Who Should I Start? Jaleel McLaughlin or Kyle Monangai

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.

Saturday, September 6, 4:56 PM

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (hamstring) has been removed from the injury report and is set to make his NFL debut Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings. The rookie seventh-round pick is expected to mix in for touches, especially with Roschon Johnson (foot) questionable, but D'Andre Swift should handle the clear majority of the workload. The matchup isn't favorable for Monangai, as the Vikings allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to running backs in 2024. Given his limited practice time and uncertain role, Monangai doesn't offer startable fantasy value in Week 1. For now, he's best left on the waiver wire, though his early usage will be worth monitoring.