Who Should I Start? Roschon Johnson or Brashard Smith

Saturday, November 22, 12:51 AM

Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson (thumb) missed two consecutive practices and has been ruled out for Sunday's Week 12 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Johnson was added to the injury report on Thursday and hasn't been able to get on the field since. The extent of his injury is unknown, but it won't have major ramifications in fantasy football anyway. He has just two carries for 17 yards through seven games this season, remaining buried in a depth role behind veteran D'Andre Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai. Travis Homer (hamstring, knee) has also been ruled out for this week, meaning Chicago may have to activate Brittain Brown from the practice squad to fill the No. 3 running back role.

Monday, February 16, 5:28 PM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith could have the opportunity to take on an expanded role during the 2026 season. Smith was buried in a depth role for most of his rookie season in 2025, especially with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt leading the backfield. However, the Chiefs' running back dynamic could change in 2026. Both Pacheco and Hunt are free agents this offseason, and it's unclear whether either of them will re-sign. If only one or neither of them returns next season, Smith will have a path to a larger workload. He had a modest 323 scrimmage yards and one touchdown this past year, so he certainly hasn't proven himself ready for a lead-back role. However, he could share the backfield with someone like Pacheco or another mid-range, experienced back. Either way, Smith is absolutely trending upward ahead of the 2026 season. He's an intriguing buy in dynasty leagues, especially if his current fantasy manager has already grown impatient.