Who Should I Start? DJ Giddens or Kyle Monangai

Friday, August 8, 9:11 AM

Indianapolis Colts running back DJ Giddens carried the ball six times for 17 yards and failed to corral his lone target in a 24-16 preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. Giddens and Tyler Goodson split the work throughout the first half of the game before ultimately giving way to Khalil Herbert at the beginning of the third quarter. Giddens finished with a long run of seven yards while averaging 2.8 yards per carry in the contest. The fifth-round rookie out of Kansas State is fighting to open the regular season as the primary backup behind Jonathan Taylor. His next chance to make an impression will come in the Colts' second preseason game, which will be next Saturday against the Green Bay Packers.

Tuesday, August 12, 12:14 AM

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai is emerging as the workhorse that the Bears envisioned when they selected him in the seventh round of this year's draft. He had a strong debut in Sunday's preseason game against the Dolphins, rushing for 30 yards on six carries while working mostly in the first half. The Rutgers product showcased his tough, downhill running style, potentially mirroring the roles David Montgomery and Jamaal Williams filled as the hammer back in Ben Johnson's Lions offenses. Monangai logged 669 carries without a fumble at Rutgers, accumulating 3,221 rushing yards over four seasons, the second most in school history. Quarterback Caleb Williams and the coaching staff have consistently praised the rookie, and he is expected to be in the mix for touches alongside D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson in the Bears' backfield. He is a solid, cheap bet to make at the end of drafts in an ambiguous backfield.