Who Should I Start? Sione Vaki or LeQuint Allen Jr.

Sunday, August 17, 10:00 AM

Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki rushed for 30 yards on five carries in his 2025 preseason debut against the Miami Dolphins on Saturday. Vaki has been dealing with a lingering hamstring injury throughout training camp, but he returned to practice in full earlier this week. The second-year back is "showing good vision and wiggle," according to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. A fourth-round pick out of Utah in 2024, Vaki is competing with veteran Craig Reynolds for the RB3 job in Detroit behind Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Vaki is still new to the running back position after playing mostly as a safety in college, so his development could take longer than the average young player. With Gibbs and Montgomery ahead of him on the depth chart, Vaki is highly unlikely to be fantasy-relevant in 2025.

Saturday, August 30, 7:30 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie LeQuint Allen Jr. is the team's top pass-blocking running back and is "likely to play a critical role on third downs," John Oesher of Jaguars.com writes. The seventh-round pick from Syracuse totaled just two carries in the preseason, but he did finish the exhibition schedule tied for the team lead in catches (eight). That's not surprising, as the dual threat wrapped up his three-year run in college last season with a personal-best 64 receptions. If Allen's going to make an impact with the Jags this season, it seems likely he'll have to do it in the passing game as part of a crowded RB group. He's behind Travis Etienne Jr., Tank Bigsby, and rookie fourth-rounder Bhayshul Tuten on the depth chart, which means touches will be hard to come by in 2025.