Week 15 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings & Tiers: Studs, Sleepers, and Must-Starts (Ep. 1891)

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's up, friends, and welcome into Fantasy pros. This is
the Fantasy Football podcast running Back Ranks. First week of
the playoffs. This is Week fifteen running Back Ranks. I
am Chris Wels, that is Pat Fitzmorrison, Andrew Erickson. We've
got the top thirty six rbs. We're going to be
going through and Fitzie, We're super lucky that we don't
have a bye week, you know, for the most important
running back at least for the first week of the playoffs.

(00:22):
Unless I did see a lot of people starting last
week and that was brutal, But we got everybody back
and we're kind of ready to roll.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Yes, it is nice to have the full arsenal. And
of course I was lucky I made the playoffs in
one league because in Week fourteen I was going against
a team that had Christian McCaffrey on buy and I
beat that team by like five points. Oh yeah, that
was a real greasy entrance into the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
But I will take it.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
That is Sickos. So do you have any good Sickos
stories where Christian McCaffrey was just sitting on a bench,
Erickson or any Sicko playoff entries break any hearts.

Speaker 4 (01:02):
Nothing that I can report that's better than the fit story.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
Okay, it seems like a little heartbreaker, like you beat
somebody by like half a point and just ruin their day.
But we'll hopefully not have any days ruined here. We'll
be going through all these rbs. If you guys want
to follow along, go to fantasypros dot com slash rankings.
That is where ECR is at, even in the playoffs.
It will adjust throughout the week, so make sure to
continuously check it out all the way until kickoff on Sunday.

(01:28):
Let's look at the big board, not wasting any more time,
your top twelve running backs for the week. The aforementioned
Christian McCaffrey coming in at number one versus the Titans
this week. Jamir Gibbs it too, Bjon Robinson at three,
Devon A Chan, Derek Henry, and James Cook. That is
your top six. Jonathan Taylor all the way down at
seven versus Seattle, but obviously quarterback might be into play there.
Bucky Irvings, Sakwan Barkleys, Josh Jacobs, Travis ETN and Chase

(01:52):
Brown Chalk Chalk Chalk. All the players that there aren't
big questions about should there be any questions about Travis Eten.
Though the Jaguars have been awesome, Tooton has loomed, but
Etn continues to roll. He's going up against the Jets
this week. He comes in as running back eleven. Both
of you have got him higher, So eric Son, actually,
why don't you kick us off here? You are the

(02:13):
highest running back eight for you for Travis etm.

Speaker 4 (02:17):
Talked about it on the Prediction Show with Worm earlier
this week. I think Etn is gonna be a top
eight fantasy running back this week, and because the matchup
against the New York Jets is absolutely salivating. Ever since
the traded Quentin Williams, this team has been viscerated by
opposing running backs the last four running backs that they
have faced eight Chan RB eight, and he didn't even
play in the second half of that game. B John

(02:39):
Robinson RB one, Derrick Henry RB four, Trevon Henderson RB three.
So Travis Etn not only is a lockedol loaded RB
one this week, I think he could flirt with number
one RB one overall status on the week in Week fifteen,
especially if they give him as many touches as they
did last week, where he had seventy four rushing yards
and two touchdowns on twenty carries because Bechelle Tuton he

(03:01):
fubbled twice last week, one on the kickoff and one
on one of his carries. So I don't think that
the tug boat is going to be coming for Travis
Etn's job anytime soon, which I'm a big Tooton fan,
but it doesn't look like it's gonna happen here in
week fifteen. And you just cannot deny how good of
a matchup this is for Travis Etn and how well
he has played. Usually Etn has been a guy that

(03:21):
has fallen off in his second half of seasons. That
has not been the case at all. This year. He
has been an absolute heater inside the top ten running
backs six of his last seven games played, including top seven,
and three of his last four games. He's the RB
ten in points per game in his last seven games,
RB eight and expected Fantasy points per games. So I
think ECR is actually slacking here on Etn.

Speaker 1 (03:44):
FITZI do you feel like you're slacking a little bit
on Etn? Only at ten? Do you think he's got
like top five six RB upside this week.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
I think I maybe am slacking and I might have
to look at what Ericson is doing with this rankings here,
because right now I've got ETN directly behind three running
backs who have tough matchups James Cook against the Patriots,
Jonathan Taylor against the Seahawks, Josh Jacobs against the Broncos.
So Etn, I mean you mentioned that Bashl Tuton has loomed,

(04:15):
it's not really looming after the two fumbles. I think
it's a pretty good bet that Etn is gonna have
a workhorse role in Week fifteen against this Jets defense
that's given up the third most fantasy points to running backs.
And look, Etn's had eighteen or more touches in five
of his last six games, and the one miss over
that span was a thirteen touch game. His workload is

(04:36):
pretty safe, especially with Tuton losing his hand on ball
twice last week.

