Who Should I Start? Jacob Saylors or Emari Demercado
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.8 | 13.9 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 0.0 |
Jacob Saylors News
Saturday, September 12, 6:09 AM
Entering 2026, Detroit Lions running back Jacob Saylors appears poised to open the year as his team's RB2 behind superstar back Jahmyr Gibbs. Saylors appeared in 16 games for Detroit in 2025 but saw most of his action on special teams, recording just 11 rushing yards on two carries. However, with Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (back, knee) on Injured Reserve, Saylors will likely be the one to spell Gibbs when he needs a breather early in the season. In Week 1, Saylors and the Lions will host the New Orleans Saints. The Saints were around league-average as a rush defense in 2025, ranking 19th in total rushing yards allowed (2,050). Still, while Saylors will likely see a few touches and some third-down snaps, he's unlikely to see a fantasy-relevant workload as long as Gibbs remains healthy. Saylors is worth rostering as a handcuff running back option, but fantasy managers should avoid starting him in Week 1.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.9 | 25.2 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 6.2 | 0.0 |
Emari Demercado News
Friday, September 11, 11:14 AM
Dallas Cowboys running back Emari Demercado is basically unrostered on Yahoo, but that could change after Malik Davis was injured during Friday's practice. Davis had clearly won the No. 2 job behind Javonte Williams, with Demercado sitting directly behind him after Dallas claimed the veteran off waivers at the end of August. If Davis is forced to miss time, Demercado suddenly has a much cleaner path to backup work. He has been efficient when called on, averaging 6.5 yards per carry on 126 career attempts. Last season with Arizona, Demercado ran 44 times for 312 yards and caught 13 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. None of that makes him a Week 1 starter against the Giants. Williams is still the lead back here. But with Demercado at 0% rostered on Yahoo, deeper-league managers now have a reason to take a shot before there is more clarity on Davis. If Davis misses time, Demercado's handcuff value rises quickly.
Jacob Saylors vs. Emari Demercado
Still trying to decide between Saylors and Demercado? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Jacob Saylors is projected to score 2.8 points this week while Emari Demercado is projected to score 4.9 points.
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