Who Should I Start? Samaje Perine or D'Ernest Johnson

Wednesday, November 12, 12:30 AM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine (ankle) had the Week 10 bye to rest the high-ankle sprain suffered in the team's Week 9 loss to the Chicago Bears. Head coach Zac Taylor said that Perine would be out a couple of weeks, which puts his status in doubt for Week 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 30-year-old had been solid in the primary backup role behind Chase Brown, handling 32 carries for 198 yards and a touchdown to go with seven catches on nine targets for 30 yards as a receiver. While it's a small sample size, his 6.2 yards per carry is easily the best of his career and leads all running backs with at least 30 carries this season. Perine is a trusted veteran for his strength in pass protection, and if he's unable to go in Week 11, rookie Tahj Brooks will be expected to fill in as the No.2 behind Brown.

Saturday, August 23, 3:25 PM

Baltimore Ravens running back D'Ernest Johnson posted a solid stat-line in the 30-3 preseason victory over the Washington Commanders, carrying the ball 17 times for 45 yards and scoring one touchdown, adding three receptions for 18 yards. Johnson's significant workload came while Baltimore primarily utilized their third and fourth-stringers most of the game. Despite this notable preseason performance, Johnson is not currently featured on the Ravens' official depth chart and is actively competing with Rasheen Ali to be the team's fourth running back. Given his current status, this game is unlikely to have a significant impact on Johnson's fantasy value as he remains off the radar for nearly all redraft leagues.