Who Should I Start? Ty Johnson or Kaelon Black
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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 | 17.3 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 0.0 |
Kaelon Black News
Thursday, July 9, 5:24 AM
After not even receiving an invite to the NFL Combine, the San Francisco 49ers selected running back Kaelon Black in the third round of the 2026 Draft, making him the third running back off the board, after only first-rounders Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. While head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have gotten uninspired returns from the running backs they've drafted in recent years, particularly those viewed as reaches by the draft community, as was Black, there is no denying the favorable situation the rookie finds himself in. Four-time All-Pro Christian McCaffrey recently turned 30 and is coming off a season in which he touched the ball a career-high 450 times, and with Brian Robinson Jr. departing in free agency, Black's biggest competition for primary backup duties comes from 2025 fifth-rounder Jordan James. As a rookie, James did not register a single offensive stat until taking over late in the team's Divisional Round blowout loss to the Seahawks, but a year in the system could give him an early edge heading into 2026. While RotoBaller currently has neither ranked as a top 50 fantasy back for redraft leagues, the training camp battle between Black and James will be one to monitor, and should either gain a demonstrative edge, they will force their way into the late-round discussion for 2026 drafts.
Ty Johnson vs. Kaelon Black
Still trying to decide between Johnson and Black? 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 Kaelon Black is projected to score 3.5 points.
Latest Fantasy News
