Who Should I Start? Tahj Brooks or Kyle Monangai

Friday, August 8, 10:53 AM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Tahj Brooks ran for 26 yards off 10 attempts in Thursday's preseason loss to the Eagles. He added one catch (two targets) for three yards. Chase Brown began the contest with the rest of the starters. While Brooks handled the bulk of the touches, he only averaged 2.6 yards per carry. Despite the subpar showing on Thursday night, the 2025 No. 193 overall pick has looked good throughout training camp and appears to have earned the trust of the coaching staff. However, with Brown expected to get the majority of the snaps out of the backfield in 2025, there could be little room for Brooks to remain consistently involved, even if the rookie manages to secure the No. 2 spot on the depth chart over Samaje Perine. With the Bengals dropping their first game of the preseason, the team will look to get on track versus the Commanders on August 18.

Tuesday, August 12, 12:14 AM

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai is emerging as the workhorse that the Bears envisioned when they selected him in the seventh round of this year's draft. He had a strong debut in Sunday's preseason game against the Dolphins, rushing for 30 yards on six carries while working mostly in the first half. The Rutgers product showcased his tough, downhill running style, potentially mirroring the roles David Montgomery and Jamaal Williams filled as the hammer back in Ben Johnson's Lions offenses. Monangai logged 669 carries without a fumble at Rutgers, accumulating 3,221 rushing yards over four seasons, the second most in school history. Quarterback Caleb Williams and the coaching staff have consistently praised the rookie, and he is expected to be in the mix for touches alongside D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson in the Bears' backfield. He is a solid, cheap bet to make at the end of drafts in an ambiguous backfield.