Who Should I Start? Samaje Perine or Roschon Johnson

Saturday, December 16, 10:54 AM

Denver Broncos running back Samaje Perine (knee) was on the Week 15 injury report but has since been cleared and will play on Saturday evening against the Detroit Lions. Outside of maybe the deepest PPR setups, Perine is probably worth avoiding, especially against a Lions team that has allowed only 48 receptions on the year and zero receiving touchdowns to RBs. But although Perine was passed by rookie Jaleel McLaughlin around the midpoint of the season for the RB2 role in Denver, he has made a comeback and is once again the Broncos' preferred back on passing downs, catching all 15 of his targets for 112 yards (7.47 yards per reception) in the last four games. He's also added 11 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown. If the Broncos find themselves trailing big early, Perine could be more involved in the passing attack.

Tuesday, February 27, 4:26 PM

On the podium at the 2024 NFL Combine, Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said he "loves where Roschon Johnson is in his development." This was in response to a question about Johnson's potential prospects of being the team's lead back in 2024. The former Texas Longhorn rushed 81 times for 352 yards and two touchdowns and caught 34 passes for 209 yards in his rookie season after being selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. 25-year-old ball-carrier Khalil Herbert remains on the roster, while veteran D'Onta Foreman is a free agent. While Eberflus' comments are a good sign, it's far too early to project Johnson's potential workload. With a strong free agent and underrated rookie running back class available this offseason, the organization could easily add to its running back room.