Who Should I Start? DeeJay Dallas or Jaret Patterson

Monday, September 9, 4:49 AM

Arizona Cardinals running back DeeJay Dallas took a return 96 yards to the house for the first such score under the NFL's new kickoff rules on Sunday. Dallas can be elusive but he got a little lucky in Week 1 when three would-be tacklers converged on him and essentially took each other out, allowing the returner to easily shake free and continue downfield. Dallas spent his first four professional seasons with the Seahawks and has racked up 1,474 kick return yards since adopting those duties in 2021, the sixth-most in the league over the last three years. As the last running back on the depth chart, Dallas carries almost no fantasy value, though he might be of interest in leagues that account for return yards. In Week 2, Arizona faces the Rams, who registered six touchbacks with no returns for their kickoffs in their season debut.

Saturday, August 31, 9:20 AM

The Los Angeles Chargers have signed free agent running back Jaret Patterson to their practice squad. He had been released from the 53-man roster earlier in the week but is now back in the building. The 24-year-old registered 339 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2021, but his production has scaled back since then and he didn't even register a touch last year. He's merely a depth option behind the four running backs on the Chargers' active roster and therefore isn't expected to see the field much in 2024.