Who Should I Start? Kenny McIntosh or Phil Mafah

Saturday, July 26, 8:46 PM

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Seattle Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (knee) is believed to have sustained a torn ACL. He suffered the injury during practice on Saturday, requiring assistance off the field. The 25-year-old finished the 2024 campaign with only 172 yards off 31 carries. He is competing for the No. 3 spot behind Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet while potentially serving as a return man on special teams. However, with McIntosh's season likely over, rookie Damien Martinez could replace him on the depth chart, although that won't help him be relevant for fantasy managers, at least as long as Walker and Charbonnet are healthy. McIntosh will undergo further testing, with an official diagnosis expected soon.

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.