Who Should I Start? James Robinson or Elijah Mitchell

Monday, January 8, 6:23 PM

The New Orleans Saints signed free-agent veteran running back James Robinson to a futures deal on Monday. The move to keep Robinson around heading into the 2024 season comes after he was added to New Orleans' practice squad in early December. The 25-year-old was brought in to provide running back depth behind Alvin Kamara, Jamaal Williams and rookie Kendre Miller, who missed Weeks 10-17 with an ankle sprain. Before landing a deal with the Saints, Robinson spent time with the Green Bay Packers' practice squad and was active in Week 13, only to see one carry for two yards while catching one pass for a loss of two yards against the Kansas City Chiefs. The former undrafted rookie free agent had a 1,000-yard season in his rookie year in 2020 with the Jacksonville Jaguars out of nowhere but hasn't been the same since and has been passed around the league as RB depth.

Thursday, June 6, 2:11 PM

According to The Athletic's David Lombardi, San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell is the team's clear No. 2 back behind All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey. Mitchell is an all-around back, but his health is the key. If training camp this summer yields a productive backfield logjam, Lombardi points out that the 49ers have previously traded Matt Breida and Jeff Wilson Jr. when they have an excess of depth at the position. As of right now, the 26-year-old Mitchell is the best handcuff option for fantasy managers that take McCaffrey first overall in fantasy drafts this fall. Mitchell has produced 4.7 yards per carry in his three years in the NFL in the Bay Area, but he's also played in just 27 games in a three-year span. If CMC misses time with an injury in 2024, Mitchell will become a hot commodity.