Rarely does a deep fantasy sleeper fulfill expectations immediately in the NFL, but that's what Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt has the chance to do.
Croskey-Merritt, a seventh-round pick who went from a deep sleeper to a popular name as training camp progressed and Washington traded Brian Robinson Jr., showed some of what made him such an intriguing figure on the fantasy circuit, rushing for 82 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in his NFL debut.
While the Commanders' backfield may still be in flux early in the season, Croskey-Merritt did nothing in Week 1 to shake OC Kliff Kingsbury's trust.
If you’re going to thank Croskey-Merritt for making you look like a smarter fantasy GM, just remember: call him Bill.
Here’s what you need to know about Croskey-Merritt’s name and why he prefers to go by "Bill."
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What is Bill Croskey-Merritt's real name?
Now known simply by some as "Bill," the Commanders rookie was born as Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Croskey-Merritt grew up in Alabama and spent his first four collegiate seasons at FCS Alabama State before transferring to New Mexico and finishing up at Arizona.
In the weeks before his first NFL season, word circulated among reporters that Croskey-Merritt preferred to be called "Bill," rather than Jacory. That reporting was met with a clarification that Croskey-Merritt would still officially be listed as Jacory, but Bill has quickly caught on as a nickname.
As it turns out, Croskey-Merritt utilized his nickname long before he emerged on the national stage as the potential leader of the Commanders' backfield.
Here's Croskey-Merritt's own explanation of the origin.
MORE: How Jacory Croskey-Merritt made NFL history in his debut
Why does Jacory Croskey-Merritt go by 'Bill'?
Croskey-Merritt said in a YouTube interview posted by the Arizona football program that he was nicknamed Bill as a child because he resembled Little Bill from the children's animated TV series.
"I got the nickname Bill from having a bald head when I was little," Croskey-Merritt said. "I used to have a low haircut, so people joked at me and said I looked like the character Little Bill. It just stuck."
Much like another famous children's TV character, Caillou, Little Bill is bald ... or at least has hair short enough that no one can tell the difference. The character is a fictionalized version of a young Bill Cosby, who created the show. While the concept may not have aged well, the character was popular during Croskey-Merritt's childhood, and the nickname clearly stuck.
Croskey-Merritt is still listed as Jacory on the Commanders' website, but the team posted a graphic showing his name as "Bill Croskey-Merritt" when he scored his first career touchdown in Week 1.
Everybody Loves Bill#NYGvsWAS | #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/veGsxEe3Pf
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) September 7, 2025
Commanders fans and fantasy owners alike will call Croskey-Merritt any name he wants as long as he continues to far exceed the expectations for a player who was drafted only 12 picks before Mr. Irrelevant.