Who Should I Start? Antonio Gibson or Will Shipley

Monday, August 4, 11:22 PM

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson returned to practice on Wednesday, according to Brian Hines of SBNation. Gibson was dealing with an undisclosed issue, but everything appears to be all good with him health-wise. The 2020 third-round pick had a solid first season in New England in 2024, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and 9 yards per reception. With the addition of 2025 second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson, along with the presence of Rhamondre Stevenson, Gibson will likely be reduced to a backup role behind them.

Tuesday, September 2, 4:33 PM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley comes into his second NFL season serving as backup to star RB Saquon Barkley. Shipley started the Eagles' first preseason game, finished as the leading rusher after just one quarter of play, then didn't see the field again for the next two weeks. All evidence points to him being the clear number two option out of the Philly backfield. While Shipley may not be the flashiest fantasy option, he could present himself as a valuable bench asset for managers, especially given Barkley's somewhat worrying injury history. He's rostered in just 18% of Sleeper leagues and sits behind one of football's best offensive lines. Shipley isn't ready for fantasy lineups in Week 1 against the Cowboys, but managers should keep an eye on him as a strong handcuff that could win them at least a matchup or two if Barkley goes down.