Who Should I Start? Chris Evans or Keaton Mitchell

Thursday, August 15, 9:18 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chris Evans (knee) will miss the entirety of the 2024 season after suffering a torn patellar tendon at Thursday's practice. Evans was the fourth running back on Cincinnati's preseason depth chart. While he only received three touches last season, it had been reported that the fourth-year pro was having a solid camp. Evans figured to play a more significant role in the Bengals' offense with the departure of Joe Mixon this offseason, but he will shortly begin his long road to recovery. This will be the first time since 2017 that Mixon isn't projected to lead the Cincinnati backfield in touches. At this point, Zack Moss and Chase Brown figure to form some sort of committee, with third-string Trayveon Williams sprinkling in when necessary. The point-scoring capabilities of the Bengals' offense makes this backfield one to monitor.

Monday, November 11, 12:17 PM

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that running back Keaton Mitchell's role in the offense could expand moving forward. "I do see a little bit of a three-headed monster there," Harbaugh said of the team's backfield that also includes the NFL's leading rusher in Derrick Henry and pass-catching specialist Justice Hill. Mitchell finally recovered from a torn ACL that he suffered in his rookie season in 2023 to make his season debut in last Thursday night's one-point win over the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals, but the 22-year-old wasn't involved much, seeing two snaps on offense. He averaged 8.4 yards per carry and 10.3 yards per catch in eight games last year and has enough explosive abilities as a ball-carrier to warrant a bench stash in fantasy leagues down the stretch, especially if you also have Henry rostered.