Who Should I Start? Cam Akers or Jaylen Warren

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.

Monday, January 15, 11:47 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren handled eight carries for 38 yards and two receptions for 16 yards in the team's wild-card loss to the Buffalo Bills. Although Warren was more efficient than backfield mate Najee Harris, neither player made much of an impact on Monday. Pittsburgh struggled early on in the contest and was forced to throw after surrendering 21 quick points. Despite ending the season with disappointment, the 25-year-old enjoyed a breakout campaign in which he totaled over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and ranked third amongst all NFL running backs in yards per carry. He should retain a prominent role in the Steelers' offense along with Harris next season.