Speaker 1 (04:43):
You know, it's interesting too for this range again not
spending a ton of time obviously on like the big
chalk running backs. Maybe it's not a surprise because we
don't many by weeks, but it's like, man, it looks good.
It's like all the players you kind of expect but
also in this Top twelve, there's really what two bad
maybe yeah, two bad matchups I'm looking at. I guess

(05:04):
maybe three, but two of those three it's like who cares?
And I'm what I'm talking about is Gibbs versus the Rams?
Who cares? It's Jamayr. Gibbs, Jonathan Taylor versus Seattle. I
mean we kind of care because the quarterback played, but
it's Jonathan Taylor, and then the Josh Jacobs one. I
do know there's like some general worry just about you know,

(05:24):
the usage and the Denver Broncos. But you've got like
nine of the twelve Top twelve running backs just with
phenomenal matchups and then only a few questions. This is
just a quick aside I didn't put on the sheet,
But is there any worry at all about Josh Jacobs FITZI.
I've had a couple of people in those live chats
throw out some concerns about just usage the Denver Bronco matchup.

(05:47):
Is there anything that would keep you off of him
if someone had an option of like even a Treveon Henderson,
who will talk about soon, or like a Quinchawn Jutkins
versus the Bears.

Speaker 2 (05:57):
No, just because the Packers are pretty committed to run
the ball, and Jacobs has gotten some usage in the
passing game, not a ton, but enough to you know
how Booye is value a little bit. And the guy
is just one of the most reliable touchdown scores we've
got at the position.

Speaker 1 (06:13):
Yeah, even if like the touches were to go down,
the touch on equity is so high. Same thing ericson,
is there any like hate the matchup, hate the potential
touch usage. Maybe I go with like a slightly lower
upside guy in Henderson, or do you echo what FITZI
was saying.

Speaker 4 (06:28):
I go what Fits is saying. It's not like the
Packers or I'm not projecting them to get shut out
against the Denver bron because I know it's a tough defense.
But Jordan Love is playing really well. They're going to
be able to move the ball. They have a lot
of weapons, and Jacob's just that guy just grinds out
yards even in tougher matchups. So too much touchdown equity,
I think that. Yeah, where he's ranked in the ECR
Lowen Fantasy RB one is spot on.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
Yeah, Well, well there's one other guy I mean the
James Cook matchup against New England is a tough one.
New England's run defense is really good. And the first
time Cook played the Patriots, fifteen carries for forty nine
yards and no catches.

Speaker 3 (07:06):
So he kind of laid nagge in that game.

Speaker 1 (07:08):
That's a good that's a good point. Okay. So I
mean a couple in there that could create. But I
guess the big thing the point is is like the
running backs with the questionable matchups, they're not questionable, and
then all of the other guys are just in these
really phenomenal spots.

Speaker 4 (07:21):
Right.

Speaker 1 (07:21):
We got RB twos with a lot more questions coming up,
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(07:42):
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are thirteen through twenty four. We start with Javonte Williams
coming in at thirteen, Traveon Henderson, Kyron Williams down at fifteen, Quenchehn, Jutkins,
RJ Harvey, Breeshall, Ashton genty, Woody Marks at RB twenty,
Jalen Warren, Rico, Dawdell ken Walker, and A'maron Hampton. I

(08:06):
mentioned Travion Henderson. Ooh, that sneaky Reminder, Stevenson. He just
brought his head back up. He's there again, just poking
around to say, gotcha, he's there. But Trevan Henderson obviously
the most talented player. He is ECR fourteen, which both
are lower than ECR ericson why don't we start with you?
I know you disappointed, you want we want Trevion to

(08:28):
just eat, but reminder is just not going to go away,
and we just have to come to terms with that.
So Travion has to wherever he is ranked or wherever
you put him in, you got to be comfortable with,
like can he dominate in his matchup with twelve to
fourteen touches?

Speaker 3 (08:42):
Right?

