Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Trey Benson

Sunday, January 12, 11:28 PM

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler tallied 27 yards on eight attempts during their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday evening. Ekeler also brought in three of his four targets for 26 yards. While Brian Robinson Jr. was deployed as the top option early on, Ekeler saw his role increase during the final quarter. On the final offensive drive of the game, Ekeler played the hero as he brought in a 19-yard reception, which set up Zane Gonzalez's game-winning field goal. Given Robinson's struggles in this game, fantasy managers should expect Ekeler to have an even more significant role in next weekend's game against the high-flying Detroit Lions. Ekeler should carry high upside in a projected high-scoring affair next weekend, given his skills as a pass catcher.

Tuesday, December 31, 5:34 PM

The Arizona Cardinals placed rookie running back Trey Benson (ankle) on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, so he will not be available to play in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival San Francisco 49ers. The third-rounder from Florida State will end up missing the final three games of his rookie season. As James Conner's primary backup in his first year in the NFL, Benson finished with 63 carries for 291 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and a touchdown while catching six passes for 59 yards. Conner was pulled from last week's loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Rams on Saturday night due to a knee injury and could also be rested in a meaningless game this weekend, which would put DeeJay Dallas and Michael Carter in line to split the backfield workload for Arizona. Benson is a solid hold in keeper leagues, although he could be in line for a backup role again in 2025 if Conner stays healthy.