Who Should I Start? Terrell Jennings or Phil Mafah

Saturday, December 13, 11:07 AM

New England Patriots running back Terrell Jennings (concussion) has been placed on injured reserve and will miss the final four games of the regular season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport adds that the Patriots expect Jennings to return for the team's playoff run. Jennings impressed while sharing touches with TreVeyon Henderson for a small stretch of games earlier this season, but he fell back to the No. 3 spot on the depth chart when Rhamondre Stevenson returned to action in Week 13. The 24-year-old has been a solid depth option within this backfield, amassing 73 rushing yards, nine receiving yards, and one touchdown through seven games. New England lacks reliable backfield depth behind Henderson and Stevenson now that Jennings, Antonio Gibson (knee), Deneric Prince (undisclosed), and Craig Reynolds (undisclosed) are all sidelined for extended periods of time. The Patriots will likely elevate D'Ernest Johnson from the practice squad to replace Jennings for Week 15.

Monday, January 5, 11:00 AM

Dallas Cowboys running back Phil Mafah got his first taste of NFL action in Week 18 against the New York Giants and finished the game with 29 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on seven touches. A seventh-round pick out of Clemson in the 2025 NFL draft, Mafah spent most of his rookie season on Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury. He got his chance to make an impression in Week 18 due to injuries to Cowboys running backs Javonte Williams (shoulder, neck) and Malik Davis (calf, eye). Heading into 2026, the Cowboys' running back room is in flux. Williams was the team's clear RB1 throughout the 2025 season, but he will hit free agency and is uncertain to be retained. Davis is also a free agent, though Dallas holds his restricted free agent rights. Depending on how the Cowboys choose to address the running back position this offseason, Mafah could find himself battling with 2025 fifth-rounder Jaydon Blue for a role in the Dallas backfield.