Speaker 4 (08:42):
Yep, Yeah, that's kind of the question you're asking as
a fantasy manager because the ninety twenty plus touches is
probably not in his range of outcomes this week with
Remandra Stevenson coming back, and look, the last time we
saw them play, Stevenson was the starter for the Patriot
fifty eight percent of the snaps. Trevin Henderson was down
at forty nine percent against forty nine percent of the

(09:04):
snaps against the New York Giants. But as we've typically
seen this year, Henderson was still more efficient. He averaged
six point one yards per Kerry rushed eleven times for
sixty seven yards, also caught three passes for nineteen yards.
So you're still chasing the upside with Henderson because he's
facing the Buffalo Bills in a game that should be
high scoring. The Patriots know, oh, Josh Allen's come to town.

(09:24):
We need to put up thirty points if we want
to win this game. So how do you do that?
You get the ball to your most explosive playmakers, which
is Travan Henderson and not Romindra Stevenson. So yes, I
think that moving him into the mid RB two range
is appropriate. He's not ranked as a Fantasy RB one
this week, and I think that's accurate. But maybe myself
and Fitz are just giving a little bit more credence

(09:45):
to hell Well, Remandre is going to have some type
of role here, and it's a matter of kind of
like a guessing game with what they do at the
goal line, because the last two games that they've played,
they've done a bunch of different things and nothing has
really been successful. Like two games ago, it was all
Remandre Terrell Jennings. They couldn't convert against the Giants. Henderson
got the goal line carries, he couldn't convert. So don't

(10:05):
exactly know what's going to happen when they get into
the red zone. But you know who has the best
chance of scoring outside the ren zone. It's Trevion Henderson.

Speaker 1 (10:13):
It's you're a little bit more pessimistic on Trevion. You
got him around eighteen, so you know, so that's starting
to get into the realm of like there could be
other possibilities. What's your take on Travion this week?

Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah, just that it seems like a lot of the
rankers who are giving Henderson this ecr of running back
thirteen or are forgetting that the last time we saw
the Patriots before thereby Romandre out snapped Travion thirty eight
to thirty two and out touched him fifteen to fourteen.

Speaker 3 (10:40):
So we don't want this to be a split backfield,
but it's a split backfield.

Speaker 2 (10:45):
And we do like the matchup against the Bills, who
struggle to stop the run. But I just can't get
any higher than mid range RB two for Henderson knowing
that Romandre Stevenson is probably going to get about fifty
percent of the work.

Speaker 1 (11:00):
All right, the next running back we're going to talk about.
This is probably your guys' biggest discrepancy where you guys
are on other ends. Now, the funny thing about it
is you guys are technically still both RB twos on
this guy, but it's almost the complete opposite end. This
player is Breece Hall. Breshall comes in with an ECR
of eighteen usage, their offense, everything is just wild right now,

(11:23):
they're going up against the Jags. Matchup grade is not great.
And this is where you guys are on those opposite ends.
Erickson is all the way down at twenty three, but FITZI,
you're at fifteen.

Speaker 3 (11:32):
So you're our.

Speaker 1 (11:33):
Positive take on Breece Hall this week. So sell us
on the comfortability of starting Bresee Hall.

Speaker 2 (11:39):
It's not that comfortable, and I am going to move
him down to running back seventeen because I don't right now.
With fifteen, I tentatively had him above.

Speaker 3 (11:54):
Let's see Kyen Williams just.

Speaker 2 (11:57):
Because maybe he wasn't getting enough snaps has a tough
matchup against Detroit. But no, I mean, I think Breece
should be behind Kyrone and I think he should probably
be behind R. J. Harvey, even though his matchup against
the Packers isn't that awesome.

Speaker 3 (12:10):
But that's about as far.

Speaker 2 (12:12):
As I can move him. Do we know yet whether
it's gonna be Justin Fields or Brady Cook? Have the
Jets made a decision about that? Like, I know Fields
was inactive last week because of knee soreness, but is
that a real thing or were the Jets just making
an excuse for Fields not to be active in a
game that Tyrod was starting, Like if.

Speaker 1 (12:31):
You're if you're not, if you're not asking that like
as a figurative thing. Yeah, I don't think we have
that information yet. It seems like it's Cook, But you know,
to your point, it could be like, hey, Fields is better,
isn't that crazy? Guys?

Speaker 3 (12:43):
He's so good.

Speaker 4 (12:44):
They also said that like Tarad could play like to like,
we don't know, it could be any three of those. Well,
I'll find out together who the Jets score, right.

