After 32 carries in Wk 3 is it safe to
Chris Carson against the defense giving up the most FPts to
RBs?
Grab a Helmet
Carlos
Hyde @ OAK: Quick, which NFL RB has received the most
carries through three weeks of action? OK, you were right. It’s
Todd Gurley (62). But were you aware Carlos Hyde sits in second
place with just one less carry? Duke Johnson and Nick Chubb owners
probably could have guessed that since the former is essentially
MIA (search me, folks) and the latter, an early second-round pick
in April’s draft, has been thrown only a few scraps in very limited
duty. Touches are everything in fantasy football and when a guy
is touching the pigskin more than 20 times per game, as Hyde currently
is, he’s an automatic start. That’s especially the case when said
guy is pretty efficient with those touches. Ride Hyde again this
weekend as he looks to score in his fourth consecutive game against
a winless Oakland outfit giving up over five yards per rush.
Aaron
Jones v. BUF: The Bills allowed precisely 14 yards
rushing in their shocking Week 3 upset of Minnesota, but we have
to consider that total within the overall context of the game.
The Vikings were sans Dalvin Cook, their dynamic every-down option,
and were down 14-0 almost before the National Anthem stopped echoing
throughout U.S. Bank Stadium. We can’t expect the same game flow
this Sunday on the Tundra (you have our undivided attention, Buffalo!)
and we probably CAN expect Mike McCarthy to give Jones more run
than he did last Sunday in DC. True to his word, Coach McCarthy
limited the Pack’s explosive sophomore to just 17 snaps, fewer
than Jamaal Williams and Ty Montgomery. Nevertheless, Jones had
more carries than both of them and averaged a heady 7.0 yards
per. He’s too good to use so sparingly and the Pack’s head man
knows it. Roll the dice.
Chris
Carson @ ARI: The ‘Hawks more or less put Carson on
alert when they drafted Rashaad Penny with the 27th pick in the
draft, to which the former 7th-round selection (2017) seems to
have responded, “we’ll see about that.” Maybe Seattle would have
been better served spending draft capital on someone who can protect
its franchise QB? Penny allegedly showed up to training camp ill-prepared
to compete for the job (think Eddie Lacy), but it might not have
mattered. Carson has regained all of the explosion he exhibited
briefly last season before succumbing to a broken leg and was
absolutely the show last Sunday v. Dallas, carrying the rock a
whopping 32 times for 102 yards and a score. No RBBC here, folks,
until further notice. Start Carson against a struggling Cardinals
D that is pretty efficient per play but has allowed a league-worst
31.3 points/game (non-ppr) to opposing runners.
Grab a Gatorade
Kenyan
Drake @ NE: Those who were expecting a breakout 2018
for Drake (not guilty) have to be scratching their heads at this
point. He averaged over 18 carries per game in his last five contests
of 2017, but hasn’t even carried the ball 18 times in his last
two games COMBINED and only averages 10 per game to date. This
might make sense if the Fish were reeling and trying to play catch-up
every time out, but they’re one of only three undefeated teams
left and, accordingly, have been playing from out front for long
stretches. The ageless Frank Gore is biting into much of Drake’s
workload, sure, but a more efficient passing game and more accurate
triggerman are also to blame for his decline. I think Miami chases
a ticked-off Tom Brady all day long, meaning precious few opportunities
for Drake and Gore. Sit them both down Sunday. Peyton
Barber @ CHI: Those who were expecting a sneakily productive
2018 for Barber (guilty) have to be wringing their hands at this
point. He’s been arguably the least efficient starting RB in the
league so far (2.9 yards/carry, 44th of 47 qualified runners)
and, strangely, seems to be a passing game afterthought despite
proving a serviceable receiver his first two years in the league.
Of course, nobody’s really noticed down in Tampa where the high-flying
Bucs are putting on an aerial show every time out. Barber will
keep playing because he doesn’t turn it over and knows how to
protect his passer. At some point, though, Dirk Koetter and Co.
are going to want to see what they have in rookie Ronald Jones,
a more talented option at the position. Even if that’s down the
road, you can’t trust Barber in the interim. We whiffed on this
one, folks.
Isaiah
Crowell @ JAX: The Jaguars have given up the longest
run from scrimmage this young season, a 68-yard jaunt by rookie
Saquon Barkley in Week 1. If you take away that one lapse, however,
they’re yielding only 2.86 yards/carry, a stingy figure
that would lead the league. Crowell authored the third-longest
rush of the season, a 62-yard house call in the opener v. Detroit,
but he’s been pretty pedestrian outside of that run, just
2.94 yards per on his other carries. See where I’m going
with this? Crowell’s gonna need to hit a homer and/or score,
most likely, to be relevant come Sunday. He could but I suspect
Jacksonville will fill the box with bodies and put lots of pressure
on the Samchise to make plays. I think he’s more likely
to dig the Jets a hole with careless plays, making Crowell a riskier
than usual start. Sit him.
