Who Should I Start? David Montgomery or Ashton Jeanty
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.6 | 54.4 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 13.8 | 0.1 |
David Montgomery News
Thursday, July 2, 5:26 AM
For the first time since 2023, Houston Texans running back David Montgomery projects to lead his team in carries. While he's now three years older than the player who finished that season as the RB13, and he no longer has the benefit of Ben Johnson drawing up plays for him, he still boasts tremendous upside for a player routinely slipping outside the first four rounds of 2026 drafts. While his usage has dipped in recent seasons, his efficiency has not. In his three seasons sharing a backfield with Jahmyr Gibbs, who is now comfortably in the conversation of the best backs in the game, Montgomery averaged .87 fantasy points per touch. In Houston, with one of the league's premier defenses allowing for a baseline of neutral or positive game scripts, the eighth-year veteran could see enormous volume. 2025 fourth-round pick Woody Marks was inefficient as a rookie after being thrust into lead back duty and figures to settle into a more natural pass-catching role, leaving the former Lion with the lion's share of the carries. At RotoBaller's RB21, Montgomery profiles as one of this year's safest RB2s but also has the upside to anchor a receiver-heavy build in a zero-RB strategy.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16.1 | 65.5 | 0.5 | 3.3 | 23.5 | 0.2 |
Ashton Jeanty News
Sunday, July 19, 8:36 AM
As a rookie in 2025, Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty finished as the RB13 despite averaging only 3.7 yards per carry while working behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league. With left tackle Kolton Miller expected back at full health after playing in only four games last season and the team spending big to acquire free agent center Tyler Linderbaum, Jeanty should see a drastic improvement from the abysmal 0.6 yards before contact that he averaged on his 2025 carries. And while new head coach Klint Kubiak spent much of the early offseason espousing the values of a split backfield, the team's actions have done little to suggest that Jeanty's fantasy-friendly volume is in any real jeopardy. The team spent a Day 3 pick on running back Mike Washington Jr., and Vegas does not have a wide receiver on the roster who has ever caught more than 57 passes in a season. For reference, Jeanty caught 55 of his 68 targets as a rookie, and with only tight end Brock Bowers locked in for a healthy pass-catching role ahead of him, he could threaten for triple-digit targets in year two. With better cohesion in 2026, the Raiders offense has the potential to rise to a level just around league-average, and in such a scenario, Jeanty has the bell cow abilities to deliver a league-winning season as RotoBaller's RB7.
David Montgomery vs. Ashton Jeanty
Still trying to decide between Montgomery and Jeanty? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that David Montgomery is projected to score 11.6 points this week while Ashton Jeanty is projected to score 16.1 points.
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