Who Should I Start? Travis Etienne Jr. or Jonathon Brooks
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13.2 | 60.3 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 18.7 | 0.1 |
Travis Etienne Jr. News
Thursday, July 23, 11:20 AM
New Orleans Saints running back Travis Etienne Jr. is built for a contender, even if his first season back in Louisiana comes with a messy workload. Etienne played all 17 games in 2025 and rushed 260 times for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns. He also caught 36 passes for 292 yards and six more scores, giving him 1,399 scrimmage yards and a career-high 13 total touchdowns. New Orleans paid him four years, $52 million, so he was not signed to wait. The Saints also reworked Alvin Kamara's contract in July, ensuring the veteran remains for 2026, and Kellen Moore has said both backs can contribute in all three phases. That makes a clean lead role unlikely. It does not erase Etienne's immediate value. At 27, he has three 1,000-yard rushing seasons in four healthy campaigns, and RotoBaller ranks him 57th overall in dynasty. Rebuilders should be willing to turn last year's rebound into younger value. Contenders can live with some frustrating weeks because Etienne's rushing volume, receiving skill, and scoring upside still give him a path to regular fantasy starts.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.2 | 33.7 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 9.7 | 0.1 |
Jonathon Brooks News
Tuesday, August 4, 8:38 AM
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that running back Jonathon Brooks will not play in Canton, Ohio, in Thursday's Hall of Fame preseason game versus the Arizona Cardinals, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. The Panthers aren't planning on playing their starters to open the preseason slate, and it makes all the sense in the world not to put Brooks in harm's way when considering his history of knee injuries. The 23-year-old former second-rounder in 2024 from the University of Texas has played in only three games for the Panthers due to two torn ACLs. The Texas native is fully healthy this summer, though, and heads into his third NFL campaign as the favorite for change-of-pace duties behind Chuba Hubbard in Carolina. Hubbard will most likely continue to serve as the team's RB1, but Brooks has been impressive so far in camp and could cut into his overall touches, making him an intriguing late-round flier at the position, especially if you have Hubbard rostered. RotoBaller has Brooks ranked as the No. 40 fantasy RB for 2026.
Travis Etienne Jr. vs. Jonathon Brooks
Still trying to decide between Etienne Jr. and Brooks? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Travis Etienne Jr. is projected to score 13.2 points this week while Jonathon Brooks is projected to score 7.2 points.
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