Who Should I Start? Jaylen Warren or Jonathon Brooks
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.4 | 52.6 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 19.8 | 0.1 |
Jaylen Warren News
Thursday, September 3, 12:08 PM
ESPN's Dan Graziano believes that Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren will still have a "significant" backfield role in 2026 after the team signed Rico Dowdle to a two-year, $12.25 million deal in free agency. New head coach Mike McCarthy will not be shy about giving Dowdle most of the early-down carries, but Graziano reminds us that Warren caught 61 passes on 74 targets in his second year in the league in Pittsburgh in 2023. His 61 receptions that year are 22 more than Dowdle has ever had in a season, and last year's pass-catching back in the Steel City, Kenny Gainwell, broke out with 73 catches. Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers is going to want to check the ball down some more to avoid sacks, and the recipient of those check-downs will be Warren in 2026. In his four-year NFL career, the 27-year-old Warren has 167 catches on 199 targets for 1,227 yards (7.3 yards per catch) and two touchdowns (both in 2025). He will be the team's primary pass-catching outlet, which will make him a PPR sleeper as an RB3/flex as he shares the backfield with Dowdle.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.2 | 33.7 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 9.7 | 0.1 |
Jonathon Brooks News
Saturday, September 5, 7:30 AM
A second-round pick in 2024, Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (undisclosed) has been limited by knee injuries to just three career games and nine career carries through his first two NFL seasons. The 23-year-old has also been working through an undisclosed injury that has prevented him from practicing in recent days, which is obviously a concern given his track record. However, Panthers coach Dave Canales recently said that the team is very optimistic that Brooks will be able to play in Week 1. Reporting throughout the summer also indicated that Brooks was impressive in training camp and that the team could be planning on him playing a significant role in their offense. While veteran running back Chuba Hubbard will likely open the year as Carolina's RB1, Brooks could be the higher-upside option of the two. As a mid-to-late round pick in most drafts, Brooks profiles as a high-risk, high-reward selection for fantasy managers.
Jaylen Warren vs. Jonathon Brooks
Still trying to decide between Warren and Brooks? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Jaylen Warren is projected to score 12.4 points this week while Jonathon Brooks is projected to score 7.2 points.
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