Fantasy Football RB Report: De'Von Achane, James Conner injuries create openings
Fantasy football managers are a resilient bunch. As Bruce Lee said to be water, those who play this wonderful game can go from feeling great to needing to overhaul major spots on a roster in the time it takes Adam Schefter to tweet.
Think of how people with De’Von Achane and Justin Jefferson were feeling on Sunday. Jefferson looked on his way to a top-three wide receiver season, if not the WR1 overall. Achane was breaking the game, averaging an unconscionable 12.1 yards per carry. Anthony Richardson was giving people visions of top-five QB weeks with Jonathan Taylor set to join the active roster. Even James Conner was tied for third with 318 rushing yards going into play that day.
Now there’s the Coping Corner to help deal.
As of this writing, Jefferson, Achane, Richardson and Conner are headed to the IR, set to miss at least the next four weeks with injuries. And fantasy managers must react to these and other happenings around the NFL.
Time to help those fantasy managers out with updates on some of the toughest backfields to figure out.
Miami Dolphins
The news hit like an anvil to Wile E. Coyote. De’Von Achane, the running back phenom who was second in the league with 460 rushing yards even though he essentially missed the first two games, had suffered a knee injury in the 31-16 victory over the Giants in Week 5. With Achane headed to the IR, what is going to happen with this backfield that resembled more of a track team than a football squad?
The natural impulse is to look at the first couple weeks of the season, when Raheem Mostert was on the field for 92 of 126 total offensive snaps for Miami. In Week 2 against the Patriots, Mostert had 18 carries for 121 yards and two touchdowns to finish as the RB3 on the week.
A partial wrench in that bell-cow-back plan is Jeff Wilson Jr. possibly returning from IR. If Wilson is activated, expect him to get a share of the workload, with Mostert still operating as the touch leader. Even with Achane active, Mostert had double-digit touches the past three weeks. Wilson’s attempts could climb if Achane’s injury absence lingers for multiple weeks. Carolina is No. 29 in fantasy points allowed to running backs, so fire up Mostert in fantasy lineups.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have scored three points in the past two games … and allowed 72 points in that span. This is not a typo. Things are not well in New England. Mac Jones has been pulled from multiple games. Kendrick Bourne leads the Patriots with fewer receiving yards through five games (218) as DJ Moore had in Week 5 alone (230).
The backfield has given fits to fantasy managers who thought that drafting Rhamondre Stevenson in the third round was a bargain (*raises hand*). This is a running back who had 1,461 total yards and 69 receptions, good for the RB11 on the 2022 season.
With 275 total yards through five games, Stevenson is the RB27, three spots behind undrafted free agent Jaleel McLaughlin. Again, not a typo.
The past two games, Stevenson has split the touches very evenly with Ezekiel Elliott. Stevenson has the advantage in snap count (61-45), rush attempts (22-14) and routes run (32-25). Stevenson also has the advantage in targets (7-4). However, it’s getting hard to watch this team on a weekly basis. There is no true threat in the receiving game, and Jones has struggled. Defenses can key on limiting the running game, which has held Stevenson to 64 total yards and Elliott to 60 in the past two games.
Las Vegas is 22nd in fantasy points allowed to running backs, so that kind of matchup could be enticing to fantasy managers with Stevenson. Elliott might be a boom-bust play based on injuries. If it doesn’t happen against the Raiders, it might not happen at all for either of these Patriots running backs. Fantasy benches are waiting for these two if they don’t perform this week.
Buffalo Bills
What happened to the pleasantly surprising workload that James Cook was getting? After rushing for 98 yards in Week 3, Cook has become more of a missing person than anything resembling a bell-cow running back. In the past two games, Cook has just 106 total yards. This is far from the breakout performance many were predicting for this sophomore runner.
Cook is the best bet to lead Buffalo backfield, but his utilization the past two games cannot be forgotten. Even without discussing touches, he led the team with 57 snaps, which was more than Latavius Murray and Damien Harris had combined (52). If there is a get-right game on the horizon, it’s the Bills’ date with the Giants in Week 6, who are 30th with 757 rushing yards allowed and 23rd against the running back position.
Minnesota Vikings
The hamstring injury to Justin Jefferson has put a cloud over the Vikings. The question is, will head coach Kevin O’Connell look to the running game for answers during Jefferson’s absence? If so, a closer look needs to be paid to how the backfield dynamic is forming between Alexander Mattison and Cam Akers.
In the first game after Akers was traded to Minnesota, Mattison handled 18 opportunities to seven for Akers. Last week, Akers matched his previous total, while Mattison’s touches dwindled to 10 in a 27-20 loss to the Chiefs. While the box score says the two backs were fairly even, Mattison was on the field for 36 snaps to 19 for Akers. Neither rusher got an attempt inside the five-yard line, so there’s no indication who might get the most important carries.
The Bears and their 31st-ranked defense allowing 27.1 fantasy points per game to running backs are next, so one or both of these backs is going to get some work. With Mattison having the longer tenure with the coaching staff, he’s the better bet to get more carries in a great spot. Akers’ snaps and touches, though, need to be monitored. If he continues to gain on Mattison, Akers could become a target for a trade or pickup in shallower leagues.
For now, if you roster him, he’s a hold. In tough matchups, this backfield could mean sits for both backs.
Baltimore Ravens
A trip across the pond takes the Ravens and their merry band of running backs without a clearly defined leader to London for a date with the Titans. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill have essentially shared the backfield since J.K. Dobbins was hurt in Week 1. Taking a look at the barroom brawl the Ravens had with the Steelers last week is a good indication of how this backfield is running.
Hill was on the field for 37 snaps to 29 for Edwards, with Hill running twice as many routes as his running mate, 16-8. Hill caught four balls for 13 yards, which was in addition to the 32 yards on seven carries and a touchdown. Edwards did not see a target, but he remains the larger back for short-yardage situations. If there’s a back to start this week it’s Hill because of the upside in the passing game.
While Tennessee was gashed for 165 rushing yards by Zack Moss last week, it was the first 100-yard rusher this defense has allowed since Week 1 of 2022. Even with the big Moss performance, the Titans are 15th with 16.7 fantasy points per game to running backs.
One quick aside about preseason standout Keaton Mitchell. There has been a lot of chatter to pick him up off waiver wires. While his previous efforts are to be appreciated, he has yet to be activated off IR. Until that happens, he’s just a bench stash who can be cut to fill another need that might arise.
Quick Hits
Here are some teams we’ve covered before, to give quick status checks:
Carolina Panthers
Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard are sharing the snaps, rush attempts, routes run and targets almost evenly. Up next are the Dolphins and a negative game script, so staying away is a good idea, especially with Sanders being removed from practice on Wednesday with an apparent shoulder injury.
Arizona Cardinals
James Conner just went on IR, and Keaontay Ingram has been inactive the past two games with a neck injury. Fire up Emari Demercado, whom Andy Behrens recommended here.
Chicago Bears
Khalil Herbert is expected to miss multiple weeks, so assuming Roschon Johnson has enough time to clear the concussion protocol, the rookie from Texas could be looking at a big opportunity against the Vikings.
New York Giants
Eric Gray led the Giants in rush attempts (12) and yards (25), though that could mean nothing if Saquon Barkley returns to the active roster from an ankle injury.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Joshua Kelley era seems to be over, as Austin Ekeler is 99% sure he’s returning to the lineup this week. Kelley is at best a stash, in case he gets some carries as Ekeler’s sidekick. Don’t overthink whether to start Ekeler.
