Who Should I Start? J.K. Dobbins or Zach Charbonnet

Monday, September 11, 4:49 PM

Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins (Achilles) is expected to undergo surgery on Friday for his torn Achilles, according to a source. Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers recovered in less than six months from a torn Achilles two years ago, and Dobbins is aiming for a similar timeline with his recovery. In any event, fantasy managers in redraft leagues can safely drop Dobbins after just one week of the 2023 season. The 24-year-old will enter free agency next March, but he'll have to prove his health before any other teams take a chance on the injury-prone running back. With Dobbins now out of the picture, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill will share Baltimore's backfield, with veteran Melvin Gordon III expected to join the roster from the practice squad.

Friday, September 8, 5:23 PM

Second-round draft pick Zach Charbonnet will make his regular-season debut when the Seattle Seahawks take on the Los Angeles Rams on September 10. The UCLA standout was drafted by the Seahawks on the heels of Kenneth Walker III's 1000-yard rookie season, putting Seattle's depth chart under scrutiny throughout the preseason. Walker was a limited participant in preseason activities thanks to a lingering groin injury, which added to the speculation that Charbonnet would be challenging for the primary role. Walker was cleared from the Seahawks' injury report on Friday and is expected to play in the season opener on Sunday, with DeeJay Dallas second on the team's depth chart. With Charbonnet's upside suddenly curbed, fantasy managers should scale back expectations if they choose to start him in Week 1.