Running back is always an important position in fantasy football, but it feels even more important this year than in previous years.
Of the top 10 running backs last year, only Christian McCaffrey (first with 598 rushing yards) and Travis Etienne (fourth with 504) are currently in the top 10 in yards so far this year. Two of those guys who aren’t producing this year are Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry, who finished first and second in yards last year.
With that in mind, which one of these two running backs should fantasy managers have in their lineups?
Josh Jacobs’ Fantasy Outlook This Week
After an incredible 2022 campaign where he had 1,653 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, there was a contract dispute, and it caused Jacobs to miss a lot of the offseason. Jacobs just hasn’t been able to have near the success he did last year, as he has rushed for 347 yards and two touchdowns.
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Last year, he averaged a career-high 4.9 yards but is now averaging a career-low 2.9. His best game of the season was against the Los Angeles Chargers, where he had 58 rushing yards and one touchdown. He also had eight catches for 81 yards.
While there is still time for Jacobs to get his season on the right track, it may be difficult for it to happen on Sunday. The Raiders are on the road at the Detroit Lions, who have the second-best rush defense in the league (76.3 yards). They will be facing an angry Lions team that was absolutely dominated by the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Derrick Henry’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
Henry has been much better than Jacobs at the start of this year, as he is currently ranked 11th in rushing yards (425). In the loss to the Ravens two weeks ago, Henry had 97 yards and one touchdown.
Henry has had his normal big weeks, but he has had some really bad weeks as well this year. Against the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts, he rushed for 20 and 43 yards, respectively. Like Jacobs, Henry is going up against a tough team to get things rolling.
The Atlanta Falcons are currently ranked eighth in the league, allowing 95.3 yards. Another key in this game is the Titans are going to be much different at the quarterback position. Rookie Will Levis is going to get the start, while last year’s third-round pick Malik Willis is also expected to play.
Which of the RBs Should You Start?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, Josh Jacobs is the player to start. His projected 11.8 points include 53 rushing yards, two receptions, and 18 yards. That doesn’t seem like a big stat line, but it outperforms the consensus projection for Henry (11.6 points).
My ranking for these two running backs differs from the Optimizer, as I am going with Henry in this one. They both have difficult matchups, but this absolutely could be the final game for Henry as a member of the Titans. He has had an incredible career in Tennessee, but with the trade deadline, he could be on the move within the next 72 hours.
With that and the combination of young quarterbacks playing, look for Henry to get the ball a lot on Sunday.
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