Taylor
RB · IND vs WAS
Proj pts
28.6pts
market
Warren
RB · PIT vs CLE
Final pts
15.6pts
24 proj · −8.4
Jaylen Warren or Jonathan Taylor: who should I start in Week 4?
Start Jonathan Taylor. Bench Jaylen Warren. Jonathan Taylor leads at 28.6. Jaylen Warren is the first one out, 4.6 short.
Crowd: 99% of managers started Taylor, 83% started Warren.
Availability & news
Jonathan TaylorPractice: Limited
Highlights
Pros
- Clear start4.6 pts clear
- Bell-cow role46% of touches
- Goal-line back1.4 GL carries/g
Pros
- Spike upside30.1 ceiling
Cons
- Below your start line4.6 pts short
Some recent form, opportunity and matchup figures still lean on the 2025 season (not enough games played this season yet).
Week 4 · Updated Tue 29 Sep, 6:00 AM ET
The widest gap between them, in proportion, is boom rate: Taylor 29%, Warren 6%.
Taylor is listed: Practice: Limited.
Latest game on the card: Taylor 9.2, Warren 20.6 (PPR points).
Why Jonathan Taylor
Start Jonathan Taylor — projects 28.6, a run-funnel matchup vs WAS, with a rising role.
Jonathan Taylor projects 28.6 points on a 10.7–36.0 range. The matchup grades as run-funnel against WAS. Usage: carries / game at 19.0. Net: start Jonathan Taylor this week.
Working for Taylor: Clear start (4.6 pts clear), Bell-cow role (46% of touches), Goal-line back (1.4 GL carries/g).
Where Taylor leads the head-to-head: Projection (28.6 vs 24.0); Floor (10.7 vs 10.1); Ceiling (36.0 vs 30.1); Touch share (46% vs 32%); Opportunity score (16.7 vs 12.5); Matchup grade (recency weighted) (A- vs B-); Implied team total (26.0 vs 20.5); Last 3 avg (21.2 vs 13.5); Last 5 avg (17.4 vs 12.4); vs season (+2.0 vs -1.5); Boom rate (29% vs 6%); Carries / game (19.0 vs 13.2); Touches / game (21.7 vs 15.7); Target share (11% vs 10%); Yards per carry (4.9 vs 4.5); Snap share (83% vs 51%); Goal line carries (24 vs 14); Red zone carries (71 vs 41).
Why Jaylen Warren
Sit Jaylen Warren — projects 24.0, an even matchup vs CLE.
Jaylen Warren projects 24.0 points on a 10.1–30.1 range. The matchup grades as neutral against CLE. Usage: carries / game at 13.2. Net: bench Jaylen Warren this week.
Working for Warren: Spike upside (30.1 ceiling).
Working against Warren: Below your start line (4.6 pts short).
Where Warren leads the head-to-head: Consistency (60% vs 43%); Bust rate (6% vs 18%).
Recent form
Jonathan Taylor's last 5 games: PPR points 17.4, 5.9, 25.1, 29.2, 9.2 (oldest to newest).
Jaylen Warren's last 5 games: PPR points 6.4, 14.9, 10.3, 9.7, 20.6 (oldest to newest).
Taylor has already beaten Warren's 24 projection in 2 of his 5; Warren has beaten Taylor's 28.6 in 0 of his 5.
At least 1 of these 5 games was played before the 2026 season.
Matchup
Jonathan Taylor (IND) faces WAS, kickoff Sun, Oct 4, 9:30 AM ET. The matchup is rated run-funnel. Betting line: implied team total 26.0, spread -3.5.
Jaylen Warren (PIT) played CLE (final: CLE 27 – 24 PIT). The matchup is rated neutral. Betting line: implied team total 20.5, spread -2.5.
What flips it
Taylor's edge is 4.6 points (28.6 to 24). Warren's ceiling (30.1) clears Taylor's projection, so a big game from Warren flips it. Taylor's floor (10.7) sits under Warren's projection, so a quiet game from Taylor flips it too. Confidence in the call: high.
More start/sit comparisons from this week's PPR projections. Open a pair for the call and the reasoning.
More Jaylen Warren comparisons
- Chase Brown or Jaylen Warren23.8 · 24.0
- Derrick Henry or Jaylen Warren23.1 · 24.0
- Aaron Jones or Jaylen Warren22.7 · 24.0
- Jaylen Warren or Kenneth Walker III24.0 · 25.6
More Jonathan Taylor comparisons
- Christian McCaffrey or Jonathan Taylor28.4 · 28.6
- Bijan Robinson or Jonathan Taylor31.6 · 28.6
- Jonathan Taylor or Kenneth Walker III28.6 · 25.6
- Jahmyr Gibbs or Jonathan Taylor34.3 · 28.6
This week's toughest calls
- Chuba Hubbard or James Cook21.7 · 21.7
- Kenny Gainwell or Rico Dowdle9.9 · 9.9
- Alvin Kamara or David Montgomery17.3 · 17.3
- Aaron Jones or Jeremiyah Love22.7 · 22.6
- Alvin Kamara or Quinshon Judkins17.3 · 17.3
- Bhayshul Tuten or Bucky Irving16.8 · 16.8
- More RB start/sit calls (running backs this week)