Who Should I Start? Tank Bigsby or Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Wednesday, February 18, 6:50 AM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Tank Bigsby's short-term value might have dwindled upon his midseason trade from Jacksonville to Philadelphia, but he solidified himself as a top-tier handcuff with the potential for long-term upside. Bigsby spent most of 2025 in a special teams role, as touches were limited behind Saquon Barkley. However, he did have some opportunities to produce out of the backfield, especially when the Eagles jumped out to an early lead and rested some starters. In Week 8 against the Giants, he exploded for 104 yards on nine carries. He added another 209 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns over the final four games of the season. Bigsby has established himself as one of the most appealing handcuffs in fantasy football, as he'd become a potential top-12 fantasy running back if Barkley were to get hurt. Plus, the Eagles have a potential out in Barkley's contract next offseason, so if the front office believes this is his final year in Philadelphia, we could see the coaching staff give Bigsby more touches in preparation for a prominent role in 2027. These are all hypotheticals at this point, but at the very least, Bigsby is an intriguing handcuff option with top-12 upside. He's absolutely worth buying in dynasty leagues this offseason, especially for managers who have Barkley on their roster already.

Friday, January 2, 10:50 AM

Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has been a productive player across 12 games this season, recording 435 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 96 carries. However, the 25-year-old has been in-and-out of his team's lineup in recent weeks, missing Week 15 with a groin injury and Week 17 with an illness. In his absence, Rodriguez Jr. may have had his role in the Washington backfield usurped by rookie back Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Over the last three weeks, Croskey-Merritt has racked up 224 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 37 carries. Rodriguez Jr. is expected to return for Washington's Week 18 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, and he'll likely still see some touches. However, the Commanders may opt to split touches between Rodriguez Jr. and Croskey-Merritt evenly, or ride the hot hand with the rookie.