Who Should I Start? Cordarrelle Patterson or Dameon Pierce

Tuesday, March 26, 4:19 PM

The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Patterson enjoyed the best season of his career under current Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in Atlanta, so the move gives the veteran a smidge of fantasy relevance in 2024. In 2021, Patterson rushed 153 times for 618 yards and six touchdowns and caught 52 passes for 548 yards and five scores. He finished that campaign as the RB9 in PPR leagues. However, he posted just 219 yards of offense last season and turned 33 years old on March 17. In all likelihood, he will primarily be used on special teams and as a gadget player in the new-look Pittsburgh offense. Patterson holds the NFL record for kick return touchdowns (nine), and this move was made on the same day the league approved a revised kickoff.

Thursday, May 2, 4:48 PM

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce had a notable rookie campaign after being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In just 13 games before being sidelined with injuries, he racked up 939 yards and four touchdowns on 220 carries and caught 30 passes for 165 yards and one score. However, his role, production, and efficiency declined in 2023 after the arrival of Devin Singletary, as he posted just 517 total yards and rushed for 2.9 yards per carry. Singletary is now gone, but the team traded for former Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon. Despite this, Texans general manager Nick Caserio spoke highly of Pierce in a recent media availability. "He is going to be a big part of what we're doing. Watching him move on the field, he looks pretty good. Everybody's looking forward to the opportunity in front of them; you can't worry about what's happened in the past," Caserio said. "He's got as good an attitude as anyone on the team. We're glad DP is here." While you never know whether a head coach or general manager is being honest in these situations, Caserio's comments can only help his fantasy stock. Fantasy managers should go into the season with low expectations for Pierce, but he should at least be viewed as a high-end handcuff running back in what projects to be one of the league's best offenses.