Welcome back, Nerds! In this series, we will pit two Dynasty Nerds writers against one another concerning certain players or topics. The third installment of this series features Mychal Warno (@DynastyDadMike) and Steven Pintado (@CoachStevenP) debating on which Dynasty rookie RB you want moving forward: Trey Benson or Jonathon Brooks?
Trey Benson
@dynastydadmike
Let’s jump right into this debate over these rookie running backs. Going into the 2024 NFL Draft, Benson was my RB1, and that did not change even after Brooks was selected higher than him in the draft. Benson has a different style of game than Brooks, which I see translating very well to the NFL.
The first aspect of Benson’s game that I like is his speed. His 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine was the third-highest of all participating running backs. His 1.52 10-yard split was also the fourth lowest at the combine. Benson is one cut away from taking any run to the house.
Another area Benson wins is through his contact balance. He can lower his pad level and balance through contact, allowing him to stay up and keep running for extra yards, as shown below. That ability will provide numerous hidden yardage gains and extended play drives.
While Benson does not have as clear a path for a starting role as Brooks, with James Conner coming off a career-high in rushing yards, we must remember that Conner is not the healthiest of running backs. He has failed to play a full season in any of his seven NFL seasons. Once Benson gets the opportunity to get on the field, the coaching staff will be hard-pressed to take him off.
Thank you, Steven, for another great debate. If you haven’t checked out our TE and QB debates, please give them a quick read.
Jonathon Brooks
@CoachStevenP
Brooks is coming into the NFL as the first running back off the board. He was the only one taken in the first two rounds and should be the one you want to own in dynasty. Brooks is facing an uphill battle to start his NFL career since he is recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in college. He is coming off a 1,100-yard rushing season as a first-time starter at Texas. Brooks’ talent highlights Elusiveness and long speed. He is a patient runner and can easily change direction to get upfield. He has no weaknesses and was a very efficient runner and receiver in college.
He joins the Panthers with an easy chance of being the guy in Carolina. Brooks will compete with Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders. Sanders failed to produce last year and looks like a possible cut candidate after training camp. Hubbard will likely get a chance to be the starter after being RB15 in the back half of the 2023 season. He is going into the final year of his contract and may take some touches away from Brooks. That should only be in 2024; I doubt he will re-sign from the team. Hubbard thrived off having a heavy workload with eight games over 15 carries. He is likely to split the groundwork with Brooks. Despite some success, Hubbard has been under 4.0 YPC in two of three seasons.
Brooks is the overall better talent and is a faster back. He may take time before he stands out in fantasy. He will likely be limited over the season’s first month, but Brooks should burst onto the scene mid-season. We saw new head coach David Canalas use Rachaad White as a workhorse running back in 2023. Brooks could potentially see a high target share like White did last season. One way or another, Brooks will be the workhorse back for the Panthers in 2024 and beyond. The Panthers may need Brooks to dominate with a questionable passing offense.
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