Who Should I Start? Samaje Perine or Hunter Luepke

Monday, November 3, 3:21 PM

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that running back Samaje Perine (ankle) will "be out a couple weeks" with a high-ankle sprain that he suffered in the Week 9 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, per Jay Morrison of SI.com. The good news is that the Bengals are on bye in Week 10, but the 30-year-old veteran still might not be ready to go when the team plays the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11 on Sunday, Nov. 16. Before getting injured on Sunday, Perine had just one rushing attempt for five yards after seeing a combined 16 carries the previous two weeks. Chase Brown remains the Bengals' No. 1 running back, but Perine was starting to take on an increased role as the No. 2 before his high-ankle sprain. If Perine is unable to return coming out of the bye week, look for rookie Tahj Brooks to be elevated into the RB2 role.

Wednesday, September 3, 9:47 AM

The Dallas Cowboys and fullback Hunter Luepke have agreed to a two-year contract extension worth up to $7.5 million, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo. The deal makes Luepke the second-highest paid fullback in the NFL, joining San Francisco's Kyle Juszczyk, behind Miami Dolphins' Alec Ingold. The third-year pro out of North Dakota State is coming off the best season of his career in 2024, when he tallied 149 yards and a touchdown on 24 touches. Beyond his production, Luepke proved his value as a versatile contributor, excelling as a runner, receiver, and blocker in the Cowboys' offense. With the extension secured, Luepke is expected to remain Dallas's starting fullback as the team prepares for a critical Week 1 divisional matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.