Welcome to Week 11 #NerdHerd!! Dennis Bennett here. Week 10 did not go as planned. After an impressive 3-1 in Week 9, I went an unimpressive 0-4 on my calls in Week 10. That drops me to 5 hits, 6 misses, and 1 push. I’ll get back on track this week.
There are a few weeks left in the fantasy regular season. Are you jockeying for playoff seeding? Maybe you are trying to get into that last playoff spot. Or you are trying to avoid a last place punishment. Whatever your current situation, I am here to help with the running back start/sit questions.
Be sure to follow our other start/sit articles and authors; they contain great advice to help you each week.
Changing the Call (QB): Mike Hicks
The Cutback (RB): Jake Oliver
Slant Pattern (WR): Tristan Cook
12 Formation (TE): Steven Pintado
Flex on ‘Em (FLEX): Evan Brown
IDP Start/Sit (IDP): Jon Glosser
There is one thing I want to note. For this article and every running back start/sit article I write, I won’t include players like Christian McCaffrey or Austin Ekeler. These are apparent starts so long as they aren’t on bye or injured. If you don’t start them, well, you’re a Taco. I’ll be focusing on players who are a bit harder to decide whether to start or what to expect from them. All scoring in this article series will be PPR. All stats/RB# number finishes come from FantasyPros. So, let’s make this a great season as we watch over 200+ games of NFL football. It’s back! Good luck with this dynasty fantasy football season.
The Recap
My dad used to say, ‘Den, sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you.’ Well, after getting the bear in Week 9 with a 3-1 week, the bear got me with an 0-4 week in Week 10.
Let’s recap that Week 10 mess.
Miss
Rachaad White RB13, sit, finished RB11 miss
White continued his inefficient ways on the ground with 20 carries for 51 yards and, as expected, caught just two passes. Unfortunately for my call, White took one of the passes 43 yards for a touchdown.
James Conner RB26, start, finished RB35 miss
Conner averaged three targets per game with Kyler Murray in 2022 and two targets per game with Joshua Dobbs this season. Conner (and all running backs) garnered a big fat zero targets in Week 10. He was good on the ground in his return, going 16 carries for 76 yards, but the quarterbacks vultured the touchdowns.
Gus Edwards RB31, start, finished RB31 miss
The touchdown streak continued for Edwards, but it wasn’t enough vs. a stiff Cleveland Browns defense. Edwards doubled up the other running backs carry totals but managed just 24 yards. There was no long touchdown catch to save the day in Week 10, with just 1 catch for 4 yards.
James Cook RB20, start, finished RB23 miss
After an early turnover, Cook went on to put up 109 yards on 12 carries and caught 2 passes for 11 yards. He put up 12 ppr points, but I expected more against a porous Broncos defense.
Start: Saquon Barkley, Giants, RB14
Welcome to the show, the only show in town. The Giants have been besieged by injuries and inept offensive line play in 2023. Saquon Barkley is the last man standing in the Giants offense. The Commanders give up the eighth-most receiving yards to running backs and the 13th-most rush yards to running backs. It won’t be pretty, but the one-man-show should be able to creep into an RB1 finish on volume.
Start: Raheem Mostert, Dolphins, RB16
So, America’s Sweetheart, De’Von Achane, returns to the explosive Miami Dolphins offense this week. We are all excited to put the explosive and uber-talented Achane back into our lineups. I believe Achane will have a good game. I also believe that the hapless Raiders will not keep this game close. That will lead to Mostert piling up some high snap/carry numbers. Look for Mostert to pop into the back-end RB1 spot in Week 11.
Start: Darrell Henderson, Rams, RB27
The Rams have a +32% running back matchup vs. the Seattle Seahawks today. Darrell Henderson has been a pleasant surprise since getting off his couch in Week 7. Henderson is RB25 over his last three games. The Rams are getting Matthew Stafford back, which will open up the offense. Look for Henderson to finish mid-high RB2 in what might be his last hurrah before the return of Kyren Williams.
Sit: Kenneth Walker, Seahawks, RB11
After a couple of down weeks, The Bouncer put up 19.7 points in Week 10. That was buoyed by a 64-yard touchdown pass. Walker has been out snapped by Zach Charbonnet for the last three weeks. And while I don’t see a ‘changing of the guard’ scenario, I do think Charbonnet continues to eat into Walker’s snaps with his more well-rounded skillset. I have Walker checking in as bottom-half RB2 this week.
Good luck this week with your running back start/sit dilemmas!
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