Who Should I Start? Chris Rodriguez Jr. or Julius Chestnut

Wednesday, December 3, 10:50 AM

Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has taken over the RB1 duties in Washington. Despite the preseason hype that surrounded seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rodriguez has been the RB1 as of late, totaling 201 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his last four games. Rodriguez played 44% of the snaps in their past two games, with receiving back Jeremy McNichols playing 35%, while Croskey-Merritt played just 20%. With the return of Jayden Daniels imminent, the Commanders' offense could be explosive down the stretch, which means good things are coming for the third-year back from Kentucky. In 2024, Daniels led the Commanders to the fifth-ranked scoring offense and an NFC Championship appearance. If Daniels returns, Rodriguez should have more scoring opportunities and can make an impact in the fantasy playoffs.

Saturday, October 4, 12:57 AM

Tennessee Titans running back Julius Chestnut could be headed for a reduced workload in Week 5 despite a favorable matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Chestnut has operated as a backup to Tony Pollard through the first four weeks of the season. While his usage has been relatively modest given that Pollard leads all NFL running backs in snap share, Chestnut has still been his backup and did see the field in every game, logging five total carries. That marginal usage could drop to no usage as soon as Tyjae Spears (ankle) returns to game action. Spears is currently on injured reserve but has been designated to return and is questionable for Week 5. Chestnut's already limited opportunity share would surely disappear entirely as soon as another reliable, proven player like Spears is added to the backfield. If Spears plays Sunday, Chestnut, 24, might not touch the ball. Even if he remains on IR, though, the Sacred Heart product is due for just a couple of touches and remains off the fantasy radar.