Who Should I Start? Ray Davis or Tahj Brooks

Thursday, February 19, 1:50 PM

Buffalo Bills second-year running back Ray Davis saw his workload reduced drastically from year one to two, as the team finally gave James Cook the workhorse duties fantasy managers have been clamoring for for years. Cook saw the highest snap count of his career and obliterated his previous-high usage total, seeing a total of 348 opportunities on the way to his first career rushing title. Meanwhile, Davis saw his opportunities drop from 131 as a rookie to only 71 in year two. With Buffalo's offense still among the highest scoring in the league, Davis' value purely as a handcuff is enough to keep him rostered in deeper dynasty leagues. However, with Ty Johnson still working ahead of him in the passing game, he is by no means a must-hold for managers facing a roster crunch.

Friday, February 20, 7:31 AM

A sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Cincinnati Bengals running back Tahj Brooks played a minimal role on offense in his first professional season. Across 16 games, the 23-year-old recorded just 54 yards from scrimmage on 17 total touches. Bengals running back Chase Brown has logged nearly 600 touches over the past two seasons combined and is locked in as the RB1 in Cincinnati for at least 2026, blocking Brooks off from significant playing time. The Bengals also have steady veteran back Samaje Perine under contract for the 2026 season. Perine recorded 469 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns across 15 games with Cincinnati in 2025, and his reputation as a solid pass blocker and receiver should keep him secure in the team's third-down role. Post 2026, Brooks could have a pathway to more playing time in Cincinnati. However, it appears unlikely that he will have a chance to prove himself in the short term, barring an injury to Brown or Perine. Brooks' value in dynasty formats should be trending downward after his quiet rookie campaign.