One of the key components to fantasy football success is making the correct lineup decisions. Here to help you make those decisions are our positional start ’em and sit ’em picks.
Fantasy decisions are more important than ever with playoff spots and playoff positioning on the line, so let’s look at our Week 14 start/sit plays for the RB position.
Which RBs Should You Start in Fantasy This Week?
Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings (at LV)
Hopefully, the bye week did the Minnesota Vikings well. It has been quite some time since Alexander Mattison was a worthwhile fantasy starter.
Outside of Week 9, Mattison’s last game before the bye was his best fantasy outing since Week 6. He scored 8.3 fantasy points. Yeah, it’s been bad.
MORE: Week 14 Start/Sit Options — WR | RB | TE
There were concerns in the two games preceding the bye that RB Ty Chandler was going to earn a larger role. Those did not come to fruition. Mattison remains the clear RB1.
Now, he finds himself in a great spot against a Las Vegas Raiders defense allowing the sixth-most PPG to running backs. They are surrendering 4.4 yards per carry and 105 rushing yards per game.
Regardless of who the Vikings start at quarterback this week, Mattison should be a safe bet for around 15 touches. WR Justin Jefferson’s return will only help open things up for the ground game.
Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos (at LAC)
I don’t know if any running back has had worse touchdown luck than Javonte Williams. WR Courtland Sutton is out there making circus catches for touchdowns every week, yet Williams can’t even punch in a single one-yard touchdown.
This season, Williams has carried the ball 153 times for 584 yards. He has zero rushing touchdowns — but he does have two through the air.
Over the past two weeks, Williams has seen his role in the offense increase. He’s played 65% and 70% of the snaps — his two highest rates of the season.
Things should go well against a Los Angeles Chargers defense allowing the 11th-most PPG to running backs.
More specifically, Williams could be active in the passing game. Only two teams see a higher percentage of targets against them go to running backs than the Chargers’ 22.8%. Williams has caught at least two passes in all but one game this season. The only thing standing between him and an RB1 week is the end zone. I think he gets there this week.
Which RBs Should You Sit in Fantasy This Week?
Chicago Bears Running Backs (vs. DET)
Last week, rookie RB Roschon Johnson appeared to have taken control of the Chicago Bears’ backfield, playing 74% of the snaps. It was also a weird game on a short week with no RB D’Onta Foreman.
Part of the reason to fade the Bears’ backfield is we have no idea how touches will be distributed when Johnson, Foreman, and RB Khalil Herbert are all healthy. I don’t think the Bears know, either.
If any Bears running back is going to succeed, he will likely need volume. I just don’t see that happening. Therefore, fantasy managers would be relying on efficiency against a Detroit Lions defense allowing the fourth-fewest PPG to running backs.
The Lions’ pass defense has fallen apart, while their run defense remains stout. If the Bears are serious about winning this game, and I believe they are because all NFL teams compete every week, they are going to put the ball in QB Justin Fields’ hands, limiting the production of all the running backs.
Devin Singletary, Houston Texans (at NYJ)
One thing I try not to do with start ’em and sit ’em picks is to say a player is going to just do what he did last week again. With Devin Singletary, I think an exception is warranted because of the unique circumstances.
Just two weeks ago, Singletary kept RB Dameon Pierce completely at bay, relegating him to pure backup. Last week, it was a much more even split, with the former playing 46% of the snaps and the latter 38%.
In the two games before Pierce’s return, Singletary saw carry counts of 30 and 22. In the two games since Pierce returned, Singletary has seen carry counts of six and eight. Coincidence? I think not.
The New York Jets are not an imposing matchup for running backs. Given their elite pass defense, they are a bit of a run funnel, allowing the seventh-most PPG to running backs in the league.
Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee Singletary or Pierce will see enough volume to take advantage of it. Additionally, it appears as though the goal line back will be whoever’s drive it is when they get near the end zone. That creates another layer of randomness and unpredictability, making Singletary someone to avoid this week.
Trending Searches for RB Start/Sit
Did you know that we have a Start/Sit Optimizer here at Pro Football Network? It’s completely free to use, and it allows you to enter up to six players to find the best option to plug into your starting lineup.
It also allows us to see the most popular trending searches, so we’ve jotted some of them down here to help provide some clarity.
Should You Start Alexander Mattison or Jerome Ford?
This is a tough one. Alexander Mattison has a great matchup this week, but that doesn’t automatically make him a must-start if you have better options. According to the Start/Sit Optimizer, Cleveland Browns RB Jerome Ford is a better option.
Ford is projected to get 9.4 points, 0.4 more than Mattison. But last week, he only saw nine carries. It was his second consecutive game with a mere nine carries. Ford’s fantasy day was saved by an early receiving touchdown, but he did not do much more after that.
MORE: Fantasy News Tracker
This week, the matchup looks challenging against a Jaguars defense allowing 3.6 YPC to running backs and ranking above average in PPG allowed to the position. However, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been struggling against the run lately and were just eviscerated by Cincinnati Bengals RBs Joe Mixon and Chase Brown last week.
Look for Ford to bounce back on the volume side this week. I agree with the Optimizer and would start Ford over Mattison.
Should You Start Javonte Williams or James Cook?
This is about as close as it gets. The Optimizer has these two running backs separated by 0.1 points. They are also right next to each other in my weekly rankings.
While I have to put one in front of the other, that doesn’t mean one is clearly better. Buffalo Bills RB James Cook finds himself in a great spot in a potential shootout against a Kansas City Chiefs defense that has been slightly above average at defending running backs.
Where Cook might have a hard time is in what gives him his fantasy value, though — receiving. Just 10.8% of the receiving yards allowed by the Chiefs have gone to running backs.
Williams has the better matchup but is on the inferior offense in the inferior game environment. He should see more volume, but I ever so slightly prefer Cook due to the projected high-scoring affair.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
