Who Should I Start? Keaton Mitchell or Brashard Smith

BENCH

Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Keaton Mitchell News

Keaton Mitchell Still Worth Stashing in Dynasty Leagues?

Thursday, February 19, 1:12 PM

Twenty-four-year-old Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell has shown explosiveness almost every time he's been given an opportunity, but through the first three seasons of his career, those opportunities have been limited to 130 total touches. At only 5-foot-8 and under 200 pounds, durability has already been an early-career concern, but with a lifetime average of 6.3 yards per carry, he still has too much game-breaking talent to move on from. A restricted free agent heading into 2026, he'll likely return to a Ravens running back room with the soon-to-be 32-year-old Derrick Henry and a dedicated pass catcher in Justice Hill, who averaged fewer than two carries per game in 2025. Currently priced outside the top 60 running backs in dynasty startups, Mitchell remains a stash, with new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle coming from a Ben Johnson coaching tree that values explosives.

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Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
1.9 8.2 0.1 0.2 1.7 0.0

Brashard Smith News

Brashard Smith Has Path to a Larger Role

Monday, February 16, 5:28 PM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith could have the opportunity to take on an expanded role during the 2026 season. Smith was buried in a depth role for most of his rookie season in 2025, especially with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt leading the backfield. However, the Chiefs' running back dynamic could change in 2026. Both Pacheco and Hunt are free agents this offseason, and it's unclear whether either of them will re-sign. If only one or neither of them returns next season, Smith will have a path to a larger workload. He had a modest 323 scrimmage yards and one touchdown this past year, so he certainly hasn't proven himself ready for a lead-back role. However, he could share the backfield with someone like Pacheco or another mid-range, experienced back. Either way, Smith is absolutely trending upward ahead of the 2026 season. He's an intriguing buy in dynasty leagues, especially if his current fantasy manager has already grown impatient.

Keaton Mitchell vs. Brashard Smith

Still trying to decide between Mitchell and Smith? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Keaton Mitchell is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Brashard Smith is projected to score 1.9 points.