Speaker 2 (12:51):
Yeah, Like I would maybe be a little less enthusiastic
if it was Brady Cook, just because at least maybe
Fields with his mobility sort of like opens up some
things in the running game for Hall. Or you know,
obviously Breeze has worked out really well with Tad, So
I do worry that Hall might not get any targets

(13:13):
this week if we have a QB change, and you
know it's going to be challenging for him on the
ground against the Jaguars, who have given up the fewest
rushing yards to running backs of any team.

Speaker 4 (13:22):
In the league.

Speaker 1 (13:23):
Ericson, what do you think? Where are you at? On briefs?

Speaker 2 (13:26):
Hall?

Speaker 1 (13:27):
Because you're on the well, I know you're at You're
at twenty three. You're on the opposite end. So it
kind of sounded from like a positive looking rank compared
to ECR for Fits, it didn't really sound super positive.
That's a little bit more negative where ericson, your rank
is a lot more negative than ECR. So where are
you at?

Speaker 4 (13:43):
Think he feels like a landmine player this week? I
mean last week he was RB forty four after being
the RB sixteen the two weeks prior. He hasn't finished
top six since Week ten against the Browns, so we're
always searching for upside. Does he have opside against the
number one run defense in the NFL with potentially either
a undrafted rookie free agent quarterback or a veteran quarterback

(14:07):
that's injured. Coming off an injury, you could really see
the bottom fallout on Brisol. So I understand that we
need to rank him in that RB two range because
of the snaps that he sees. He's got the belcow workload,
but he's had that basically all year. And again, he
has two top six finishes since Week eight, and one

(14:28):
of those was against the Cincinnati Bengals, so we know
that was a guaranteed to happen. So yeah, I think
that he's really risky this week, especially given the matchup,
given the ambiguity around the quarterbacks and the inconsistency with
the passing game. Even one target last week, right, So
although it seems like okay, we're going in the right direction,
a couple weeks ago, he has four catch for seventy

(14:48):
five yards, just thinking all right, we're involved in the
passing game. Next week, two catches so just too inconsistent
for haul. I am really concerned about him this week.

Speaker 2 (14:58):
Can I I was really negative on that. I mean,
the selling point with Breeze is that over his last
five games he has played more than seventy percent of
the offensive snaps and has averaged about eighteen touches. So
the volume is there to warrant him being an RB two,
I think. But you know, the overall state of the
offense and the matchup are the parts where you get

(15:21):
sweaty palms if you're thinking about starting it.

Speaker 1 (15:24):
I think there are There have been some sweaty palms
around Woody Marx, but Woody Marks not going up against
Kansas City Chiefs offense, going up against Arizona Cardinals this week.
He is ECR RB twenty and both of you find
gentlemen higher than ECR ericson you almost float him as
an RB one. This week you've got him at RB fourteen.
So why don't you kick off Woody Mark's week as

(15:47):
you were going to label it?

Speaker 4 (15:48):
Well, naturally, after burying Woody Marks for last week and
being wrong, I need to reverse course and be all
in on Woody Marks. Look, I don't know if Nick
Chubb is going to play in this game. He has
a I think it was originally ruled as a groin injury,
but then I think they said it was a rib injury.
So he's dealing with some injuries. We don't know if
he's gonna play in this matchup, but if he doesn't play,
it's just gonna be the Winny Mark show. Whether he's

(16:10):
one hundred percent or not. I know he was terrible
on the ground again efficiency wise against the Chiefs. Again,
tough matchup, two point six yards per carry, but he
also had twenty six carries on an eighty seven percent snaphare.
The one time that he missed was he had to
come out of the game, and of course Dariagumawali comes
in and vultures a touchdown on his one snap played
on offense. But Winnie Marks did score a receiving touchdout

(16:31):
earlier in the game, so it didn't hurt fantasy managers
that much. And the matchup the Cardinals are buns guys
against against the run. I mean on defense, this team
is given up, right, they keep losing games. They're checked
out top five matchup for running backs. They just put
another defensive tackle on injury preserve like corm smashed against
them last week. Bucky etn CMC the Seahawks running backs.

(16:52):
Jamonte Williams like, just look at the list of guys
that have faced the Cardinals and they've all smashed. So
the matchup is divined. The workload is I think this
is where the Texas kind of get going here. This
is a team that's trying to make a playoff run.
Their defense is elite. They can play ball control here.
So assuming that Woody Marks is going to be okay,
I know that Seeckey was kind of like a little
bit banged up against the Chiefs, but if he's healthy active,

(17:14):
he's going to see a boatload of touches. And the
matchup is divine.

