Who Should I Start? Jeremy McNichols or Cam Akers

Friday, September 12, 12:23 AM

Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols could be headed for an increased workload after teammate Austin Ekeler suffered a serious Achilles injury on Thursday night. Ekeler suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter and was quickly ruled out, indicating that the severity is serious. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport echoed these concerns postgame, telling the Amazon Prime broadcasters that the Commanders' front office is concerned about Ekeler's status. If the veteran running back misses extended time, McNichols could step into a much larger role. He didn't register an offensive touch Thursday night but should enter Week 3 as the Commanders' No. 2 running back behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt. With more snaps on the way, McNichols immediately becomes an intriguing waiver wire option in fantasy football.

Tuesday, September 16, 5:25 PM

The Minnesota Vikings signed running back Cam Akers to their practice squad on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring) was also placed on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, so the Vikings are bringing back a familiar face to serve as RB depth behind Jordan Mason and Zavier Scott heading into a Week 3 tilt against the Cincinnati Bengals. This will be Akers' third different stint with the organization, and he could surpass Scott on the RB depth chart sooner than later. The 26-year-old spent training camp with the New Orleans Saints but was unable to make their 53-man roster. He had a healthy 4.3 yards per carry on 104 rushing attempts for 444 yards and two touchdowns while adding 14 catches for 68 yards and three TDs as a pass-catcher last year with the Houston Texans and Vikings. Akers is worth a look for RB depth in deep leagues if you just lost Jones.