Who Should I Start? Jacob Saylors or Phil Mafah


Week 4 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.3 1.6 0.0 0.1 0.6 0.0

Jacob Saylors News

Jacob Saylors Remains a Stash-Worthy Running Back in Week 1

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 4 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Phil Mafah News

Phil Mafah Tries Out for Packers Amid Backfield Uncertainty

Tuesday, September 8, 4:47 PM

Free agent running back Phil Mafah tried out for the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday, per Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com. A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, Mafah played in just one game as a rookie and was waived by the Cowboys in late August. While it's not yet clear if he will find his next NFL home in Green Bay, the Packers enter 2026 with significant questions in their backfield. Star Packers back Josh Jacobs is currently on the NFL's Commissioner's Exempt List due to an offseason arrest, and it's unclear when or if he will be cleared to play. As a result, the team's running back room currently consists of the unproven trio of MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, and Kaleb Johnson. The team is reportedly planning to take a committee approach to the backfield early in the year, and the fact that the Packers hosted Mafah on Tuesday could indicate that they do not have great confidence in any of their current options.


Jacob Saylors vs. Phil Mafah

Still trying to decide between Saylors and Mafah? 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 0.3 points this week while Phil Mafah is projected to score 0.0 points.