Who Should I Start? Jeremy McNichols or LeQuint Allen Jr.

Friday, October 3, 9:49 PM

Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols has served as the pass-down back in their three-man running back committee. Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez Jr. have handled the bulk of the running back touches, while McNichols subs in on late downs for prowess as a pass protector. That is the driving factor behind McNichols' volume of snaps, but he's also shown some juice and physicality as a runner. He had one of the highlight runs of the season in Week 3 against the Raiders when he trucked a defender and then exploded for a 60-yard touchdown. McNichols should be expected to serve in his usual role against a tough Chargers defense, limiting his Week 5 appeal to deeper leagues.

Friday, September 12, 9:17 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back LeQuint Allen Jr. enters Week 2 as the team's RB3 on the updated depth chart. In the season-opening win over the Carolina Panthers, Allen logged one carry for seven yards and added one reception for four yards, while Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby dominated the backfield with 83% of the snaps and 21 of the team's 25 rushing attempts. With Bigsby now traded to Philadelphia, the door is open for Allen and fellow rookie Bhayshul Tuten to carve out roles behind Etienne. While Tuten came in with more hype as a prospect, Allen's receiving skills could earn him passing-down work. He'll draw a favorable matchup in Week 2 against the Bengals, who just allowed Browns running back Dylan Sampson to lead his team in receptions. Allen remains unstartable in fantasy for now, but his skill set makes him a name worth monitoring as the Jaguars' backfield evolves.