Who Should I Start? Jonathon Brooks or Josh Williams

Sunday, February 15, 4:39 AM

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) has been dealt some very unfortunate injury luck since entering the NFL. Brooks tore his ACL in November 2023 while still at Texas, causing him to fall to the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The injury cost him the first few weeks of his NFL career, but he debuted in Week 12 of the 2024 season with a very small workload. He ultimately played just three games that season before suffering another ACL tear, and he has been sidelined ever since. Brooks' recovery timetable suggests that he should be healthy for the 2026 season. It's fair for fantasy managers to have their doubts about Brooks, given that he has just 12 touches through two years, but we can't forget how productive he was at Texas. Additionally, he should benefit from a clear path to productivity in Carolina. Rico Dowdle is expected to depart in free agency and Trevor Etienne had an underwhelming season, resulting in a wide-open competition for the No. 2 running back role behind Chuba Hubbard. If healthy, Brooks could be the favorite for that role. He'd presumably be eased back into action, but he has top-40 running back appeal if he's healthy for Week 1.

Tuesday, November 11, 4:19 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Josh Williams has been suspended without pay for violating the NFL's Performance Enhancing Substance Policy, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Williams is eligible for reinstatement on December 16, which will come after Tampa Bay's Week 16 divisional matchup against the Carolina Panthers. Williams is an undrafted rookie out of LSU who has only appeared in three games this season, mostly as a special teamer. The 25-year-old has just eight offensive snaps in the three games, recording four carries for 11 yards in Tampa Bay's Week 8 blowout win over the Saints.