Who Should I Start? Kareem Hunt or Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Saturday, December 6, 4:57 AM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt should once again lead the backfield as the Chiefs face the Houston Texans on Sunday night. Hunt led the way with 14 carries for 58 yards and one catch for 22 yards in the 28-31 loss to Dallas on Thanksgiving. Last week's contest was Isiah Pacheco's first game back from injury, so his workload was light, but Hunt should continue getting the majority of work even with Pacheco healthy. The Chiefs have leaned on Hunt as their most trusted runner, and he will need to prove worthy of the role if Kansas City wants to beat the tough Houston defense. The Texans defense has allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs this season, making them one of the toughest matchups at the position. Hunt is ranked RB21 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a viable RB2 option this week.

Wednesday, December 3, 10:50 AM

Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has taken over the RB1 duties in Washington. Despite the preseason hype that surrounded seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rodriguez has been the RB1 as of late, totaling 201 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his last four games. Rodriguez played 44% of the snaps in their past two games, with receiving back Jeremy McNichols playing 35%, while Croskey-Merritt played just 20%. With the return of Jayden Daniels imminent, the Commanders' offense could be explosive down the stretch, which means good things are coming for the third-year back from Kentucky. In 2024, Daniels led the Commanders to the fifth-ranked scoring offense and an NFC Championship appearance. If Daniels returns, Rodriguez should have more scoring opportunities and can make an impact in the fantasy playoffs.