David Montgomery vs Travis Etienne: Who Should You Start?
Two running backs who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. David Montgomery (Houston Texans) finished the 2025 season averaging 9.1 fantasy points per game in 17 games. Travis Etienne (New Orleans Saints) came in at 13.9 PPG over 17 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Travis Etienne carries a 4.8-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. David Montgomery ran for 716 yards and 8 touchdowns; Travis Etienne posted 1107 and 7. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
One scheduling note: David Montgomery is off Week 14 and Travis Etienne Week 12. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in running back for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
