Who Should I Start? Jaleel McLaughlin or DJ Giddens

Sunday, August 17, 11:31 AM

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin put his best foot forward in Saturday's preseason win over the Arizona Cardinals in his attempt to win a 53-man roster spot. In the 27-7 win over Arizona in the second preseason game, McLaughlin had only three carries, but it was enough to lead the team in rushing with 48 yards. The 24-year-old's second rushing attempt of the contest went for a game-high 35 yards. McLaughlin entered the game after both rookie RJ Harvey and Tyler Badie, suggesting he's the RB4 on the current depth chart going into the final week of the preseason. He's been an effective complementary option in his two years in the NFL, averaging 4.8 yards per carry, but the additions of Harvey and J.K. Dobbins in the offseason made things even more difficult for McLaughlin to have a sizeable role in 2025.

Sunday, August 31, 3:25 PM

Indianapolis Colts rookie running back DJ Giddens remains third on the depth chart despite a strong training camp and decent preseason. The 22-year-old rookie, drafted in the fifth round out of Kansas State, is currently listed behind starter Jonathan Taylor and Tyler Goodson (elbow). Last year in college, Giddens rushed for 1,343 yards on 205 carries, averaging an impressive 6.6 yards per attempt, and also caught 21 passes for 258 yards and a touchdown. His preseason stats of 18 carries for 67 yards (3.7 YPC) and one nine-yard reception are less impressive. RotoBaller ranks Giddens as RB61, making him a potential late-round stash with upside. Taylor has a history of injuries, missing 16 games over the past three seasons. Goodson is also dealing with an elbow injury, and Giddens could see a significant workload increase if either misses time. The fifth-round pick is a must-add handcuff for Taylor managers and a strong late-round target in deeper leagues, with the potential to step into a starting role if injuries happen.