Who Should I Start? Tony Pollard or Ashton Jeanty

Saturday, September 6, 9:09 AM

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard opens the 2025 season with a difficult Week 1 matchup against the Denver Broncos. Pollard averaged 67.4 rushing yards per game last season, and he's facing a Broncos defense that allowed the fifth-fewest rushing yards and fourth-fewest rushing touchdowns to opposing running backs last year. While Denver did show some susceptibility against pass-catching backs, Pollard will likely need to touch the ball around 20 times (or score a touchdown) to make him a meaningful fantasy starter. Managers should treat him as an RB3/FLEX option heading into this weekend.

Monday, September 8, 3:52 AM

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty's NFL career started with a victory, though his efforts had little to do with the outcome. The Boise State product had 38 rushing yards on 19 carries and two receiving yards on two catches in the Raiders' 20-13 win over the Patriots in their 2025 season opener. Despite the disappointing stat line, fantasy managers should be encouraged by Jeanty's usage. The highly-touted rookie dominated the backfield opportunities, not only taking the lion's share of rushing attempts but finishing with an 86% snap share. Fantasy managers who took a chance on the sixth-overall pick from the NFL Draft might have to wait a bit longer before their investment pays off. Jeanty has a challenging matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2.