Who Should I Start? Jerome Ford or Tyjae Spears

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.

Tuesday, August 26, 11:25 AM

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (ankle) will start the season on injured reserve and miss a minimum of four games, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Spears suffered a high ankle sprain in preseason play that will end up sidelining him for close to two months. With Spears set to miss the start of the season, Tony Pollard should be in for a significant volume of snaps and touches in the Titans' backfield. Rookie sixth-rounder Kalel Mullings (ankle) now looks like the leader to be the RB2, but he's dealing with an ankle injury of his own. When Spears returns, he profiles as a low-end RB3/flex option, but fantasy managers need to downgrade him given the now-guaranteed missed time.