Who Should I Start? A.J. Dillon or Tahj Brooks

Wednesday, July 23, 9:39 PM

Philadelphia Eagles running back AJ Dillon was seen taking first team reps during the first day of training camp on Wednesday. It's only the beginning of camp, but it is interesting to see Dillon getting first team snaps over Will Shipley. Dillon was brought in on a one-year deal this offseason to replace Kenneth Gainwell who departed in free agency. Dillon did not play last season due to a neck injury, but appears to be at full health again. He posted three seasons with 600 rushing yards or more during his time with the Green Bay Packers. The 27-year-old is certainly capable of being a viable backup to Saquon Barkley. Neither Dillon nor Shipley figure to have weekly value with Barkley healthy, but both could be on the radar if Barkley ever misses time. Whoever wins the backup job could be a solid stash option.

Friday, August 8, 10:53 AM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Tahj Brooks ran for 26 yards off 10 attempts in Thursday's preseason loss to the Eagles. He added one catch (two targets) for three yards. Chase Brown began the contest with the rest of the starters. While Brooks handled the bulk of the touches, he only averaged 2.6 yards per carry. Despite the subpar showing on Thursday night, the 2025 No. 193 overall pick has looked good throughout training camp and appears to have earned the trust of the coaching staff. However, with Brown expected to get the majority of the snaps out of the backfield in 2025, there could be little room for Brooks to remain consistently involved, even if the rookie manages to secure the No. 2 spot on the depth chart over Samaje Perine. With the Bengals dropping their first game of the preseason, the team will look to get on track versus the Commanders on August 18.