Who Should I Start? Kalel Mullings or Phil Mafah

Sunday, November 23, 11:56 AM

Tennessee Titans rookie running back Kalel Mullings (ankle) was activated from Injured Reserve on Saturday and is officially active on Sunday against the visiting Seattle Seahawks in Week 12. Mullings, who was selected in the sixth round in April out of Michigan, will be playing for the first time since injuring his ankle back on Sept. 21 in the loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The 23-year-old wideout will most likely be limited to a special teams role in his return this weekend while also serving as backfield depth behind Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. He is not a realistic starting option in any fantasy football leagues and probably won't be for the rest of his first year in the NFL. Mullings has only played in two games in 2025 and has not seen a carry or caught a pass on offense for the Titans.

Monday, January 5, 11:00 AM

Dallas Cowboys running back Phil Mafah got his first taste of NFL action in Week 18 against the New York Giants and finished the game with 29 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on seven touches. A seventh-round pick out of Clemson in the 2025 NFL draft, Mafah spent most of his rookie season on Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury. He got his chance to make an impression in Week 18 due to injuries to Cowboys running backs Javonte Williams (shoulder, neck) and Malik Davis (calf, eye). Heading into 2026, the Cowboys' running back room is in flux. Williams was the team's clear RB1 throughout the 2025 season, but he will hit free agency and is uncertain to be retained. Davis is also a free agent, though Dallas holds his restricted free agent rights. Depending on how the Cowboys choose to address the running back position this offseason, Mafah could find himself battling with 2025 fifth-rounder Jaydon Blue for a role in the Dallas backfield.