Who Should I Start? Ty Johnson or Isiah Pacheco


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
4.9 13.2 0.1 1.2 11.9 0.1

Ty Johnson News

Ty Johnson More Watchlist Name Than Redraft Sleeper

Saturday, July 11, 5:09 AM

Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson has carved out a real role in the offense, but it has not translated into much dependable fantasy value. He played all 17 games last season and finished with 50 carries for 200 yards and three touchdowns, adding 24 catches for 263 yards and two more scores on 33 targets. That is decent production for Buffalo's third back, though 74 total touches are not enough to make him someone fantasy managers need to draft. James Cook III remains firmly in control of the backfield, and Ray Davis would likely handle most of the early-down work if Cook were to miss time. Johnson should continue to mix in on passing downs and in change-of-pace situations, but that role is more useful to the Bills than it is to fantasy lineups. He is also 28 and entering the final year of his contract, so there is not much dynasty appeal either. Johnson belongs on the watchlist in deep PPR leagues, but he can be left undrafted in most formats.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
6.3 31.2 0.2 0.9 6.4 0.0

Isiah Pacheco News

Isiah Pacheco the Clear RB2 in Detroit

Saturday, June 27, 8:04 AM

The Detroit Lions have made it clear that running back Jahmyr Gibbs will be their bell-cow back in 2026, which means that newcomer Isiah Pacheco must prepare for a backup role in his new digs, according to Kory Woods of MLive Media Group. Pacheco, who won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs, signed a one-year deal with Detroit to replace David Montgomery, who was traded to the Houston Texans in early March. The 27-year-old former seventh-rounder in 2022 out of Rutgers started 31 of 34 games in the last three seasons in KC, but he's preparing for a much different role in Detroit. He's looking at a drastically reduced role in the Lions' backfield, especially after dealing with injuries in recent seasons. Pacheco missed nine games in 2024 with a broken right fibula and missed a month with an MCL sprain in 2024. In his first two years in the league, Pacheco averaged at least 4.6 yards per carry, but that number has dropped to 3.8 yards per attempt the last two years. Pacheco is committed to his new role behind Gibbs, but he has tumbled to No. 44 in RotoBaller's RB rankings for the 2026 campaign, making him more of a handcuff for Gibbs' managers.


Ty Johnson vs. Isiah Pacheco

Still trying to decide between Johnson and Pacheco? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Ty Johnson is projected to score 4.9 points this week while Isiah Pacheco is projected to score 6.3 points.