Running Backs: Start ’em, sit ’em for week 10 in fantasy football

Remember when you went on the waiver in week 9 and saw DeAngelo Williams, Jeremy Langford and Karlos Williams?

If you picked up any one of them in week 9, then your week was likely a good one. All three running backs were in the top four in scoring among running backs, with DeAngelo Williams leading the way with 36.50 points. Expect more of that to come from DeAngelo Williams in a high-powered offense in Pittsburgh.

Langford also should continue to get plenty of looks after he shredded a bad San Diego defense for 22.20 points. As long as Matt Forte is still injured, Langford will be a high value option with the amount of touches he will garner in the Bears offense.

Karlos Williams is a different story as he’s completely touchdown dependent. LeSean McCoy is still the top option in Buffalo and Williams only netted nine carries last week. He made the most of them with 110 yards rushing and two touchdowns. However, with so few carries, we can’t expect those kind of outputs on a weekly basis.

Are there more surprises in store for us in week 10? Here’s our week 10 start ’em, sit ’em list for running backs.

Daily fantasy start of the week

Todd Gurley vs. Chicago Bears

We’re down on the Bears this week in fantasy football.

This is back-to-back road games and the St. Louis Rams will look to bounce back from a close loss in Minnesota last week. We expect the Rams to take out some frustration on the Bears and that will start with Gurley.

St. Louis just doesn’t have much of a passing game, and against the Bears, that’s OK. Chicago is allowing 121.6 yards per game on the ground, the ninth-most yards per game in the NFL. The reason why Chicago has been decent at limiting points by running backs is that Chicago has allowed only two rushing touchdowns this year.

That number will increase this week.

Gurley has scored in three straight games and although he had his 100-yard streak snapped against Minnesota, we were still satisfied by his effort against a stingy Minnesota defense.

Without any passing game, Gurley will get several touches again this week. Expect a down performance from Chicago and go with Gurley.

Start

DeAngelo Williams vs. Cleveland Browns

Don’t be shy about starting a player one week removed from the waiver wire.

Williams will be a must-start each week for fantasy football owners. We know the offense isn’t as high powered with Landry Jones at the helm, but that makes the running back’s value even higher.

The Steelers will rely heavily on Williams to move the ball and against the Browns, that shouldn’t be a problem. Cleveland is allowing 147.6 yards per game on the ground, by far the worst mark in the NFL.

Williams can catch the ball out of the backfield and shoulder the load running the ball. Don’t pass up a chance to put him in your starting lineup on a weekly basis.

Doug Martin vs. Dallas Cowboys

It hasn’t been a great two weeks for Martin. After going for 20, 30 and 17 in consecutive weeks, he’s fallen back to earth, with single-digit performances in the last two weeks. He fell on such hard times last week that he carried the ball only 11 times.

But we’re not worried.

Martin should garner a good amount of looks this week against the Cowboys, and even if he doesn’t go for 100 yards rushing, we’re confident he’ll throw a touchdown or two into the mix.

In eight games this season, Dallas has given up nine rushing touchdowns, the third-highest amount in the NFL. Martin only has three rushing touchdowns this season, but he should get some cracks at the endzone on Sunday. We like our chances with Martin and he should get a nod on your roster this week.

Daily fantasy sit of the week

LeSean McCoy vs. New York Jets

When he’s healthy, McCoy is a solid fantasy football option. Unfortunately for McCoy owners, that’s not often.

He once again injured himself on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, and although he says he’s fine, we can’t trust him to finish games at this point.

That makes him a bad option for DFS on a weekly basis, because you can’t afford to not have your starting running back finish games.

And this week doesn’t bode well for McCoy anyway. The Jets are the best defense against the run, holding opponents to 80.6 yards per game and less than four yards per carry.

Don’t expect much from McCoy even if he can play Thursday.

Sit

Charcandrick West vs. Denver Broncos

We know the Indianapolis Colts exposed some holes in Denver’s defense, but it’s not enough to completely discount the first part of the season.

And sure, the Colts went over 100 yards rushing, but 34 of those yards were by quarterback Andrew Luck. Frank Gore netted 83 yards, but averaged only 3 yards per carry.

We’re not sold on Kansas City running the football well enough against the Broncos. Denver is allowing 3.5 yards per carry on the season and ranks in the top five in rushing yards allowed at 93.1 per game. We know Kansas City went over 100 yards rushing in the first meeting, but that was in Kansas City and with Jamaal Charles.

West has been a solid fill-in for Charles, but we’re not rolling with him in this matchup. The Broncos get back to basics and will shut down the Kansas City running game, forcing Alex Smith to beat them through the air.

Washington running backs

Normally with a matchup against the New Orleans Saints, we’d be all in on any fantasy option, especially with running backs.

But we can’t figure out the Redskins.

Alfred Morris and Matt Jones are splitting time in Washington and neither one of them are being productive. The running backs have combined to reach double digits only twice this season, in weeks 1 and 2. Since that time, they’ve been non-existent in fantasy football.

On paper, it would appear that the running back position would be a good play against the Saints. They’re a bottom-10 defense against the run and are giving up almost five yards per rush.

But don’t be fooled. Morris and Jones can’t be trusted, so only play one of them if you’re desperate.