Who Should I Start? Najee Harris or Jaydon Blue

Monday, February 23, 10:06 AM

Los Angeles Chargers impending free-agent running back Najee Harris (Achilles) is "looking outstanding" five months after having surgery for a torn Achilles tendon and is "running with ease" at 15 mph on an Alter-G treadmill, according to his agent, Doug Hendrickson. Harris' first season with the Chargers came to an end when he tore his Achilles in Week 3, allowing rookie Omarion Hampton to take over lead-back duties for most of the year. It ended Harris' streak of four straight seasons with 1,000 rushing yards to begin his career, as he finished with just 61 rushing yards and no touchdowns on 15 carries in three games in L.A. The soon-to-be 28-year-old will be back on the free-agent market this offseason, and although he appears to be healing nicely, he's unlikely to have a very robust market coming off a major injury.

Monday, February 16, 6:57 AM

A fourth-round pick out of the University of Texas in the 2025 NFL Draft, Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue earned some preseason buzz as a potential dark horse candidate to emerge as the Cowboys' RB1. However, the 22-year-old was a non-factor for Dallas in 2025, spending most of the year on the inactive list as a healthy scratch. Across five games played, Blue recorded 129 rushing yards and a touchdown on 38 touches. Nearly half of his rushing production came in Week 18, when the competitive portion of the Cowboys' season had already concluded. Entering 2026, Cowboys RB1 Javonte Williams is set to hit unrestricted free agency. As such, there is once again a potential playing time opportunity open to Blue in the Dallas backfield, as the only other running back currently under contract with the Cowboys for 2026 is the similarly unproven Phil Mafah. However, it seems likely that Dallas will bring in another backfield option or two in either free agency or the draft. Based on Blue's disappointing rookie year, it's difficult for fantasy managers in dynasty formats to have much trust in his potential for future production.