Who Should I Start? Connor Heyward or Tahj Brooks


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
1.4 1.0 0.0 0.5 3.6 0.1

Connor Heyward News

Raiders Sign Fullback Connor Heyward

Thursday, March 12, 3:26 PM

The Las Vegas Raiders have signed fullback Connor Heyward to a two-year deal worth up to $5.5 million, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The contract includes $2 million fully guaranteed. Heyward hit free agency earlier this week upon the expiration of his four-year rookie deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He's scored a touchdown in three of his four pro seasons, and he posted a respectable 449 scrimmage yards during his time in the black and gold. Of course, handling the football is just a minor component of his role as a fullback. He's far more involved as a blocker, creating opportunities for the quarterback or running backs. He'll now take his talents to Las Vegas, where he'll be tasked with blocking for a young offense that features Ashton Jeanty and will also likely include projected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
1.3 7.5 0.1 0.1 0.9 0.0

Tahj Brooks News

Tahj Brooks Competing for a Bigger Complementary Role in Bengals Backfield

Monday, July 20, 8:47 AM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Tahj Brooks only saw 16 rushing attempts for 45 yards and caught one of his two targets for nine yards in 16 games in 2025 after the Bengals took him in the sixth round out of Texas Tech. Brooks mainly saw work on special teams as a rookie and in mop-up duty on offense. Chase Brown is the unquestioned leader of Cincinnati's backfield going into the 2026 season yet again behind an offensive line that is returning all five starters from last year. Veteran Samaje Perine figures to lead the group behind Brown again in 2026, which leaves Brooks competing for touches as the RB3 for the Bengals. Most likely, Brooks will serve in more of a special teams role for the second straight year as a punt protector. For now, fantasy managers in single-year formats can ignore Brooks entirely. In dynasty/keeper leagues, he's merely a deep-league stash for insurance if you also have Brown on your roster.


Connor Heyward vs. Tahj Brooks

Still trying to decide between Heyward and Brooks? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Connor Heyward is projected to score 1.4 points this week while Tahj Brooks is projected to score 1.3 points.