Who Should I Start? Jerome Ford or Braelon Allen

Friday, September 5, 8:15 PM

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford will take on the Cincinnati Bengals at home in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. Ford is expected to operate as the team's workhorse back early in the season with Quinshon Judkins still unsigned and rookie Dylan Sampson ticketed for a change-of-pace role. The veteran Ford operated as the team's lead back for much of the 2024 season but only managed 565 rushing yards. Ford will take on a Bengals defense that allowed the 15th-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs last season in Week 1, but the Browns could be playing from behind for the majority of the game against a high-powered Cincy offense. Ford checks in as a low-end RB3/flex option this weekend.

Saturday, September 6, 10:57 AM

New York Jets running back Braelon Allen is set to work behind incumbent starter Breece Hall in the team's opening matchup with the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers. The Wisconsin alum handled a modest workload during his rookie season, combining for 482 yards and three total touchdowns on 111 touches. 2025 will be a different story, though, as the second-year pro should see a sizable workload rotating in behind Hall. New York projects to funnel most of their offense through the rushing attack, though that will include quarterback Justin Fields, and potentially third-string rushing option Isaiah Davis. Allen doesn't figure to seize the starting role outright with Hall healthy, but head coach Aaron Glenn has made it clear that he plans to use multiple running backs in their offensive scheme. We don't yet know if the 21-year-old will garner standalone fantasy value, but he's currently one of the upper-echelon options as far as handcuffs go. He comes in at RotoBaller's PPR RB40 for Week 1.