Who Should I Start? David Montgomery or Jonathon Brooks


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

David Montgomery a Reliable Bell Cow Available Outside the Early Rounds of Drafts

Tuesday, July 21, 6:25 AM

For the first time since his final season with the Bears in 2022, Houston Texans running back David Montgomery enters the year as the unquestioned leader of his team's backfield. With the Texans thrown an offseason curveball last year by the mysterious foot injury of presumed starter Joe Mixon, they were forced to piece the position together with a combination of veteran Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks, neither of whom proved particularly effective for an offense built to play with a lead. Despite sharing the Detroit backfield with perennial Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs for the past three seasons, Montgomery has remained fantasy-relevant through his continued usage near the goal line, and as a player with a proven history of handling heavy workloads, he allows Marks to slip back into a more natural pass-catching role. With a defense that can help to create positive game scripts in a hurry, Montgomery should serve as the closer that this Texans offense was sorely lacking in 2025, and as RotoBaller's RB21, he represents reliable value often available in the middle rounds of drafts.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
7.2 33.7 0.2 1.3 9.7 0.1

Jonathon Brooks News

Jonathon Brooks "Looking Twitchy" at Training Camp

Tuesday, July 28, 9:06 AM

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks caught a pass from quarterback Bryce Young in the flat, stuck his foot in the ground, and knifed through a couple of defenders for a big gain during training camp practice on Tuesday, according to Kyle Bailey. Brooks is "looking twitchy" so far in camp as he looks to get involved in 2026 following two ACL tears in his first two seasons in the league. The Panthers took the 23-year-old in the second round (46th overall) in 2024 from the University of Texas, but he has played in just three games for the organization. He has been impressing head coach Dave Canales so far, and he could earn RB2 duties behind Chuba Hubbard if he continues on this trajectory. Brooks' elite burst and elusiveness before his two ACL tears had drawn him comparisons to Jamaal Charles, and he's also an adept pass-catcher out of the backfield. There is still untapped potential here, but expect the Panthers to ease him into a complementary role behind Hubbard, at least early on in 2026. Fantasy managers definitely shouldn't forget about Brooks, though, and he has potential to be a sneaky RB3/flex option in point-per-reception leagues. RotoBaller has Brooks ranked as the No. 40 fantasy RB.


David Montgomery vs. Jonathon Brooks

Still trying to decide between Montgomery and Brooks? 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 Jonathon Brooks is projected to score 7.2 points.