The Bills rank 6th in run% and will continue
their running ways due to a banged up receiving corps.
Grab a Helmet
LeSean
McCoy v JAC: After missing two weeks with a gimpy hamstring,
Shady was basically forced back into action as the Buffalo backfield
has been decimated by injury. 100 percent or not, Shady was solid
against the Bengals toting the rock for a season high 90 yards
and his first score on the ground. He looked spry throughout,
and came out of the game without setbacks. With rookie sensation
Karlos Williams out for the foreseeable future with a serious
concussion, the running back snaps will belong to McCoy. The Bills
have yet to find an identity on offense, but with McCoy and Tyrod
Taylor back healthy enough to play, Buffalo should be able to
move the ball on the Jags. Look for 20-plus touches and a touchdown
for Shady, giving him legit RB1 upside this week.
Todd
Gurley vs CLE: A few weeks ago I misread Gurley’s usage
prediction, and looked silly when he ripped off a near 150-yard
game against the Cardinals. Well fool me once! Gurley has looked
as powerful and as explosive as he did in college, and in his
last two games has been able to mask the offensive line woes of
the Rams. Gurley gets perhaps the tastiest match-up of the week
against a Cleveland defense that has given up the most rushing
yards in the NFL. 20-plus carries is nearly a given and if he
can get some work in the passing game, Gurley has a legit shot
at No.1 overall running back status this week. Kudos to those
owners who took a shot on Gurley in the draft. I won’t be shocked
if he wins teams some championships this year.
Latavius
Murray @ SD: After a strong start to the season, Murray
has disappointed fantasy owners over his last two games. Second
half benchings, and talk of a shoulder injury held Murray under
seven standard fantasy points in those games. Oddly enough the
Chargers have a much better pass defense (7) than rush defense
(29) so this shapes up as a run heavy game plan for the Raiders.
The bye week should have helped get Murray fresh, so look for
a few long runs and a score in a game that could be fairly high
scoring. Don’t hesitate to get Murray out there as an upper tier
RB2 this week.
Grab Some Pine
Isaiah
Crowell v. STL: I expected much more from Crowell and
the Browns running game this season. Cleveland has been able to
throw the ball all over the place despite lacking established
names at quarterback and receiver. I really thought Crowell had
a chance to follow-up on his sometimes strong rookie season with
an even better year two. But it simply hasn’t happened. He’s limping
along with a week 3.7 ypc average, and only two total touchdowns.
His poor play has allowed the door to swing wide open for newly
healthy Robert Turbin, the waiver add from Seattle. Turbin, in
his first game of the year last week, stole 10 carries, many of
them coming in the second half of a close game. With the passing
game work going to rookie Duke Johnson, Crowell could see even
less of the running back share if Turbin asserts himself. Crowell
is trending closer to waiver status than starting lineup status.
Stay away.
LeGarrette
Blount v. NYJ: Any fantasy owner who thinks they have
a read on the weekly running back usage in New England knows much
more than me. But the game vs the Jets this week is shaping up
as a pass heavy game plan, as the Jets are incredibly stout against
the run, giving up only 82 yards a game, and a lone touchdown.
The Pats are home, meaning the no-huddle will be the best way
for Brady and the Patriots to keep the Jets defense off balance
and temper the aggression. Playing a similar defense in Week 2
in the Bills, Brady threw the ball 59 times and Blount had only
2 carries. There will be games when New England beats the defense
over the head with Blount, but this week feels like a Dion Lewis
kind of game, leaving Blount as a very risky RB2/FLEX start. Antonio
Andrews/Bishop
Sankey/Dexter
McCluster vs ATL: The matchup is terrible, the starting
quarterback might be out, the offensive line is in shambles, and
there might not be a scenario where I’d start any of these
guys, even if they weren’t all competing for limited snaps.
It’s clear Ken Whisenhunt has a penchant for McCluster,
as he’s had 5 or more carries in four of the team’s
first five games. He only had 5 or more carries four times all
of last season. He hasn’t been all that effective on those
touches outside a 98-yard game in Week 2. Sankey and Andrews get
mixed in from time to time, but neither back has the explosion
or big play ability to do much with a smattering of carries a
game. This backfield is a three headed disaster and will get even
more muddled when David Cobb comes off IR in a few weeks. There
are much better options for your starting fantasy line-up.
