Who Should I Start? Tony Pollard or Roschon Johnson

Tuesday, July 23, 6:43 PM

Tennessee Titans running backs Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard appear poised to split reps in 2024. While discussing a potential starter at running back, new head coach Brian Callahan indicated that both players could be interchangeable and may even share the field simultaneously. It affirms what many of us suspected heading into training camp, which is that this backfield will likely be roughly a 50/50 split. Both players have similar skill sets and are electric to watch when they get hot. Their speed will be a necessity given that the Titans enter the season with the 30th-ranked offensive line, according to PFF. Both players will leech each other's fantasy value in 2024. If second-year quarterback Will Levis can take a solid step forward, the dump-off opportunities could be there for both players if the running lanes are clogged. Each player is drafted outside the top-24 running backs in fantasy drafts, which is in line with RotoBaller's running back rankings that have Pollard as the RB25 while Spears is RB30.

Tuesday, February 27, 4:26 PM

On the podium at the 2024 NFL Combine, Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said he "loves where Roschon Johnson is in his development." This was in response to a question about Johnson's potential prospects of being the team's lead back in 2024. The former Texas Longhorn rushed 81 times for 352 yards and two touchdowns and caught 34 passes for 209 yards in his rookie season after being selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. 25-year-old ball-carrier Khalil Herbert remains on the roster, while veteran D'Onta Foreman is a free agent. While Eberflus' comments are a good sign, it's far too early to project Johnson's potential workload. With a strong free agent and underrated rookie running back class available this offseason, the organization could easily add to its running back room.