Who Should I Start? Tony Pollard or Kaleb Johnson

Thursday, July 10, 1:06 PM

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan is hoping for a more balanced approach to the running game in 2025 between running backs Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, writes ESPN's Turron Davenport. Pollard had a career-high 260 carries -- more than twice as many as Spears -- and gained 1,079 yards on the ground in 2024. "In a perfect world, it's a healthier division of labor [between Pollard and Spears]," Callahan said. Spears was expected to contribute much more alongside Pollard last year, but he missed five games due to a concussion, ankle sprain and hamstring injury. Some of the Titans' distribution in the backfield in 2025 will include either Julius Chestnut or rookie Kalel Mullings. Pollard has never been more efficient than when he shared the load with Ezekiel Elliott in Dallas, but an inevitable drop in workload this year means fantasy managers need to target him as an RB2 and not as an RB1.

Tuesday, July 15, 6:48 PM

The Athletic's Mike DeFabo writes that rookie third-round running back Kaleb Johnson is an ideal scheme fit for Pittsburgh Steelers coordinator Arthur Smith's offense after Iowa alum excelled on wide-zone runs with the Hawkeyes. Although the Steelers weren't very efficient, only three teams ran the football more in 2024. The 21-year-old Johnson has plenty of competition in Pittsburgh's backfield in his rookie campaign with Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell in the fold, but he profiles as the team's back of the future and should get more chances out of the backfield as the season plays out. Johnson has a physical, bruising style and is also patient, which is reminiscent of former RB Najee Harris, but he should produce more big plays after racking up 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns on 240 carries in his final season at Iowa. He'll be more attractive in standard-scoring fantasy formats as an RB3/flex candidate.