Speaker 1 (17:19):
A lot of divines. Uh, Fitzy, you've got him at nineteen,
You're just one spot above ECR. This looks like a
pretty positive play for this week. What's your take on him?

Speaker 2 (17:29):
So, yeah, the workload is going to be ample. Although
Darre Gumbo wall I probably is going to play on
passing downs. I would I would think, and maybe maybe
I should have Marx ranked higher based purely on rushing volume.
But the thing is, I just I don't know if
Woody Marks is good, I know Breece Hall is good.

(17:50):
I don't want to rank Woody Marks ahead of Breece Hall,
even though the matchup is so much better. And Woody
Marks had a good matchup a few weeks ago against
the Tight and ran eighteen times for forty four yards,
like Marx has had at least sixteen carries in each
of his last four games, and he topped out at
twenty six last week, season high. And yet Marx has

(18:12):
not had more than seventy four rushing yards in any
game this season, and he's averaging three point five yards
per carry like he's kind of in the Tony Pollard
zone where he's last week, notwithstanding, of course, with Tony
Pollard's huge game, But for most of the season, Tony
Pollard was getting volume, but just empty volume and still
couldn't get to like double digit PPR points. So I'm

(18:36):
not sure that's a zone I really want to be
stuck in. So if I have to play with he Marx,
I'm okay with it. He is kind of a mid
range RB two for me, but he just hasn't really
done anything to get me excited.

Speaker 3 (18:48):
And he's not really contributing as a pass catcher.

Speaker 1 (18:52):
The final running back in this range we're going to
talk about. We're in a space where it's really tough
to like be comfortable with Rico daddle anymore. But even
as like Cuba kind of bounces back up, Rico is
still getting his touches to be fair, even though he
has not had over sixty yards rushing in four straight weeks.

(19:14):
He has had over twenty touches in three of the four,
but he has had in his five last five games.
He has had a declining RB finish from two to
fifteen to twenty to twenty three down to thirty five.
This past week and he had twenty touches with eighteen carries.
Now that was a week thirteen, by the way, by
week they just had. You've got New Orleans, so you've

(19:36):
got like a theoretical, pretty nice matchup on paper. He
comes in as ECR twenty two. You guys are both
a little on the opposite side, Fife. Why don't we
start with you? You have the lower rank of twenty
six as an RB three, he's been getting volume. But
I kind of tend to think I might be with you.
I just don't trust Rico data, it looks like things
are turning in favor of Cuba.

Speaker 2 (19:57):
Yeah, he did get volume twenty two touches in that
upset win over the Rams in week thirteen, which was
the last time we saw the Panthers since they were
on by last week. Chewba Hubbard outsnapped Rico Dowdell thirty
eight to twenty seven in that game, and Rico touched
the ball on seventy four percent of his snaps.

Speaker 3 (20:18):
Which just.

Speaker 2 (20:21):
Maybe that could I don't know if his touch percentage
is going to be seventy four percent again, but the
Panthers are sort of actively trying to hide their quarterback
Bryce Young, so we know they're probably gonna be run
heavy against the Saints this week, and maybe this split,
this snap split can still work for Rico. I just

(20:45):
I think a lot of Rico Dowdell investors are gonna
have tough lineup decisions this week because he is a
very fringy starter. I think when he's getting you know,
outsnapped by eleven to Chewba Hubbard, and maybe Rico has
more snaps than this week, But now I think it's
to the point where Cuba's is sort of back in
this thing, and it's more like a fifty to fifty backfield.

Speaker 1 (21:08):
Yeah, you know, I would say looking at ECR. Erickson.
In my mind, I think it stops at Harvey. Well,
even Harvey's a question against Green Bay. But like you know,
you're feeling like, all right, cool, we're you know, we
know what we're doing. I'm looking asty Judkins at sixteen.
Cool Harvey probably cool. Breeze is like the Breese discussion.

(21:29):
Maybe I even add him because even though I don't
feel comfortable with it, like I do know there's volume,
but my uncomfortability starts Ashton Gent. That's what I just
realized we probably should have talked about. We didn't put
him in here at nineteen against the Eagles A Jalen
Warren about Miami Rico's in here, Like this is a
level where I think questions are really starting to pop
up of like do I trust these guys out there?

(21:51):
And Rico might be the leader of that pack, he
actually might be the worst of all of those players
in like the level of trust I have?

