Jordan Howard has dominated against lesser
run defenses and he gets another one in Week 13.
Grab a Helmet
Jordan
Howard vs SF: Despite
being surrounded with abysmal offensive personnel, including a
third-string QB, and backup lineman galore, Howard still continues
to churn out the yardage at an impressive rate. The rookie is
up to 5.1 yards per carry, and has possibly the best matchup of
the weekend. Despite showing a severe lack of catching ability
the last few weeks (catching 1-of-8 targets against the Giants
was downright terrible) Howard still seems to boost his weekly
totals with significant receiving yardage. Howard has dominated
against lesser run defenses this season, racking up 100-yard games
against the Colts, Lions, Vikings and Bucs, and only his lack
of rushing touchdowns (2) holds him back from being a true stud.
He’s a great bet for 100-plus yards and a score this week, so
make sure he’s in all of your lineups.
LeSean
McCoy @ OAK: He’s battled though his typical litany
of injuries, most recently a dislocated thumb, but through it
all McCoy remains an elite option for the Bills and your fantasy
team. He’s had some absolute monster games this season to go along
with some duds, but I expect he’ll be a enormous part of the game
plan on the road against division leading Oakland. The Raiders
are giving up the 7th most fantasy points to running backs this
season, and won’t be able to stack the box because of the return
of Sammy Watkins. When healthy, McCoy is a weekly top 5 option,
and that could certainly be his floor for the week. Start him
with extreme confidence, and hope he doesn’t get dinged up!
Devontae
Booker @ JAX: To say Booker has been a disappointment
since ascending to the starting role is an understatement. Booker
has failed to top 4.0 yards per carry, and even though much of
the blame can be placed on the lack of offensive line talent,
Booker deserves his fair share. He has 48 carries over his last
two weeks, so it’s clear Denver is working hard to establish the
run game. This week against Jacksonville is a great place to get
things right considering the Jags are much more effective against
the pass than the run. Road games are always a good place to ground
and pound, and I feel a mini-breakout for Booker this week. He’s
not going to jump off the page, but could provide some really
great RB2 return from a FLEX spot.
Grab Some Pine
Jay
Ajayi @ BAL: Since his heroic three-game stretch that
included two 200-yard games, and a 111-yard outing against the
Jets, Ajayi has fallen back to the pack a bit the last three weeks.
His yards per carry average is still solid, but his workload has
decreased a little, and he’s failed to register 20 carries or
top 79 yards in a game since then. In what should have been a
smorgasbord against the 49ers last week, Ajayi could only manage
45 yards on 18 carries. The Dolphins line has been in shambles,
and looks to be getting healthier this week, but Miami faces the
best run defense in the league in Baltimore. The Ravens have only
given up 2 touchdowns on the ground this season, and have only
yielded 97 or more yards to running backs three times. Despite
facing some of the top fantasy backs in the league this year,
Baltimore has given up the fewest fantasy points. This will be
Ajayi’s toughest test of the season, and expectations should definitely
be tempered. With a low ceiling, view Ajayi as a low end RB2.
Jeremy
Hill vs PHI: Outside of two monster games this season,
Hill has barely been a FLEX play. He’s done next to nothing since
the loss of Gio Bernard two weeks ago, and this whole Bengals
offense has suffered from inconsistency and injury. He did have
a career high 6 receptions for 60 yards last week, so he’s definitely
set up for an uptick in PPR leagues, but he’s tough to trust in
standard leagues when he doesn’t score. With every week from here
on out so important in most fantasy leagues, I wouldn’t feel comfortable
starting Hill as anything more than a FLEX prayer.
Rashad
Jennings @ PIT: Just when it looked like the Giants
run game had turned the corner in games against Cincinnati and
Chicago, Jennings and the G-Men laid an egg in Cleveland. The
Giants offense got off to a slow start, and the only functioning
part of the offense was OBJ. Jennings could never seem to get
a running start, and his lack of playmaking ability was evident
whenever the Browns got penetration into the backfield. Jennings
lacks burst, doesn’t make defenders miss, and will only
find the end zone if the Giants get inside the 5-yard line. Pittsburgh
is dastardly against the run, and I think the Giants go pass heavy.
With the threat of Shane Vereen returning to soak up all the 3rd
down and passing down work, Jennings arrow is pointing way down.
