Who Should I Start? Jaleel McLaughlin or Brashard Smith

BENCH

Week 1 Projections

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

Jaleel McLaughlin News

Jaleel McLaughlin Returns to Denver on One-Year Deal

Friday, March 13, 11:15 AM

The Denver Broncos agreed to an undisclosed one-year deal on Friday to re-sign running back Jaleel McLaughlin, a source told Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. In addition to McLaughlin, the Broncos already brought back J.K. Dobbins (foot), so they'll have a very similar backfield going into the 2026 campaign, depending on what they do in April's NFL draft. The 25-year-old had a career-low 37 carries last year for 187 yards and one touchdown in eight regular-season games, even with Dobbins suffering a season-ending foot injury halfway through the year. The Broncos also have last year's second-rounder, RJ Harvey, who could have an even bigger role next to Dobbins next season. Unless injuries strike one of Dobbins or Harvey in 2026, McLaughlin probably isn't going to see the field all that often and could be a healthy scratch on game days more often than not. His dynasty/keeper stock is quickly plummeting.

START

Week 1 Projections

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

Brashard Smith News

Can Brashard Smith Be Dropped in Dynasty Leagues?

Friday, June 5, 5:19 AM

Inconsistency and a lack of a true bell cow atop the Chiefs' running back depth chart allowed ample opportunity for Brashard Smith to carve out a meaningful role as a 2025 rookie, but the seventh-round pick out of SMU was never able to capitalize. Appearing in all 17 games, Smith ran for only 151 yards on a 3.4-yard-per-carry clip, adding another 172 yards through the air and scoring his only touchdown of the season in a Week 17 loss to the Broncos. Kansas City added the top free agent running back on the market in Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III before spending a fifth-round pick on arguably the best receiving back in the 2026 rookie class, Emmett Johnson. The Chiefs rounded out their depth chart with the low-cost addition of veteran Emari Demercado, who had been hyper-efficient in his limited work with the Cardinals, averaging almost 7.9 yards per attempt over the past two seasons. Smith has accordingly been pushed to the bubble of most dynasty rosters, and with no clear path to fantasy relevance, he has fallen to RB74 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings, making him a drop candidate in all but the deepest leagues.

Jaleel McLaughlin vs. Brashard Smith

Still trying to decide between McLaughlin and Smith? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Jaleel McLaughlin is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Brashard Smith is projected to score 0.0 points.