Jonah Coleman and Mike Washington Jr. are taking over their backfields, but only Coleman is delivering the goods with efficiency and a real receiving upside. Forget the generic intro, we’re diving straight into the biggest news shaking up the league’s rookie running back landscape.
Coleman’s Unstoppable Surge
The questions around the 2026 running back class have been swirling since January, with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price sidelined by injuries and time-shares. But then Week 8 hit, and Coleman exploded. He turned a mere 15 touches into a massive 16.4 PPR points. Think about that! The kid caught four passes in Week 8, which is one more than Washington has all season. Coleman’s 13.3% explosive rush rate is second among backs with at least 20 carries. He’s got the best situation of any rookie back, too, especially since his backfield partner J.K. Dobbins is only a threat on early downs. That’s why Coleman is a top 20 running back this week, and honestly, he could stay there all season long. It’s not just quantity, folks, it’s quality.
Washington’s Volume, Denver’s Edge
On the flip side, Mike Washington dominated touches in Week 8 with 25 attempts, but it only produced a measly 8.3 points. That’s a brutal drop-off. Washington just kept up the trend of inefficiency for the lead back in Las Vegas, averaging a meager 3.3 yards per carry. And here’s the kicker: zero targets in Week 8. Zero! Washington’s only caught one pass all season. While you could argue Washington might be a better pure rusher than Coleman, the environment in Denver is just so much better. Plus, Ashton Jeanty is still handling passing downs, which completely nukes Washington’s PPR upside. Jeanty, by the way, still ranks third among running backs with 175 routes run. If you’re in a full PPR league, you’re starting Jeanty over Washington, who’s really only a flex option in non-PPR formats.
What This Means Moving Forward
The numbers don’t lie. While we’re talking running backs, Tony Pollard has 70.4% of the Titans’ team rush attempts, with only Jahmyr Gibbs and Kenneth Walker holding a higher share. Derrick Henry has hit 60 or fewer yards from scrimmage in three straight games. Meanwhile, nearly half of Blake Corum’s rushes have gone for five or more yards, leading all qualified backs. And Josh Jacobs has two end zone targets in two weeks, a total no other running back has matched all season. For Coleman, the outlook is sky-high as he continues to shine in an ideal scenario. Washington has the volume, but if the efficiency and receiving work don’t materialize, those touches are just empty calories. Keep an eye on Coleman’s production in the coming weeks. He’s the real deal right now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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