Who Should I Start? Jonathon Brooks or Frank Gore Jr.

Monday, December 8, 12:54 PM

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) is exactly a year removed from tearing his right ACL for a second time, but he said that he feels "pretty much almost 100 percent again," according to Joe Person of The Athletic. Brooks is doing straight-line running and hopes to start mixing in full-speed cutting and route running soon. Barring a setback, he could return to the practice field in the spring for organized team activities (OTAs). The 22-year-old was the team's second-round pick back in 2024 out of Texas. Since his injury, the Panthers signed Rico Dowdle in free agency and took Trevor Etienne in the fourth round of this year's draft. Dowdle has been one of the best backs in the NFL this year and has formed a dangerous 1-2 punch in Carolina's backfield with Chuba Hubbard. Any expectations fantasy managers holding Brooks might have in dynasty/keeper leagues must be tempered by concerns of injury risk.

Saturday, August 23, 11:50 PM

Buffalo Bills running back Frank Gore Jr. led the Bills in yards from scrimmage for the third straight week in a 23-19 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. Gore amassed 61 total yards (32 rushing, 29 receiving) on 10 carries and two catches, and he scored his lone touchdown of the preseason on a one-yard run in the first quarter. In all, the hard-running 23-year-old piled up 104 yards on the ground on 23 attempts and hauled in 11 catches for another 109 yards in three preseason contests. Even though Gore stood out in Buffalo's exhibition games, he doesn't have a clear path to a roster spot with James Cook, Ray Davis, and Ty Johnson ahead of him on the depth chart. Odds are that the former Southern Miss standout will either wind up on the Bills' practice squad for the second year in a row or join another team via waivers before the season. He made a compelling case that he's an NFL-caliber back during the preseason.