Who Should I Start? Samaje Perine or Brashard Smith
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3 | 21.5 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 7.8 | 0.0 |
Samaje Perine News
Sunday, August 9, 10:44 AM
Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine still has a clear job in this backfield, but most of his fantasy appeal starts with Chase Brown. Perine played 15 games last season and ran 84 times for 382 yards and three touchdowns, adding 17 catches for 87 yards. He flashed when Cincinnati gave him a little more room, ripping off 94 yards and a score on only nine carries against the Jets. The Bengals haven't forgotten that. Their own offseason preview has Perine set to lead the group behind Brown again in 2026. Brown, however, played all 17 games last year and topped 1,000 rushing yards, and Cincinnati expects him to remain the lead back. Perine was on the field for just over 31% of the offensive snaps in 2025. RotoBaller ranks him 196th overall and RB58. There is still a place for the 240-pound veteran on a fantasy bench, especially for Brown managers, but weekly value will be hard to find unless his workload grows.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4 | 5.1 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 6.2 | 0.0 |
Brashard Smith News
Sunday, August 16, 6:02 AM
Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith drew the start in Saturday's preseason opener against the Rams, but in his battle to earn the primary backup role behind Kenneth Walker III, the points in his favor end right about there. Smith carried the ball eight times for 21 yards and brought in both of his targets for an additional 12 yards, but he was outshined by rookie Emmett Johnson, who looked explosive in gaining 59 yards on his 12 carries. Johnson also added three catches for ten yards and ran in a four-yard touchdown that was nullified by a holding penalty. As a rookie in 2025, Smith was unable to carve out a meaningful role in a backfield led by Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco, finishing the year with 323 yards and one touchdown on 79 total opportunities. With a significantly higher talent level in the room for 2026, he could struggle to find regular work and is not likely to make any fantasy impact without a notable injury ahead of him.
Samaje Perine vs. Brashard Smith
Still trying to decide between Perine and Smith? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Samaje Perine is projected to score 5.3 points this week while Brashard Smith is projected to score 2.4 points.
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