Who Should I Start? Raheem Blackshear or Phil Mafah

Tuesday, July 1, 9:30 PM

Carolina Panthers running back Raheem Blackshear will "almost exclusively be a special teams player" in 2025 if the team elects to keep a fourth RB around beyond training camp, writes The Charlotte Observer's Alex Zietlow. The Panthers only kept three RBs a year ago. Even with rookie Jonathon Brooks (knee) out for most of last season, Blackshear didn't have a single rushing attempt until Week 16. The 27-year-old will primarily be competing with David Moore, Jimmy Horn Jr. and Hunter Renfrow for a spot on the team's 53-man roster as a return option. The former undrafted free agent in 2022 has had 68 touches for 341 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on offense for the Panthers in the last three years while adding 66 kickoff returns for 1,734 yards and 23 punt returns for 200 yards. He's off the fantasy radar in the vast majority of leagues.

Saturday, August 9, 11:43 AM

Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Phil Mafah indicated Friday that he played through a torn labrum in his shoulder during his final college season at Clemson, Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News reports. Mafah has been looking good in camp thus far and mentioned that he is feeling healthy, then proceeded to discuss his 2024 injury. During the 2024 season, he rushed for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns on 216 carries. He also caught 21 passes for 103 yards and played all 14 games, starting every one, and was voted a permanent team captain by his teammates. Those are still solid numbers considering he was dealing with a shoulder injury. Nonetheless, it could be why he fell to the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft in the spring. A big performance from Mafah on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams could create a running back battle in the Cowboys' backfield between the two veterans (Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders) and the two rookies (Jaydon Blue and Mafah) ahead of Week 1. At this point, from a fantasy standpoint, Mafah remains a dynasty stash at best.