Who Should I Start? Najee Harris or Trey Benson

Wednesday, September 24, 6:15 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Wednesday that they placed running back Najee Harris (Achilles) on Injured Reserve, according to Fernando Ramirez of the Sporting Tribune. Harris' season is over after he tore his Achilles in the Week 3 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday. It's a disappointing end to his first year with the Bolts after signing with them in free agency in the offseason. The 27-year-old will end his streak of four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons to begin his career. In his three games this year, Harris carried the ball 15 times for 61 yards and no touchdowns, adding three receptions for 25 yards through the air. The Chargers will be forced to lean more on rookie first-rounder Omarion Hampton as their lead back going forward, making him a must-start each week. Hassan Haskins will be elevated to the RB2 role, with Kimani Vidal the next man up at No. 2 in the backfield.

Wednesday, October 1, 2:19 PM

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) is expected to miss four-to-six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his meniscus, another setback for a backfield already reeling from the season-ending loss of James Conner (foot). Benson had been working into a steady role with 29 carries for 160 yards and 13 receptions for 64 yards through four games, but his absence now opens the door for Emari Demercado to take on feature-back responsibilities. Demercado should be added in all fantasy formats as he projects to see the bulk of opportunities in both the running and passing game, especially with Arizona lacking proven depth behind him. While Benson showed flashes of efficiency early, his return timetable places him on injured reserve and makes him droppable unless you have an IR spot available.