Pressure makes diamonds. There is no pressure quite like trying to plug in the right fantasy football options from a roster full of similar options. I’m happy to help you make those final decisions when it comes to your RB start/sit calls.
Data from TruMedia, unless stated
Which Running Backs Should Fantasy Managers Start in Week 3?
D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears (at IND)
Indy is where the very stoppable force meets the very movable object when one of the least efficient backs in the sport faces an offensive defense.
Let’s start with Swift – his 24 carries have gained 48 yards this season. As if that stat line isn’t depressing enough, how about the fact that 20 of those yards came on a single carry?
The Bears are tied with the Panthers for the fewest red-zone trips this season, something that essentially rules out Swift finding pay dirt and saving your bacon that way. Under normal circumstances, Chicago’s lead back would be a sure-fire bench, but facing the Colts’ run defense doesn’t qualify as “normal circumstances.”
This porous run unit has allowed opposing running backs to pile up 350 rushing yards. Not only does that lead the league, but it’s more than the Ravens, Texans, Patriots, and Saints have allowed. Combined.
Swift has accounted for 77.4% of running back carries in Chicago, positioning him to be the primary beneficiary of this perfect matchup. With nothing in his 2024 statistical makeup suggesting optimism, I have Swift penciled in as a fringe RB2 based on the advantageous matchup.
Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans (vs. GB)
We were sold this offseason that Pollard’s struggles last season had as much to do with limited health as anything and, through two weeks at least, I’m tempted to believe it.
Not only has Pollard finished as a top 20 player at the position in both games this season, but he’s shown flashes of the versatility that we fell in love with initially. In Week 1 against a stingy Bears team, he picked up 5.1 yards per carry. In the loss to the Jets last weekend, he earned six targets.
With 41 touches on his résumé up to this point and a 20+ yard gain in both contests, Pollard is a Flex-worthy player, even with Spears eating away at his touch upside. My primary concern in this game is possession count, but given that the Packers have already allowed eight RB carries for 10+ yards (second most), I’m OK with betting on Pollard being efficient with the work he gets. Maybe this is a bit spicy, but I’m playing him over Rhamondre Stevenson on Thursday night, one of the breakout players up to this point.
Which Running Backs Should Fantasy Managers Sit in Week 3?
Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos (at TB)
Williams is the lead back in Denver (62.5% snap share last week), I’m just not sure it really matters. He is averaging just 2.1 yards per carry (19 attempts for 40 yards), saving your Week 2 loyalty on the back of five receptions.
Javonte Williams shows poor timing and a lack of vision, missing the hole creating 0 YBC. Because of this, Bo Nix has been asked to throw the ball 3rd most at 77 while also leading the Broncos in rushing for the 2nd week! @LockedOnBroncos pic.twitter.com/MEnGk1q8oY
— OnesNNzeroS (@OnesnnzeroS) September 19, 2024
After two weeks, it has become clear that this is a flawed Broncos offense, which means that all of their roster-able pieces need to show me that they belong in the Flex conversation before I blindly put them there.
Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders (at CIN)
The one-time fantasy god has taken a pretty clear backseat to Robinson through two weeks, but there are some signals that point to Ekeler remaining roster-worthy despite totaling just 17 touches and zero touchdowns up to this point.
On the bright side, Ekeler has caught all seven of his targets and has an explosive reception (20+ yards) in both games of the Daniels era. He was on the field for just 28.6% of red-zone snaps in the season opener, a rate that rose to 44.4% against the Giants.
This offense is going to be clunky as they look to maximize Daniels, and the process requires us to stay patient with that unknown.
Of course, Ekeler has yet to clear a 50% snap share and shouldn’t be considered a true threat to assume the lead role in Washington’s offense. His days as a locked-in asset are long gone, though, outright dismissing isn’t wise either.