The return of De’Von Achane was music to fantasy owners ears, and fruitful for last week’s lineups. He was straight back to his scoring ways, notching 2 touchdowns and 73 rushing yards against the Washington Commanders. Achane was sandwiched between Alvin Kamara and King Henry on the leaderboard, with Kamara taking the top spot thanks to his efforts against the Detroit Lions. His two rushing touchdowns were bolstered by six receptions for 58 yards to make him the highest-scoring running back on the week.
There were some disappointing performances from the likes of Bijan Robinson and D’Andre Swift. With playoffs right around the corner, it’s crucial to get the start-sit decisions right this week. Let’s see what’s out there.
Running Backs
New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Ezekiel Elliott – Start (Projection 9 Points)
Rhamondre Stevenson’s injury means that we are back on the Zeke train. Elliott had 17 carries after Stevenson’s injury, averaging a depressing 3.1 yards per carry. He saved his day by catching 4 passes for 40 yards, which is a trend I think should continue this week.
Bailey Zappe likes to check the ball down to his running backs, and I see Elliott’s 13-point game from last week representing a floor for him. It is not going to be pretty, but if you need help on the final week of byes, Elliott could be a good option.
Najee Harris – Start (Projection 11.5 Points)
Najee Harris is enjoying a good year in 2023, but he has popped up with an injury designation on Tuesday this week. This does add doubt, given it is a shorter week before Thursday Night Football.
Given that the Patriots are giving up the third-fewest rushing yards per game, I will lean towards sitting Najee. The matchup is bad, and if he is even slightly injured, the Steelers have Jaylen Warren on hand. Warren is more explosive and very much capable of grinding out a win over the dismal Patriots.
Houston Texans vs New York Jets
Dameon Pierce – Sit (Projection 6.7 Points)
Dameon Pierce’s return to health has done nothing more than complicate the Texans’ backfield. Life was good when we knew we could trust Singletary, but the Texans once again prioritized touches for their sophomore running back. Pierce is averaging just 3 yards per carry on the year and is not involved in the passing game. It means you are purely relying on a touchdown to salvage any kind of useful fantasy day, which is not something I want to bank on. Sit Dameon Pierce.
Breece Hall – Start (Projection 13.2)
Breece Hall is a fantastic talent, but he is massively hamstrung by a truly terrible Jets offense. The offensive line can’t block and there is no reason for defenses to fear the passing attack. As a result, Hall has not topped 3.6 yards per carry since week 5. It is a tough watch.
On the flip side, Hall remains one of only two players on the Jets’ offense that can be considered dangerous. So he will continue to get carries and, more importantly, targets. He has had 17 targets over the last two weeks as the Jets give him as many opportunities as possible to break a big play. That is their only hope. For that reason, you can just about afford to start Breece Hall this week.
Minnesota Vikings vs Las Vegas Raiders
Alexander Mattinson – Sit (Projection 11.8 Points)
Coming out of the bye, it will be interesting to see what happens with the Vikings backfield. Mattinson has dominated the carries in the last two games, but he has fumbled twice and Chandler looks to be the more explosive option. The matchup is great against Las Vegas, but Mattinson hasn’t hit double-digit points in each of his last three games.
Coming out of the bye, I would give the edge to Chandler. However, they both go down as a sit for me. If Dobbs retains the starting quarterback role, he can steal more yards and rushing touchdowns away from the running backs, making them a risky play.
Josh Jacobs – Start (Projection 15.2 Points)
The Raiders are also coming off a bye, so both teams should be well-rested. Jacobs has been getting lots of touches, and it paid off in their last game against the Chiefs, as he rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown, also corralling 4 receptions to take him past the 20 fantasy point mark.
The Vikings are a good defense against the run, giving up the 4th fewest fantasy points to the position. Despite this, Jacobs is a true bell-cow running back, making him an every-week start.
Buffalo Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs
James Cook – Start (Projection 12.8 Points)
Ever since Joe Brady has taken over the play calling in Buffalo, James Cook has become a much more prominent part of the offense. He has had at least 16 carries in each of the last two games, also receiving 11 targets in that period. He is a dynamic option in the offense, averaging 4.8 yards per carry, as well as being a good route-runner.
This should be a high-scoring game, and one where the Bills will need to utilize all their best options to win. Cook should be involved plenty as a rusher and a receiver, and it should lead to a good fantasy outing for him. Start him this week.
Isiah Pacheco – Start (Projection 14 Points)
Isaiah Pacheco has been excellent in recent weeks. He comes into this game off back-to-back outings over 20 fantasy points, receiving at least 15 carries and 4 targets in both games. That is bell-cow usage and something we love to see as we enter crunch time in the season.
Buffalo are giving up 4.7 yards per carry on the ground, which is good enough for only 29th in the NFL. Pacheco should be a key player as the Chiefs’ offense searches for an identity, with his usage as a receiver acting as a very handy bonus. Isiah Pacheco’s fantasy production has been outstanding, and there’s no reason to sit him this week.
