Who Should I Start? Brian Robinson Jr. or Dameon Pierce

Saturday, August 30, 11:08 AM

Once a sneaky candidate to back up star running back Christian McCaffrey, stock for San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan James has declined since the NFL Draft. The fifth-round pick broke a finger, forcing him to be sidelined for a few weeks. Then, the 49ers traded for former Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. Head coach Kyle Shanahan stated that Robinson is locked into the number two role, and second-year back Isaac Guerendo is currently manning the third spot on the depth chart. Although he's back on the practice field now, James may never get the chance to showcase his talents during a regular-season football game this season, barring a rash of injuries in the San Francisco backfield. Still, general manager John Lynch recently reconfirmed his confidence in the rookie, so dynasty managers shouldn't give up hope yet. The other three San Francisco running backs are regularly being selected in redraft leagues.

Monday, September 1, 12:27 AM

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (quad) told KPRC's Aaron Wilson that his recovery is ahead of schedule and he feels ready for the regular season. "It's really a couple weeks ahead of schedule, which is a blessing," Pierce said. "I feel ready to go." The Florida product missed six games last season and didn't mak a single start. In order to get him some game reps before the regular season, the Texans' coaching staff put him on the field for a portion of their preseason finale earlier this month. In that contest, he rushed seven times for 17 yards on the ground. Houston may be forced to call on the 25-year-old early this season as the timetable for Joe Mixon (ankle) remains very unclear. At a minimum, he'll miss four games, leaving Nick Chubb to lead the backfield while Pierce and Woody Marks occupy supplementary roles. There's a chance Pierce could earn some meaningful touches, which would justify drafting him in the final rounds of your fantasy draft. However, it's just as likely that Chubb and Marks both play quite well, leaving Pierce without much of a role. At worst, you can draft him with your final pick and then just drop him if it doesn't work out.