Who Should I Start? Chris Rodriguez Jr. or Trey Benson

Tuesday, September 16, 9:47 AM

Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. will be "back in the fold" for the team in Week 3, according to coach Dan Quinn. Rodriguez has been a healthy scratch for the first two games of the season since the Commanders relied on Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Austin Ekeler, and Jeremy McNichols to handle the load in the backfield. With Ekeler (Achilles) lost for the season, there will be significant work available in the Washington backfield going forward. Croskey-Merritt will step in as the lead back, but Rodriguez and McNichols will mix in as well. Rodriguez had an impressive training camp and preseason and could carve out significant playing time in the new timeshare, even though Quinn made sure to emphasize that the team is comfortable with Croskey-Merritt in passing situations. At this point, Rodriguez is a waiver wire option in deep leagues and definitely someone to watch in all formats to see how the timeshare is divied up in Week 3 against the Raiders.

Friday, September 12, 11:13 PM

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson had eight carries for 69 yards in the Week 1 win over the Saints. He added one catch for six yards. While the 23-year-old didn't find the end zone, he still played well, averaging 8.6 yards per carry. Of course, James Conner was involved, logging 43 snaps, 21 more than Benson. Still, it was apparent that Benson had a place in the offense, even more than some had anticipated. With the Cards coming off a win, the team will look to keep it going in Week 2 versus the Panthers. Without question, Carolina had issues stopping the Jags on the ground, with Travis Etienne ending the day with 143 yards off 16 attempts. Conner should remain the No. 1 option out of the backfield in Sunday's showdown with the Panthers. However, Benson will likely get plenty of work, especially if the game gets out of hand. With a favorable matchup on the horizon, the 2024 No. 66 overall pick can be viewed as a flex option in deeper fantasy formats.