Who Should I Start? Jarquez Hunter or Will Shipley

Saturday, September 6, 2:33 PM

Los Angeles Rams running back Jarquez Hunter is an intriguing dynasty stash given his draft capital, but he lacks short-term fantasy value. As a result, he can be left on your bench (or redraft waivers) heading into his Week 1 matchup against the Houston Texans. There are plenty of reasons to avoid Hunter this week. First, the Texans' run defense was very strong last year, allowing the sixth-fewest rushing touchdowns and fantasy points to opposing running backs in 2024. Additionally, he is buried on the Rams' depth chart. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum are both ahead of him for now, and there's additional concern that he could drop to the fourth rung after Los Angeles elevated Cody Schrader from the practice squad on Saturday. The difference between third- versus fourth-string is the difference between being active or inactive on gameday, so it will be interesting to see his status when the inactives report comes out. Regardless, Hunter is not a startable fantasy option in Week 1.

Thursday, September 4, 11:55 PM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley (ribs) exited during the third quarter of Thursday night's season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. He is officially listed as questionable. Shipley left the field with his teammates when Thursday's game entered a weather delay, but he did not return to the field when the game resumed. It's a tough loss for Philadelphia, as Shipley was highly efficient when he was on the field, totaling 26 rushing yards on just three carries. In his absence, A.J. Dillon will operate as the direct backup to superstar Saquon Barkley.