Who Should I Start? Emanuel Wilson or Brashard Smith

Friday, January 9, 9:39 AM

Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson has had a nice 2025 season, rushing for 496 yards on 125 attempts (3.97 YPC) and scoring three touchdowns across 17 games. His involvement in the Packers offense increased this season, as he has played a complementary role to starter Josh Jacobs, and he has also filled in for Jacobs a handful of times throughout the 2025 season, providing fantasy managers with a plug-and-play RB2 option during those weeks. With the Packers resting their starters in Week 18, and Jacobs coming out and saying on Wednesday that "this is the best he's felt in six weeks," after dealing with a knee injury for the majority of the second half of the season, it appears likely that the Packers will lean on the veteran in this situation. This would make it difficult to justify rostering Wilson in fantasy playoff leagues as anything more than a bench spot should Jacobs get hurt, and Wilson would step in.

Monday, December 29, 11:07 PM

Across 16 games this season, Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith has recorded 265 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 55 touches. The 22-year-old's opportunities have been limited by the presence of veteran Chiefs backs Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco, who have dominated the team's rushing work for most of the 2025 season. Over his last seven games, Smith has logged just four carries. However, Smith has seen a larger role in the Kansas City passing game. In Week 17, Smith earned four targets from Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun and hauled in his first receiving touchdown of the season. With Oladukun likely in line to make his second start of the season in Week 18 against the Las Vegas Raiders, Smith could continue to see work as a pass-catcher. In deep PPR fantasy leagues, Smith may be worth targeting on the waiver wire heading into Week 18.