Who Should I Start? DJ Giddens or Trevor Etienne

Wednesday, September 17, 2:15 PM

Indianapolis Colts rookie running back DJ Giddens saw a sharp decline in his usage during Week 2. After logging 25% of the snaps in the opener, his role was reduced to just 7% as Jonathan Taylor handled nearly all of the backfield work. The shift in snap share makes it clear that as long as Taylor is healthy, Giddens will struggle to carve out meaningful standalone value for fantasy managers. Still, his size and power make him a strong handcuff option, as he would likely step into a heavy workload should Taylor miss time at any point this season. For now, Giddens should be viewed more as a depth stash in deeper formats rather than a reliable contributor. His immediate value is limited, but his long-term upside remains tied directly to Taylor's availability.

Wednesday, September 17, 12:23 PM

Carolina Panthers rookie running back Trevor Etienne has played only four offensive snaps through the first two games of his first year in the NFL and is the clear RB2 in Carolina's backfield behind Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle heading into a Week 3 divisional clash against the Atlanta Falcons. In the Week 2 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, the 21-year-old didn't have a carry and caught his only target for a two-yard gain while playing two snaps. Currently, the Georgia product is primarily being utilized as the team's kickoff-return specialist. He has returned five kicks for 101 yards through two weeks. Etienne is only worth rostering as RB depth in dynasty/keeper leagues right now, and he probably won't be worth a look on the waiver wire unless Hubbard or Dowdle miss time with an injury.