Who Should I Start? Rashaad Penny or Jonathan Taylor

Tuesday, July 30, 11:14 AM

The Carolina Panthers have placed running back Rashaad Penny on the reserve/retired list. Penny, who joined the Panthers this offseason, was set to reunite with head coach Dave Canales, the passing game coordinator during Penny's standout 2021 season with the Seattle Seahawks, and Brad Idzik, now the Panthers' offensive coordinator. Unfortunately, a series of injuries including multiple strains, a torn ACL, and a fibula fracture have hindered Penny's once-explosive performance. Despite rigorous rehab, he struggled to regain the speed that made him a dynamic force in college. Penny's 5.6 yards per carry would be the highest in NFL history if he had sustained it. He also recorded 2,248 rushing yards at San Diego State in 2017, ranking fifth for a single season in NCAA history. The former first-round pick had stints with the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles before signing with the Panthers in May. Penny retires with 1,931 career rushing yards, 13 touchdowns on 348 carries, and 28 receptions for 227 yards.

Sunday, January 5, 5:44 PM

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor ran the ball 34 times for 177 yards and touchdown during their victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Taylor's 34 rushing attempts set a new career-high. Taylor punched in his score on a six-yard run in the second frame. His longest carry of the game went for 17 yards. Taylor has enjoyed a fantastic end to the season. The Wisconsin product has tallied at least 100 rushing yards in each of his past four contests and tallied six total touchdowns over this span. This was a nice improvement as Taylor only eclipsed the century mark four times over his first ten games of the season. The 25-year-old should continued to be viewed as a high-end RB1 heading into the 2025 season as he currently stands alone as the clear No.1 option in the Indianapolis backfield.