the most of it.

And it's made a case that the coaching staff cannot ignore moving forward.

Most wondered if Croskey-Merritt being placed at No. 4 on the depth chart would result in an inactive status for Washington's regular-season opener. Chris Rodriguez Jr. ended up being the odd man out, and there isn't much chance of the first-year pro sitting out anytime soon after…