Who Should I Start? Jonathon Brooks or Brashard Smith
Week 4 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Jonathon Brooks News
Wednesday, September 23, 12:10 PM
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that the timeline for running back Jonathon Brooks (abdomen/groin) to return after undergoing core muscle surgery is six to eight weeks, per Steve Reed of The Associated Press. Per Reed, Canales said that the return timeline with or without the surgery "would have been about the same," prompting the team to take the surgical route. It's the latest in a long line of injury setbacks for Brooks, who has appeared in just five games since Carolina selected him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Across two games in 2026 before getting injured, the 23-year-old recorded nine carries for 30 yards and two catches for 43 yards on three targets. With Brooks sidelined, Panthers RB1 Chuba Hubbard could take on an even larger share of the team's backfield work. Carolina also hosted veteran running back Austin Ekeler for a workout on Wednesday, but no deal between the two parties has been announced yet.
Week 4 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 0.0 |
Brashard Smith News
Friday, September 18, 5:49 PM
A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith flashed upside as a receiver out of the backfield during his rookie season. However, the 23-year-old's 2026 debut was discouraging for fantasy managers, as Smith played exclusively on special teams in Kansas City's Week 1 win over the Denver Broncos. Chiefs RB1 Kenneth Walker turned in a dominant performance against Denver, and rookie running back Emmett Johnson appears to have established himself as the clear RB2 in Kansas City. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes attempted just 27 passes in Week 1, so Smith may play a role in games where Kansas City is forced into more pass-heavy game scripts. Still, Smith seems unlikely to provide fantasy-relevant production unless there's an injury to Walker or Johnson.
Jonathon Brooks vs. Brashard Smith
Still trying to decide between Brooks and Smith? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Jonathon Brooks is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Brashard Smith is projected to score 1.2 points.
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