Who Should I Start? Cam Akers or J.J. Taylor

Wednesday, March 13, 4:55 PM

The Minnesota Vikings declined to offer a restricted free-agent tender to running back Cam Akers (Achilles), meaning he is a free agent and can negotiate freely with any team. The former second-round pick was an exciting prospect out of Florida State in 2020 but after two Achilles tears in four years in the NFL, his career has struggled to get off the ground. Akers was traded to the Vikings from the Los Angeles Rams early in the 2023 campaign and rushed 38 times for 138 yards and one touchdown before suffering a major Achilles injury. The 24-year-old might get a chance to play elsewhere, but it'll likely be on a cheap, one-year deal. For now, he remains far from the fantasy radar. The majority of skill players do not recover well from an Achilles tear, never mind two.

Saturday, August 26, 8:28 AM

New England Patriots running back J.J. Taylor had one carry for three yards and one catch for 10 yards in Friday's 23-7 preseason loss to the Tennessee Titans. He briefly appeared in Friday's game while Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris handled most of the touches. The 25-year-old is competing with Harris, Strong, and Ty Montgomery for a spot on the Patriots running back depth chart behind Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott. He had 10 carries for nine yards and caught his only target for eight yards in his only game for the Patriots in 2022. Taylor is fighting for a spot on New England's 53-man roster but is far from being fantasy-relevant in 2023.