Who Should I Start? Jaleel McLaughlin or Braelon Allen

Monday, January 13, 10:50 AM

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin was a complete non-factor in the team's 31-7 blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday on wild-card weekend. Like most of the season, Denver's backfield was stuck in the mud and couldn't get anything going to control the game, with rookie quarterback Bo Nix leading the team with 43 rushing yards on four carries. McLaughlin, who had been the leader of a committee backfield late in the season, had only two rushing attempts for minus-two yards while catching his only target for no gain. It was a dismal end to the 24-year-old's second season in the NFL. He finished with 113 carries for 496 yards (4.4 yards per carry) and only one rushing touchdown in 16 regular-season games while adding 24 catches for 76 yards and two more TDs through the air. Denver will surely look to upgrade their backfield in the offseason to give more help to Nix in 2025.

Tuesday, June 3, 12:22 PM

SI.com's Albert Breer thinks that New York Jets running back Braelon Allen could have a significant role in the team's offense this year alongside Breece Hall. In his first year in the NFL in 2024, Allen had 92 carries for 334 yards (3.6 yards per carry) and two touchdowns, adding 19 receptions on 27 targets for 148 yards and another score in 17 games (two starts). The 21-year-old is one of the slower RBs in the league and mainly excels in short-yardage/goal-line situations, but he's also an excellent pass protector and is a polished pass-catcher out of the backfield. Allen lost steam as his rookie season wore on and even lost reps to fifth-rounder Isaiah Davis, but with new head coach Aaron Glenn wanting to establish a run-heavy approach in his first season at the helm, it's possible Allen could see more usage alongside Hall in 2025. At best, though, he's probably a handcuff again for those that select Hall.