Who Should I Start? J.K. Dobbins or Kaleb Johnson

Sunday, February 15, 9:26 AM

Running back J.K. Dobbins signed a one-year, $2.1 million deal with the Denver Broncos late in the 2025 offseason, and through the first 10 weeks of the season, he looked like one of the best values of the year. Dobbins ran for 772 yards and four touchdowns before going down to a Lisfranc injury that ultimately ended his season. Once again set to hit the open market, Dobbins has recently indicated a preference to return to Denver. Should he sign another short-term deal with the Broncos, he would likely be given the inside track to starting duties over second-round pick RJ Harvey. While Harvey showed a knack for finding the end zone as a rookie, he could not come close to matching Dobbins' efficiency behind one of the premier offensive lines in the league, averaging 3.7 yards per carry to Dobbins' 5.0. Where Harvey truly excelled was in the passing game, and if Denver runs back the same pairing in 2026, it's difficult to envision another landing spot for Dobbins with more clearly defined roles or higher upside within what will likely be some form of committee.

Friday, February 13, 7:42 AM

A third-round selection out of the University of Iowa in the 2025 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson appeared to have an opportunity to play a significant role in his team's backfield as a rookie. Instead, the 22-year-old spent the 2025 season buried on the Steelers' depth chart and barely got a chance to take the field. Across 10 games played, Johnson recorded just 78 yards from scrimmage on 29 touches. Veteran Pittsburgh running backs Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell dominated the team's backfield work throughout the year, as each back topped 180 touches and 1,000 yards from scrimmage. Gainwell is set to hit unrestricted free agency this spring, which could eliminate one obstacle from Johnson's pathway to playing time. However, even if the Steelers do not bring Gainwell back, Johnson did little as a rookie to convince Pittsburgh that it should not bring in another veteran to complement Warren in 2026. Johnson is still very young, and he could work his way back into the team's plans with a full offseason of development. However, his fantasy stock in dynasty formats has taken a major hit after his underwhelming rookie campaign.