Who Should I Start? Riley Nowakowski or Demond Claiborne
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Riley Nowakowski News
Saturday, April 25, 11:23 AM
The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected Indiana tight end prospect Riley Nowakowski with the 169th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Nowakowski caught 32 passes for 387 yards and two receiving touchdowns in the Hoosiers' national championship-winning offense last year. He also got involved as a fullback, scoring two rushing touchdowns. We could see him take on a similar hybrid fullback/tight end role in Pittsburgh, serving as the team's replacement for Connor Heyward, who signed with the Raiders this offseason. Assuming that's the case, Nowakowski doesn't have a clear path to fantasy relevance. He can be avoided in most fantasy football drafts.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Demond Claiborne News
Wednesday, June 3, 5:23 AM
Minnesota Vikings running back Demond Claiborne was a 6th-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, a historically difficult spot from which to find fantasy success. On the rare occasions when a back with such late draft capital has made a meaningful fantasy impact, the setting is often a backfield without a clear leader. With neither Aaron Jones nor Jordan Mason handling more than 39% of the team's carries or reaching 760 yards on the ground in 2025, the landing spot in Minnesota certainly qualifies as such. Claiborne is only 5'10" and 195 pounds, so he is unlikely to ever find an every-down role in the NFL, but he offers an element of speed unique to the Vikings' running back room. If he can beat out 2023 undrafted free agent Xavier Scott, he could carve out a role in a three-man rotation in an offense projected to get back on track after the worst showing of the Kevin O'Connell era. At RotoBaller's rookie WR8, Claiborne is at least worth a dart throw in the closing rounds of 2026 rookie drafts.
Riley Nowakowski vs. Demond Claiborne
Still trying to decide between Nowakowski and Claiborne? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Riley Nowakowski is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Demond Claiborne is projected to score 0.0 points.
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