Three-down RB? Jeremy Langford dominated
the touches (19-1) in the Chicago backfield in Week 1.
Grab a Helmet
Ezekiel
Elliott @ WAS: A 21 touch, 52 total yard day was not
what the Cowboys envisioned when they make Elliott the 4th pick
in April’s draft. Give credit to an aggressive Giants defense,
who clogged cutback lanes, and never allowed Elliott to utilize
his elite speed. After missing much of the preseason, perhaps
it wasn’t a surprise that Elliott struggled in his first game.
With another week of work, I expect the Cowboys to work harder
to get Elliott the ball in space, especially against a Redskins
defense that can be overaggressive at times. I don’t think the
Washington rush defense is as pathetic as they showed Monday night,
but the Cowboys had some success running against their division
rivals last season, and that was without the dynamic Elliott.
Look for the former Buckeye to surpass 100 total yards and a score,
making him a strong RB1 consideration.
Spencer
Ware @ HOU: With Jamaal Charles looking extremely iffy
for Week 2, Ware makes for a great start this week against Houston.
If the 7-catch 129-yard day from Ware last week took you by surprise,
you aren’t alone! It’s no secret the Chiefs running backs are
as involved in the passing game as anyone, but in 10 games last
season, Ware only had 6 catches. He was incredibly efficient with
his chances in Week 1, averaging over 11 yards per touch. The
Chiefs shouldn’t be as pass heavy this week, so don’t expect a
repeat receiving yardage total, but last week Ware proved to be
a complete NFL back capable of being a fantasy asset. He may not
have many more potential RB1 weeks, so strike while the iron is
hot.
Jeremy
Langford v. PHI: He doesn’t ooze elite talent, but
if Week 1 is any indication, Langford is one of the few backs
in the league that have a stranglehold on a three-down job. His
stats against a stout Houston front seven don’t pop off the page,
but negative game flow didn’t help either. Still, Langford dominated
touches (19-1) over any other Chicago back. Look for Bears to
control tempo against a rookie QB making his first start on the
road in primetime. Langford should approach 25 touches, and is
a good bet to produce RB2-plus numbers for your squad.
Grab Some Pine
Frank
Gore @ DEN: Sometimes just having a lockdown on touches
isn’t enough. Gore enters Week 2 against Denver fresh off a 18-touch
78-yard day against the Lions. In a game that saw his offense
rack up 35 points, Gore showed why his value will be largely touchdown
dependent. In their 2015 matchup, Gore had a season high 28 carries
en route to a 16 point fantasy day, but running close to 30 times
doesn’t play to the strengths of this offense, and I look for
the Colts to employ bubble screens and crossing routes to stem
the rush of the Broncos. Gore is going to have value this season,
especially in matchups where the Colts get to nurse a lead, but
I don’t see better than FLEX value for Gore this week.
Doug
Martin @ ARI: Another game flow dependent back, Martin
is another runner who’s value will be greatly tied to touchdowns.
He did have a respectable 96 total yards last week, but next on
the docket is a very angry Cardinals team that simply can’t go
0-2 at home to start the season. Tampa has an improved line, but
look for the Cardinals to be aggressive, and for Martin’s teammate
Charles Sims to siphon touches from the Muscle Hamster. Martin’s
best days remain games where the Bucs can secure a lead, and I
just don’t think this week’s matchup favors that scenario.
Ameer
Abdullah vs TEN: Listen, I understand Abdullah put
up RB1 stats last week as he had over 100 total yards and a score.
He certainly benefited from the several series that Theo Riddick
missed while he was being tested for a concussion, but I think
you’d be making the mistake of chasing points if you relied too
heavily on Abdullah this week. The timeshare with Riddick still
exists, and he might have even lost goal line work to an undrafted
rookie free agent. Relying on Abdullah means you’re counting on
him to score outside the red zone and match or exceed the career
high in receptions (5) he had last week. The Titans totally shut
down one of the game’s best in Adrian Peterson last week, and
the Lions figure to have a pass-heavy plan, being home against
an opponent susceptible to the air attack. Of course the speedster
from Nebraska is always a threat to take it to the house, and
some janky 50-yard run might make me look silly, but I’m simply
betting against a repeat performance of last week.
