Who Should I Start? Miles Sanders or Trayveon Williams

Thursday, February 20, 10:48 AM

Running back Miles Sanders signed a four-year, $25.4 million deal with the Carolina Panthers before the 2023 season, but his biggest supporters, head coach Frank Reich and assistant coach Duce Staley, were fired 11 games into that season. Sanders then took on a backup role behind Chuba Hubbard. The Athletic's Joseph Person writes that the Panthers will create $5.23 million in salary cap space this year by cutting Sanders. Jonathon Brooks is expected to miss the entire 2025 season after a second ACL surgery, but Carolina should be able to find cheaper RB options than Sanders to serve in a backup role to Hubbard. The 27-year-old was a first-time Pro Bowler in his final season with the Eagles in 2022, but he was not the same back in Carolina, averaging only 3.5 yards per carry while racking up 637 rushing yards and only three touchdowns on 184 rushing attempts in 27 games (seven starts).

Thursday, August 22, 11:34 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Trayveon Williams led the way in the preseason loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He didn't do much in Cincinnati's first two exhibitions. However, the 26-year-old finished Thursday's contest by totaling a game-high 66 rushing yards off 11 carries, adding five catches for 11 yards. Williams, the No. 182 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, has spent his entire career with the Bengals. Yet, he's been limited to only 62 touches in 40 career games. With Williams behind Zack Moss and Chase Brown on the depth chart, his workload isn't expected to increase this season. As a result, managers won't look in his direction in most fantasy drafts, although there is streaming potential if Moss or Brown get hurt. The Bengals will begin the 2024-25 campaign with a Week 1 visit from the New England Patriots.