Speaker 4 (21:57):
What say you now, I think that's a really good
way to pose this type of tier is what's my
trust level with some of these guys, and I guess
I asked the same question, but then I also follow
up with, well, what's the upside case if things work
out in my favor for this particular running back? Can
it pan out for me and deliver a week winning

(22:19):
type of performance. We've seen Dowdell be a full blown
workhorse at times this year, whether it's been Chuba back
in the lineup or completely out of the lineup. We've
seen them also in this exact matchup against the New
Orleans Saints earlier in the year. This is a rematch,
seventy eight percent of the snaps, eighteen carries with fifty
three yards in a touchdown, three catches for ten yards,
and three targets. He was RB fifteen on the week,

(22:41):
so we know against the Saints we go doubt it
could be a top fifteen fantasy running back, So I
kind of like buying into that. I still think that
the Panthers are committed to Dowdle as the early down
guy and Tuba Hubbard is a guy they like using
more on passing downs. We look at the Saints third
most rushing yards allowed per game the season running backs
receiving yards allowed to running back, so when you're looking

(23:03):
at the Saints, it looks like it's more of a
Rico Daudtle type of matchup than one for Chewba Hubbard,
whereas two weeks ago, Hubbard was on a heater and
they just rode the hot hand. And despite that, it's
funny because we're talking about kind of burying doubt a
little bit here because of Cuba. He still had eighteen
touches in that game that he was quote unquote buried
against Chuba Hubbard because of how run heavy the Carolina

(23:25):
Panthers were, and in that game against the Saints, the
Panthers had a negative seven percent pass right over expectations.
To fits his point like, Rigo Dada is probably gonna
see enough volume to be a Fantasy RB two and
that's why he's ranked in ECR. He's not a Fantasy
RB one where he's been in previous weeks. So I
think that the ECR is pretty spot on with where
he's being ranked to kind of tempery expectation because of

(23:48):
Chewba Hubbard. But when Rico Daddle gets going, man like
he is a tough guy to stop, the Panthers like
to ride him. And remember he was kind of dealing
with a couple injuries too, popping up on the injury
pore with a shoulder, a calf. Here, they're coming off
a bye week, so if he's fresh and ready to
go against the defense that's been beaten up against the run,
I think Dawdell has a little upside, and that goes
back to the Breeshall conversation. I just I don't believe

(24:10):
in the Breeshall upside this week against the Jags, Whereas Dowdell,
if he gets twenty carres against the Saints, I'm taking
that guy over brees Hall.

Speaker 1 (24:18):
Oh kay, let me ask this then, because we just
got to cover it, because it just completely slipped my
mind as we were doing this. Ashton Genty, Ashton genty
usage and the Eagles versus You can use like rico'daddle
as a comparison here, but my main question is like,
can you start Ashton Genty this week? And Ericson will

(24:38):
start with you on this. You can use the lens
because if you want to use the lens of Rico Daddle,
he is getting, like I said, twenty plus touches in
three of the last four games, even when he's kind
of stunk a little bit. Is Ricodowdle a safer play
than Ashton Genty.

Speaker 4 (24:53):
No, I do not think that he is. And that's
just because, again I talked about the volume with Rico Daudele.
But this game goes South, Saints are up fourteen to nothing.
Crecodoo in the game. No, like there's a chance he's
not in the game, and it's all Chubahavard in passing situations.
Whereas Genty. Look, I get that it's been bad, it's
a disappointing rookie year. But he plays all the snaps.

(25:14):
He sees a ton of targets out of the backfield.
And I'm still not sold on this Eagles defense without
Jalen Carter. Right, They've played three games without him in
the running backs in those games have had pretty solid
fantasy performances. So Genty's gonna see so much volume. Still,
so I lean towards Genty.

Speaker 1 (25:29):
Still, Genty, he has had six or more catches than
three of his last four games. That's just catches. He
has had only fifteen carries in two of those four games.
Here are his last four RB finishes and half PPR.
He does have a five overall RB finish, which is slick,
thirty seven, thirty four, and forty three. Now, mind you

(25:53):
all those catches he's still getting and some of the
volume he's getting and now he's going up against an
Eagles defense. Fits, can you start Ashton J this week?

Speaker 3 (26:02):
You can?

Speaker 2 (26:03):
And I think you would have to count on receiving
production like that. That is what you're hanging your hat
on if you're starting him because over.

Speaker 1 (26:13):
His Rico or him.

