Who Should I Start? Audric Estimé or Chris Collier

Monday, November 4, 12:50 PM

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said he expects to use rookie running back Audric Estime more down the stretch in 2024. Estime played only 10 percent of the offensive snaps in the Week 9 blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday but had as many carries (five) as Jaleel McLaughlin and was more efficient with 35 rushing yards. The 35 yards on the ground was a season-high for the 21-year-old fifth-round selection out of Notre Dame, and he's been quite efficient with 6.3 yards per carry on his 15 rushing attempts through the first five games of his career. Estime probably still won't be worth adding in 12-team fantasy leagues, but this statement from Payton is surely bad news for McLaughlin, who has averaged 3.9 yards per tote in 2024 after averaging 5.4 yards per carry in his rookie campaign in 2023.

Saturday, August 24, 10:16 PM

Baltimore Ravens running back Chris Collier received the most work in the backfield again on Saturday, but couldn't turn it into much. The rookie out of Lock Haven University turned 13 carries into 42 yards and was only targeted once but didn't catch it. Now that the preseason has concluded, Collier finished with a total of 82 yards on 28 carries and two catches for 22 yards. He could only muster a 2.8 yards per carry average while the run game failed to do much throughout the preseason. Collier may still make the team at the end of the depth chart, but it seems like more than a long shot to see him on the field for anything other than special teams this season.