Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or J.K. Dobbins

Monday, September 22, 12:34 PM

Although Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. wasn't all that efficient (3.5 yards per carry) in his 2025 debut in the team's 41-24 blowout win over the visiting Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, he did lead the team with 11 carries. Rodriguez was a healthy scratch the first two weeks, but he was elevated to the active roster for Week 3 after Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles in Week 2. The 24-year-old ran for 39 yards on his 11 carries and was not utilized in the passing game. Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt was second on the team with eight carries, and he, too, was inefficient with just 26 yards on the ground. Jeremy McNichols and quarterback Marcus Mariota combined for 10 rushing attempts and two touchdowns against the Raiders. Croskey-Merritt has the most upside in the Commanders' backfield moving forward with Ekeler done for the year, but Rodriguez is worth a waiver-wire pickup if you have JCM rostered or are looking for RB depth. Rodriguez is currently rostered in only 5% of Yahoo leagues.

Friday, November 14, 5:34 PM

Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins (foot) will be out on Sunday against the divisional-rival Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11 with a significant foot injury and is believed to be out for the "foreseeable future," according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Dobbins is still working through his options, but there has been no final determination, and he's still a candidate to land on Injured Reserve. The 26-year-old injured his foot in the Thursday night win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 10 and is now set to miss multiple weeks. If he's forced to IR, he'd be out for at least four games. It's a serious blow to Denver's backfield, as Dobbins currently leads the team with 772 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 153 attempts over his 10 games. Keep him stashed in all fantasy leagues for now, but if he goes on IR, there's a chance he may not contribute much, if at all, the rest of the regular season. RJ Harvey will operate as the Broncos' RB1 for the foreseeable future, making him a must-roster in all leagues.