Who Should I Start? Jonathon Brooks or Phil Mafah


Week 4 Projections

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Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
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0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Jonathon Brooks News

Jonathon Brooks Could Miss Eight Weeks After Undergoing Core Muscle Surge

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
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Phil Mafah News

Phil Mafah Tries Out for Packers Amid Backfield Uncertainty

Tuesday, September 8, 4:47 PM

Free agent running back Phil Mafah tried out for the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday, per Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com. A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, Mafah played in just one game as a rookie and was waived by the Cowboys in late August. While it's not yet clear if he will find his next NFL home in Green Bay, the Packers enter 2026 with significant questions in their backfield. Star Packers back Josh Jacobs is currently on the NFL's Commissioner's Exempt List due to an offseason arrest, and it's unclear when or if he will be cleared to play. As a result, the team's running back room currently consists of the unproven trio of MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, and Kaleb Johnson. The team is reportedly planning to take a committee approach to the backfield early in the year, and the fact that the Packers hosted Mafah on Tuesday could indicate that they do not have great confidence in any of their current options.


Jonathon Brooks vs. Phil Mafah

Still trying to decide between Brooks and Mafah? 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 Phil Mafah is projected to score 0.0 points.