Speaker 2 (26:16):
I'm starting Genty just because of the snapchair thing. Terrifies
me with Rico, Like if he doesn't get touches on
seventy four percent of his snaps, like he could easily
finish with just a dozen or fewer touches, and like
Ericson said, if the game script goes south on him. So,
I mean it's it's terrifying with Genty because that offensive

(26:40):
line is so hideous. Eight straight games for Ashton Genty
of averaging three point five or fewer yards per carry,
eight straight games going.

Speaker 3 (26:49):
Back to like early October. That's brutal. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (26:54):
And by the way, every game but one prior to that,
he had been like pretty well over it. They're six
and I mean may not well, but you know, he
had continuously gone over that. So that's my worry is
he wasn't able to do it against the Dallas Cowboys,
he didn't do it against the Chargers, he didn't do
it against Denver, And now you're going to go up
against this Eagles defense that has been more susceptible but hungry,

(27:17):
and the team moves away from Gent even after changing
coordinators and stuff like, once they're behind, which they assuredly
will be, they just kind of move away from Gent.
So I guess he feels a little landmining to me
this week. All right, we've got the final set of
running backs. These are like the RB threes twenty five
through thirty six. But this is your chance to dominate

(27:39):
your fantasy football league with Fantasy Pros Premium available for
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You could get this for the playoffs. You could have
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(28:01):
and sign back up for next year. For the full season,
Baby all Right. RV's twenty five through thirty six. Devin
Neil comes in at twenty five, followed by DeAndre Swift,
Aaron Jones, Chris Rodriguez, Kyle Manangai, and Tyrone Tracy. At
thirty thirty one through thirty six is Tony Pollard, Chuba Hubbard,
Devin Singletary, Kareem Hunt, Blake Korum, and David Montgomery. Oh,

(28:21):
Chris Rodriguez. Lots of Chris Rodriguez questions coming up this week,
and this is another one of those instances. You guys
are on the opposite ends. He is ECR twenty eight
fits a. You are the negative case on Chris Rodriguez.
You do not have him as a RV three even
at thirty seven. And though this is a fantastic matchup
against the Giants, I just hate this triad of running

(28:45):
backs and ten carries. It's like he will have to
get the touchdown to be able to recreate the value.
But you tell us you are negative on Chris Rodriguez,
and I'm going to probably join you.

Speaker 3 (28:55):
That's it.

Speaker 2 (28:56):
Well, shut I know the Giants are terrible against the run.
They're giving up six point one yards per carry to
running backs. But look, Chris Rodriguez has had more than
twelve carries in a game once this season.

Speaker 3 (29:09):
He had a fifteen carry game.

Speaker 2 (29:11):
Otherwise, we're talking about a guy who's been getting ten
to twelve carries a game and doesn't catch any passes
at all. Two targets the entire season, one six yard reception.
If Chris Rodriguez doesn't score a touchdown, you are not
going to get your money's worth out of him. And
it's not like we have gotten a deluge of touchdowns

(29:31):
he has for this season, three in his last five games.
I just I find this profile utterly unappealing and do
not want to start him in a playoff game.

Speaker 1 (29:42):
Ericson, you are a little bit on the opposite end though,
You're just at ECR I suppose, but you definitely you're
You're the take that like he could be some flex
startable asset. But what's your take on Chris Rodriguez.

Speaker 4 (29:55):
I just think he's going to score a touchdown this week.
The Giants thirty second in red zone rushing defense this year,
and Chris Ardriguez has seen goal on carries every single week,
even last week against the Vikings, and just fell short
of the end zone. The Commanders actually didn't even end
up scoring. They went for a fourth down and it
was incomplete. So I just think that he's gonna find

(30:18):
the end zone this week. And that doesn't mean he's
going to be a top twelve running back. It means
he's probably gonna be around RB twenty nine, which is
where I have him NCR and where I have him ranked.

Speaker 2 (30:26):
So bet him for it any time touchdown, but do
not start him in your fantasy matchup.

Speaker 3 (30:31):
Got it? Yeah, I got it? Got it? Got it?

Speaker 1 (30:33):
I mean, yeah, I got it all right, RB thirty
one on this list, Tony Pollard. Tony Pollard comes in,
you guys, are you know? Both in the general vicinities
going up against the San Francisco forty nine ers, whose
defense has been definitely susceptible. They pounded the rock with
Tony Pollard and that last one. Ericson, you've got him
at thirty fifth, you got him at thirty three. Ericson,

(30:54):
let's get the positive ish case. You've got him, you
actually have him one spot lower than Chris Rodriguez. I might,
I might think I go Tony Pollard over Chris Rodriguez.
Here just for some of the volume play because you're
you're betting one thing on Rodriguez, but what say you
ericson Tony Pollard?

