LeSean McCoy didn’t generate much hype in the offseason in fantasy football. Injury problems and game flow concerns were major knocks against McCoy.
Many in the fantasy world didn’t even register him as an RB2, in fear that he may lose his job or get injured. Six weeks into the season, McCoy is second among all running backs in fantasy points and seems to be back to his old self.
He’s making the cuts that made him such a solid running back in Philadelphia. And he’s getting plenty of volume for a Buffalo team squarely focused on the run.
He’s one of the best starts on a weekly basis and shouldn’t be dismissed as the season progresses. For some of the questionable starts/sits for week 7, here’s the start ’em, sit ’em guide for fantasy football running backs.
Start
Spencer Ware vs. New Orleans Saints
There’s a few conundrums in fantasy football this week among running backs. The Kansas City situation is at the top of that list.
Do you take Ware or Jamaal Charles? With Charles back in the lineup, many believed Ware would take a step back. But that hasn’t been the case.
The Chiefs are being extra precautious with Charles. Since coming back from injury in week 4, he’s only mustered 11 carries. Ware, meanwhile, has gone for 37 carries during that span, with a monster day in Oakland during week 6.
Head coach Andy Reid said after the week 6 game that Charles still wasn’t ready for a full workload, meaning my money is on Ware this week. The Chiefs are goinig to the run the football, and against the New Orleans Saints, that’s a smart strategy.
New Orleans has allowed 11 touchdowns on the ground this season, the most by any team in the NFL. The Saints also are allowing 117.8 yards per game, the eighth-most in the NFL.
Ware will dominate the timeshare once again, giving him the most value in week 7.
Jay Ajayi vs. Buffalo Bills
The Miami Dolphins coaching staff can’t possibly deny Ajayi in week 7 against Buffalo. Right?
Arian Foster returned in week 6, but Ajayi surprisingly dominated the load, going for more than 200 yards rushing and leading all running backs in fantasy points. But we shouldn’t be surprised by Ajayi’s sudden dominance.
He’s been running better in recent weeks and the Dolphins are finally giving more attention to one running back in the backfield, as opposed to that four-headed monster attempted earlier in the season.
Ajayi has gone for touchdowns in the three of the last four games and has accumulated an increasing workload every week since week 4. Buffalo has been good against the run for the most part, but this isn’t a horrible matchup at home for Ajayi.
The Bills still allow more than 100 yards on the ground per game. They can allow a decent amount of rushing yards. Ajayi should have no trouble getting the ball early against Buffalo. Fantasy owners just have to hope the coaching staff doesn’t abandon the run early.
Matt Jones vs. Detroit Lions
I’ve been fearful of Jones in the past against elite rush defenses. He was the ultimate matchup-dependent running back, performing well against bad defenses and being absent against good defenses.
Last week, though, Jones turned in a major performance against what was thought as a good rushing defense. This week, he squares off against a below-average defense, allowing me to believe Jones will be solid once again.
He has double-digit point totals in three of six weeks, and he’s not really a touchdown-dependent running back (although he can score). He’s gone over 100 yards rushing in two of six games, and chipped in more than 60 in two other weeks.
The Lions have struggled at times against the run. They allow more than 105 yards rushing per game and give up 4.7 yards per carry, the sixth-highest total in the NFL.
Jones will see plenty of action this week, even after losing a few snaps in week 6 to other running backs. Trust Jones against a below-average defense.
Sit
Matt Forte vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens haven’t done much in recent weeks. But they still can stop the run.
They’ve allowed less than 80 yards rushing combined in the last two weeks, and once again face a team that is having an issue running the football consistently.
Other than a three-touchdown performance in week 2, Forte has been more like a fantasy bench-player than a fantasy starter. Part of the issue is New York is finding itself down early in games, forcing Ryan Fitzpatrick to air it out for the majority of the game.
The other part is that the Jets aren’t very effective in any facet of offense. That will likely continue, especially with the running game, against a decent Baltimore defense. The pass rush isn’t there for the Ravens, but the run defense is. Fitzpatrick may be a sneaky fantasy play this week, but Forte is one to avoid.
Frank Gore vs. Tennessee Titans
Gore will likely get some play as a fantasy starter in week 7, but I’m not biting.
He went over 100 yards in week 6, giving the Colts their first 100-yard rusher since 2012. That’s almost as pathetic as Indianapolis’ ability to choke late in games.
Gore is a nice story in the early going, giving fantasy owners at least decent points in each game this season. But an aging running back on back-to-back road games after carrying the ball a season-high 22 times? I don’t think so.
The Colts are in serious trouble in this game. The Titans are the better team and Indianapolis must come back after a Sunday night game for a road matchup with a division foe.
Gore will be limited in his carries, and even if he was a bell-cow, it wouldn’t matter. Tennessee has done a good job against running backs this season. And they’ve been deadly against bad running teams.
This is a negative matchup for an aging Gore.
Ryan Mathews vs. Minnesota Vikings
Let’s forget about the matchup if we can.
The Eagles backfield is becoming more what Miami looked like earlier in the season. Philadelphia played four running backs in week 6, with Mathews only garnering nine carries.
I get the point of finding the hot hand, but playing that many running backs doesn’t work. Running backs sometimes have to get a feel for the game and get better as the game progresses. Coaches that are continuously switching in and out running backs aren’t doing their offense any favors.
Even though I disagree with that coaching stance, I can’t ignore the quagmire in Philadelphia. Mathews just doesn’t generate enough volume to be trusted on a weekly basis. He has 24 carries during the last three games and the Eagles have to deal with a rested Minnesota squad.
That defense will eat Philadelphia’s offense alive and Mathews won’t even be considered an appetizer.
