Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Jaylen Warren

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, October 17, 1:02 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren rushed for 127 yards on 16 carries during Thursday's Week 7 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. He also caught four of his five targets for an additional 31 receiving yards. Although Warren wasn't able to find the end zone on Thursday night, he still had a terrific performance with 7.94 yards per carry and a significant impact in the passing game. His efficiency likely peaked thanks to his matchup against a Bengals defensive line sans Trey Hendrickson (hip), but he still has a favorable fantasy outlook heading into Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers. He continues to rank as a steady RB2 option in fantasy football.