Who Should I Start? Tahj Brooks or Riley Nowakowski

START

Week 5 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
0.6 3.3 0.0 0.1 0.8 0.0

Tahj Brooks News

Tahj Brooks Remains Buried on the Bengals Running Back Depth Chart

Friday, September 18, 5:57 AM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Tahj Brooks was hardly utilized in his team's Week 1 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, logging just two snaps on offense and failing to record a touch. A sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Brooks recorded just 54 scrimmage yards on 17 touches across 16 games as a rookie. Fast forward to 2026, and Brooks remains buried on the Bengals running back depth chart behind star back Chase Brown and trusted veteran Samaje Perine. While Brooks may be a more explosive rusher than the 31-year-old Perine, Perine is widely thought of as one of the league's best pass-protectors at the running back position and also recorded three catches for 30 yards in Week 1. Barring an injury or a change of scenery, Brooks should remain off the radar of fantasy managers heading into Cincinnati's Week 2 matchup against the Houston Texans.

BENCH

Week 5 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0

Riley Nowakowski News

Steelers Select Riley Nowakowski at No. 169 Overall

Saturday, April 25, 11:23 AM

The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected Indiana tight end prospect Riley Nowakowski with the 169th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Nowakowski caught 32 passes for 387 yards and two receiving touchdowns in the Hoosiers' national championship-winning offense last year. He also got involved as a fullback, scoring two rushing touchdowns. We could see him take on a similar hybrid fullback/tight end role in Pittsburgh, serving as the team's replacement for Connor Heyward, who signed with the Raiders this offseason. Assuming that's the case, Nowakowski doesn't have a clear path to fantasy relevance. He can be avoided in most fantasy football drafts.

Tahj Brooks vs. Riley Nowakowski

Still trying to decide between Brooks and Nowakowski? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Tahj Brooks is projected to score 0.6 points this week while Riley Nowakowski is projected to score 0.0 points.