Who Should I Start? Jaylen Warren or Zach Charbonnet


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
15.4 58.1 0.6 3.3 22.6 0.1

Jaylen Warren News

Jaylen Warren Likely to be in Third-Down, Change-of-Pace Role in 2026

Tuesday, March 10, 10:19 AM

The Athletic's Saad Yousuf, Dianna Russini, and Mike DeFabo believe that with the addition of new running back Rico Dowdle in free agency, "there's a good shot" that Dowdle will be in the 1A role, and Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jaylen Warren will be the "change-of-pace" back. The 5-foot-8 Warren has been "at his best in a third-down role and out of the shotgun." It means that the 27-year-old will likely take over the pass-catching duties that Kenneth Gainwell had in 2025, when he caught a career-high 73 passes for 486 yards and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. Warren was the RB17 in half-PPR scoring last year, going for a career-high 958 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground on 211 carries in 16 games, adding 40 catches for 333 yards and two TDs as a pass-catcher. The addition of Dowdle is definitely a big hit to Warren's overall fantasy value going into 2026, but his role as a pass-catcher shouldn't be taken lightly in PPR formats, especially if veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers returns.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
7.9 39.9 0.4 0.6 4.3 0.0

Zach Charbonnet News

Zach Charbonnet's Knee Surgery Goes "Very Well"

Thursday, March 12, 5:51 PM

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider said on Seattle Sports Radio on Thursday that running back Zach Charbonnet's (knee) ACL surgery "went very well," and his "outlook is good." Schneider wouldn't provide a timeline for Charbonnet's recovery or a timetable for when he might be able to resume football activities. The 25-year-old tore the ACL in his knee during the Divisional Round win against the San Francisco 49ers, so given the timing of the injury, it wouldn't be realistic to expect Charbonnet to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Typically, recovery from a torn ACL takes anywhere from eight to 12 months. Seattle's backfield is thin because of Charb's injury, and with Kenneth Walker III signing with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. If Charbonnet isn't ready in early September, the Seahawks could pair a rookie RB with both George Holani and newcomer Emanuel Wilson. Charbonnet's 2026 fantasy value is probably going to take a pretty big hit because of his injury, but when he's finally healthy, he could have a clear path to being the RB1.


Jaylen Warren vs. Zach Charbonnet

Still trying to decide between Warren and Charbonnet? 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 15.4 points this week while Zach Charbonnet is projected to score 7.9 points.