Who Should I Start? Jonathon Brooks or Chris Collier

Tuesday, February 11, 10:19 PM

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) will miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season after his second ACL tear in 2024 as a rookie. In addition to Brooks, the Panthers are expected to cut running back Miles Sanders. It's why The Athletic's Joseph Person has the Panthers taking SMU RB Brashard Smith with a fifth-round selection in his 2025 mock draft. Smith could be a nice change-of-pace option behind starter Chuba Hubbard next year in the Panthers' backfield. The 21-year-old Brooks can be avoided in all single-year fantasy drafts this fall after suffering a gruesome injury in his first year in the NFL. Brooks could have a lengthier recovery after already tearing the same ACL in his final collegiate season at the University of Texas. In three games in 2024, Brooks had nine carries for 22 yards and caught all three of his targets for 23 yards.

Saturday, August 24, 10:16 PM

Baltimore Ravens running back Chris Collier received the most work in the backfield again on Saturday, but couldn't turn it into much. The rookie out of Lock Haven University turned 13 carries into 42 yards and was only targeted once but didn't catch it. Now that the preseason has concluded, Collier finished with a total of 82 yards on 28 carries and two catches for 22 yards. He could only muster a 2.8 yards per carry average while the run game failed to do much throughout the preseason. Collier may still make the team at the end of the depth chart, but it seems like more than a long shot to see him on the field for anything other than special teams this season.