Who Should I Start? Roschon Johnson or Jarquez Hunter

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.

Thursday, February 26, 11:30 AM

A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Rams running back Jarquez Hunter played an extremely minimal role in all phases as a rookie. The 23-year-old was active for just five games and did not record a single touch on offense. Hunter's path to playing time is blocked in Los Angeles, as the Rams have arguably the best running back combination in the NFL in Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. In 2025, Williams and Corum combined for over 2,300 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns. The pairing has also missed just one game combined over the past two seasons, and both are under contract through at least 2027. As a result, Hunter may need a change in scenery to work his way into a fantasy-relevant role. Even if one of Corum or Williams were to suffer a significant injury, the other is capable of taking on more of a workhorse role, which could still leave Hunter on the outside looking in for touches in Los Angeles. It's hard to say that Hunter can't eventually emerge as a productive NFL running back, as he's had no opportunity to prove himself either way. However, his fantasy value in dynasty formats is virtually non-existent heading into 2026.