Who Should I Start? Kyle Juszczyk 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

Kyle Juszczyk News

Kyle Juszczyk Suffers Rib Fracture

Monday, December 1, 9:34 PM

San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (rib) was forced to exit during the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns. After further evaluation, Juszczyk was diagnosed with a rib fracture. Luckily for San Francisco, Juszczyk will get a week off to rest with the team on a bye in Week 14. Following that, the 49ers will re-evaluate the 34-year-old ahead of their Week 15 matchup versus the Tennessee Titans. There's a chance that Juszczyk won't miss any time, which would be good news for San Fran's offense. As mostly a blocking asset, Juszczyk is not fantasy relevant.

START

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.

Kyle Juszczyk vs. Brashard Smith

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