Who Should I Start? Zach Charbonnet or Jaydon Blue

Wednesday, February 25, 1:47 PM

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said that running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) doesn't have a timetable for a return after undergoing surgery last weekend to fix the torn ACL in his knee that he suffered in the Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs, according to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune. The typical recovery time for reconstructive knee surgery for ACL tears is eight to 12 months. Seattle doesn't know exactly when Charb might be back in 2026, but Macdonald said the team is "more optimistic than it was initially." The 25-year-old took on a bigger role next to Kenneth Walker III during the 2025 regular season and led the team with 12 rushing touchdowns, the fifth-most in the NFL. He was the first Seahawk with double-digit TDs since Marshawn Lynch in 2014. Walker will be a free agent next month, but even if he departs, Charbonnet's 2026 fantasy value will most likely be down since he probably won't be ready for Week 1.

Monday, February 16, 6:57 AM

A fourth-round pick out of the University of Texas in the 2025 NFL Draft, Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue earned some preseason buzz as a potential dark horse candidate to emerge as the Cowboys' RB1. However, the 22-year-old was a non-factor for Dallas in 2025, spending most of the year on the inactive list as a healthy scratch. Across five games played, Blue recorded 129 rushing yards and a touchdown on 38 touches. Nearly half of his rushing production came in Week 18, when the competitive portion of the Cowboys' season had already concluded. Entering 2026, Cowboys RB1 Javonte Williams is set to hit unrestricted free agency. As such, there is once again a potential playing time opportunity open to Blue in the Dallas backfield, as the only other running back currently under contract with the Cowboys for 2026 is the similarly unproven Phil Mafah. However, it seems likely that Dallas will bring in another backfield option or two in either free agency or the draft. Based on Blue's disappointing rookie year, it's difficult for fantasy managers in dynasty formats to have much trust in his potential for future production.