Who Should I Start? Zack Moss or Patrick Taylor

Monday, March 11, 11:03 PM

According to NFL Media's Tom Pelissero, the Bengals and free-agent running back Zack Moss agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal. Cincinnati released Joe Mixon on Monday night, so it didn't take the team long to fill the void in the backfield. Moss is coming off his best year since being drafted in 2020, showcasing his talents while filling in for the oft-injured Jonathan Taylor. In 14 regular season appearances, he finished with 794 yards off 183 touches to the tune of 4.3 yards per carry. The 26-year-old also caught 27 passes for 192 yards while totaling seven touchdowns (five rushing, two receiving). It's reasonable to assume Moss will get the bulk of the work in Cincinnati. But the Bengals have a few up-and-coming options, notably Chase Brown, who could compete for routine snaps heading into the 2024-25 campaign. That said, Moss should benefit from playing alongside Joe Burrow (wrist), Ja'Marr Chase, and potentially Tee Higgins, assuming he is the No.1 option on the depth chart by the end of training camp.

Wednesday, April 3, 4:09 PM

The San Francisco 49ers are signing free-agent running back Patrick Taylor to a one-year deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 25-year-old went undrafted following his final collegiate season at Memphis, and he has spent the last four years with the Green Bay Packers, mostly as a reserve. Through his first 34 NFL games, Taylor has rushed 65 times for 261 yards and one touchdown and caught 14 passes for 69 yards. With Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell, and Jordan Mason on the roster, it'd be surprising if Taylor has a role for San Francisco next season on offense. There's also no guarantee he will make the 53-man roster, so this signing is inconsequential for fantasy football.