Who Should I Start? Jaleel McLaughlin or Kyle Monangai

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, August 12, 12:14 AM

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai is emerging as the workhorse that the Bears envisioned when they selected him in the seventh round of this year's draft. He had a strong debut in Sunday's preseason game against the Dolphins, rushing for 30 yards on six carries while working mostly in the first half. The Rutgers product showcased his tough, downhill running style, potentially mirroring the roles David Montgomery and Jamaal Williams filled as the hammer back in Ben Johnson's Lions offenses. Monangai logged 669 carries without a fumble at Rutgers, accumulating 3,221 rushing yards over four seasons, the second most in school history. Quarterback Caleb Williams and the coaching staff have consistently praised the rookie, and he is expected to be in the mix for touches alongside D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson in the Bears' backfield. He is a solid, cheap bet to make at the end of drafts in an ambiguous backfield.