Who Should I Start? Isiah Pacheco or Tyjae Spears
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.3 | 31.2 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 6.4 | 0.0 |
Isiah Pacheco News
Saturday, June 27, 8:04 AM
The Detroit Lions have made it clear that running back Jahmyr Gibbs will be their bell-cow back in 2026, which means that newcomer Isiah Pacheco must prepare for a backup role in his new digs, according to Kory Woods of MLive Media Group. Pacheco, who won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, signed a one-year deal with Detroit to replace David Montgomery, who was traded to the Houston Texans in early March. The 27-year-old former seventh-rounder in 2022 out of Rutgers started 31 of 34 games in the last three seasons in KC, but he's preparing for a much different role in Detroit. He's looking at a drastically reduced role in the Lions' backfield, especially after dealing with injuries in recent seasons. Pacheco missed nine games in 2024 with a broken right fibula and missed a month with an MCL sprain in 2024. In his first two years in the league, Pacheco averaged at least 4.6 yards per carry, but that number has dropped to 3.8 yards per attempt the last two years. Pacheco is committed to his new role behind Gibbs, but he has tumbled to No. 44 in RotoBaller's RB rankings for the 2026 campaign, making him more of a handcuff for Gibbs' managers.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.0 | 23.9 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 16.7 | 0.1 |
Tyjae Spears News
Thursday, June 25, 10:09 AM
Sports Illustrated's Bryce W. Lazenby writes that there haven't been many players who have improved their standing this offseason more than Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears. The 25-year-old former third-rounder in 2023 out of the University of Tulane came into the offseason as more of an afterthought, but he has cemented himself "near the top of the RB depth chart" in Tennessee, and head coach Robert Saleh has confirmed as much. Spears has looked explosive with plenty of burst during offseason workouts, and he's hoping to be more involved as a pass-catcher in 2026. Lazenby adds that Spears is looking like he'll be the 1B to Tony Pollard's 1A. The Titans took Nicholas Singleton in the fifth round of this year's NFL draft, but as of right now, it looks like Spears has done enough to stay in the RB2 position to begin the 2026 regular season. Spears played in only 13 games (one start) in 2025 and had 72 carries for 283 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and two touchdowns, adding 45 receptions for 264 yards as a pass-catcher. The Titans' offense could take a step forward under new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, with Spears being a late-round consideration for RB depth in PPR fantasy formats.
Isiah Pacheco vs. Tyjae Spears
Still trying to decide between Pacheco and Spears? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Isiah Pacheco is projected to score 6.3 points this week while Tyjae Spears is projected to score 8.0 points.
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