Who Should I Start? Samaje Perine or Kyle Monangai
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | 21.5 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 4.7 | 0.0 |
Samaje Perine News
Saturday, February 21, 10:39 AM
Across 15 games in 2025, Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine recorded 469 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on 101 touches. The veteran back has established himself as a quality pass-blocker and capable RB2 over the course of his nine-year NFL career. That's the role Perine played alongside Bengals RB1 Chase Brown in 2025, and with both backs under contract for 2026, Cincinnati appears likely to run it back next season. Without an injury to Brown, Perine carries limited fantasy upside. Even if Brown were to miss time, it's possible the Bengals would look to bring in a more dynamic rusher and keep Perine in a secondary role. While Perine has recorded at least 400 scrimmage yards in five straight seasons, he hasn't topped the 700-yard mark since his rookie year in 2017 and has logged just 19 touchdowns in 125 career NFL games. Perine's fantasy ceiling is uninspiring as he hits the late stages of his career.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.3 | 35.5 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 5.9 | 0.0 |
Kyle Monangai News
Friday, February 6, 10:20 AM
A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai entered his rookie season without much fanfare. However, the 23-year-old impressed in his first campaign, recording 947 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on 187 touches across 17 games. Monangai showcased impressive efficiency as a rusher, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. As the season progressed, Monangai was able to steal more and more work away from established Bears RB1 D'Andre Swift. Including the postseason, Monangai recorded at least 11 touches in eight out of his final 10 games. From Week 11 through the end of the regular season, neither Monangai nor Swift played more than 59% or fewer than 41% of Chicago's offensive snaps in any contest. In 2026, Swift will be playing on the final season of his current contract. While the two backs project to share backfield work in the short term, Monangai may have done enough as a rookie for the team to feel confident in him as its long-term answer at running back. Monangai's fantasy value in dynasty formats should be on the rise after his encouraging 2025 season.
Samaje Perine vs. Kyle Monangai
Still trying to decide between Perine and Monangai? 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 5.1 points this week while Kyle Monangai is projected to score 7.3 points.
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