Who Should I Start? Nick Chubb or Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Saturday, September 6, 11:38 AM

The Houston Texans' backfield is in flux, with Nick Chubb and Dameon Pierce taking "all the reps" with the first-team offense in practice. They're filling in for starter Joe Mixon, who remains on the NFI list without a clear timetable for return. Chubb looks like the early favorite for lead-back duties, as he handled every touch alongside C.J. Stroud and the starters in Houston's second preseason game against Carolina. Still, Pierce is expected to carve out a meaningful role as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. The situation is a setback for rookie Woody Marks, currently buried as the RB4 on the depth chart. Until Mixon's status clears up, it's tough to trust any Texans running back in fantasy lineups. However, the Week 1 matchup against the Rams will give managers the first real look at how Houston intends to split carries and could quickly shift fantasy value in this backfield.

Saturday, September 6, 1:11 AM

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. is a promising fantasy option for his Week 1 matchup against the Washington Commanders. Coming off a solid rookie season in which he averaged 13.48 fantasy points per game, Tracy is ranked as the 22nd-best fantasy running back for the opening week. The matchup is favorable, as the Commanders' defense ranked 24th against fantasy running backs in 2024, giving up an average of 22.72 points per game. Tracy's high-volume workload, coupled with his role in the passing game, should provide a strong floor for fantasy managers. Given the porous Commanders' run defense, Tracy is a strong RB2 or FLEX play with a high ceiling.