Who Should I Start? Phil Mafah or LeQuint Allen Jr.

Sunday, August 31, 4:05 PM

Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Phil Mafah (shoulder) has been placed on injured reserve, sidelining him for at least the first four games of the regular season with a shoulder injury suffered in the preseason finale. The seventh-round pick out of Clemson showed flashes in the preseason with 15 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown, good for a solid 3.9 yards per carry. Standing six-foot and weighing 234 pounds, Mafah's big-bodied, between-the-tackles style was impressive in his final college season, rushing for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns. His placement on IR is a setback, but with the Cowboys' current running back situation, a potential revolving door of Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, and Jaydon Blue, Mafah remains a potential contributor later in the season. He is worth a roster spot in deeper dynasty leagues. Still, his fantasy value will stay uncertain until he returns to full health and the backfield situation becomes clearer throughout the season.

Friday, September 12, 9:17 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back LeQuint Allen Jr. enters Week 2 as the team's RB3 on the updated depth chart. In the season-opening win over the Carolina Panthers, Allen logged one carry for seven yards and added one reception for four yards, while Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby dominated the backfield with 83% of the snaps and 21 of the team's 25 rushing attempts. With Bigsby now traded to Philadelphia, the door is open for Allen and fellow rookie Bhayshul Tuten to carve out roles behind Etienne. While Tuten came in with more hype as a prospect, Allen's receiving skills could earn him passing-down work. He'll draw a favorable matchup in Week 2 against the Bengals, who just allowed Browns running back Dylan Sampson to lead his team in receptions. Allen remains unstartable in fantasy for now, but his skill set makes him a name worth monitoring as the Jaguars' backfield evolves.