Who Should I Start? Dylan Laube or Brashard Smith

Tuesday, September 16, 7:07 PM

Las Vegas Raiders running back Dylan Laube could be in line for a slight uptick in playing time this week against the Washington Commanders. Laube logged just 18% of the offensive snaps in the Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers but managed to catch two passes for 17 yards, flashing the receiving skills that made him a standout in college. Head coach Pete Carroll suggested the team may work him in more on offense after limiting him almost exclusively to special teams in Week 1. For now, Laube remains buried on the depth chart behind Ashton Jeanty and Zamir White, leaving him without any immediate fantasy value. Still, the fact that the Raiders are looking to carve out a role for him in the passing game is a positive sign for his long-term outlook.

Monday, February 16, 5:28 PM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith could have the opportunity to take on an expanded role during the 2026 season. Smith was buried in a depth role for most of his rookie season in 2025, especially with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt leading the backfield. However, the Chiefs' running back dynamic could change in 2026. Both Pacheco and Hunt are free agents this offseason, and it's unclear whether either of them will re-sign. If only one or neither of them returns next season, Smith will have a path to a larger workload. He had a modest 323 scrimmage yards and one touchdown this past year, so he certainly hasn't proven himself ready for a lead-back role. However, he could share the backfield with someone like Pacheco or another mid-range, experienced back. Either way, Smith is absolutely trending upward ahead of the 2026 season. He's an intriguing buy in dynasty leagues, especially if his current fantasy manager has already grown impatient.