Who Should I Start? Miles Sanders or Cam Akers

Tuesday, June 4, 3:38 PM

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (heel) did not practice on Tuesday due to a heel injury. The 27-year-old had a flare-up and is being held out as a precaution, according to head coach Dave Canales. While he's expected to be fine, missing practice time is not ideal after the team selected Jonathon Brooks (knee) in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Sanders is coming off his worst season as a pro. He accounted for just 432 rushing yards and one touchdown while averaging an abysmal 3.3 yards per carry. Chuba Hubbard outperformed him last year, and Brooks is likely to be heavily involved in the Carolina rushing attack when he's fully healthy. It would be a surprise if Sanders becomes anything close to a weekly contributor to fantasy squads this season.

Sunday, July 21, 7:38 PM

Free-agent running back Cam Akers (Achilles) agreed to a deal with the Texans. Houston hosted him for a workout on Sunday. Apparently, things went well, so he'll join a team that already has Joe Mixon, Dameon Pierce, and Dare Ogunbowale on the roster. Akers spent four seasons with the Rams before suiting up for the Vikings in 2023. He appeared in six contests for Minnesota, rushing for 138 yards and a touchdown off 38 carries, adding 11 receptions for 70 yards. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old is coming off his second Achilles tear. At any rate, Akers' anticipated volume should help keep him on the field, assuming he remains with the team come Week 1. However, his reduced workload won't earn him a spot on most fantasy rosters.