Who Should I Start? D'Ernest Johnson or Raheem Blackshear

Saturday, August 2, 4:10 PM

The Baltimore Ravens have signed running back D'Ernest Johnson, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Johnson joins Justice Hill, Keaton Mitchell, and Rasheen Ali as depth options in Baltimore behind star running back Derrick Henry. In 14 games with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season Johnson gained 239 yards from scrimmage on 44 total touches and did not find the end zone. The 29-year-old's most productive NFL season came in 2021, when he rushed for over 500 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games for the Cleveland Browns. Hill is a proven commodity as Baltimore's primary passing-down back, so Johnson could be battling with Mitchell for the RB3 role.

Tuesday, July 1, 9:30 PM

Carolina Panthers running back Raheem Blackshear will "almost exclusively be a special teams player" in 2025 if the team elects to keep a fourth RB around beyond training camp, writes The Charlotte Observer's Alex Zietlow. The Panthers only kept three RBs a year ago. Even with rookie Jonathon Brooks (knee) out for most of last season, Blackshear didn't have a single rushing attempt until Week 16. The 27-year-old will primarily be competing with David Moore, Jimmy Horn Jr. and Hunter Renfrow for a spot on the team's 53-man roster as a return option. The former undrafted free agent in 2022 has had 68 touches for 341 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on offense for the Panthers in the last three years while adding 66 kickoff returns for 1,734 yards and 23 punt returns for 200 yards. He's off the fantasy radar in the vast majority of leagues.