Speaker 4 (31:10):
Feels like such a sucker play this week where we
have this guy buried in the low thirties, sometimes behind
Tajy Spears, and then he just bowls up for this
career game against the Cleveland Browns, a matchup that we
didn't necessarily like on paper. Now you have him going
on the road against the forty nine ers as nearly
two touchdown underdogs. It's pretty easy to see how things

(31:32):
can go south for Tony Pollark. And talking about Chris Rodriguez,
he didn't catch pass as well. Tony Pollard's not the
preferred pass catching back. Tajy Spears led the team in
receiving yards last week. So although Pollard is not a
total zero like rodriguezz as a receiver out of the back,
but he will catch some passes. This feels so this
is like the quintessential point Chasey type of play. We're
all and now you got a fire of Tony Pollard

(31:53):
because he had a career game and nobody started him
last week. So that's what concerns me about him this week,
and I was trying to move him up because I
think everybody when they did the rankings this week, they
scrolled down to find Tony Pollard, like, oh, gotta move
this guy way up after you had a monster game,
and that feels dangerous to me. So the forty nine
ers coming off of bye week, but you know, we

(32:13):
know their defense has been banged up. I do think
that because he's coming off such a great game, that
the coaching staff is going to look at that and think, okay,
let's get Tony part involved. I think that he is
safer from a touch projection, but I don't know. I
don't feel good about him really and RB thirty that's
really not and stilling confidence of a guy coming off
the career game, right, that's just oh, we got to
move him up because we have to move him up.

Speaker 3 (32:36):
Yeah, I get. I don't know.

Speaker 1 (32:37):
I'm going to push back a little bit like I'm
not so sure, Like if you're talking about Tony Pollard
over Woody Marx, then yeah, I think you are chasing
last week's production. But I mean ACRS only pushed him
up to thirty. He's a barely a flex play wide
receivers are going to still play over him. I think
if you're in a desperate situation, Tony Pollard has maybe
more upside because of potential volume than even Chris Rodriguez,

(33:00):
because we said Chris Rodriguez has no receiving upside whatsoever.
He doesn't have volume upside. He literally has touchdown equity, which,
by the way, Mariota is going to be in there
and runs a little bit as well. So I mean,
Tony probably got twenty five touches last week. The forty
Ninreds have absolutely no stop on the defensive line, and
if at least early on in the game, there's one

(33:20):
way the Titans are going to try to keep in
this and you just control the clock. And how do
you do that You run the ball against a team
that you can. So I kind of push back that
Tony Pollard's like a suckers play unless you think, like,
oh my god, he's got to be an RV two
this week. It's like, yeah, no, absolutely not. But like
he said, I think he's an okay flex play. But FITZI,
what do you think I think you are? You're actually

(33:41):
all of that. You're you're lower than ericson on that.
But you were kind of shaking your head that maybe
there's some agreement with me.

Speaker 2 (33:47):
Yeah, I agree that I'd start up ahead of Chris Rodriguez.
That's what I can move ahead Chris Rodriguez.

Speaker 4 (33:54):
I will, I will capitulate with Rodriguez.

Speaker 2 (33:59):
But yeah, Ericson I painted this pretty pessimistic portrait of
Tony Pollard, and I'm lower on Pollard than Ericson is,
and I kind of just want to proceed as if
last week's Tony Pollard game didn't happen, and probably safe
take it from someone who drafted Tony Pollard in too
many leagues because of the TAIJ. Spears injury at the

(34:19):
beginning of the season and thinking like, hey, he's going
to get this nice four game runway with Spears on IR.
And then last week was really the first time all
season that Tony Pollard has done anything with heavy volume.
Before last week, Pollard was averaging fourteen point eight touches
a game this season, and yet he was averaging seven

(34:40):
point nine half point PPR Fantasy points per game, and
there had only been two games in which he scored
more than nine point two points in half point PPR,
and then last week had twenty five carries for one
hundred and sixty two yards and two touchdowns against the Browns,
who on a couple of those long well, I know
the first long touchdown run was just like Keystone Cops

(35:01):
with Brown's tacklers falling down and just not wanting to
stop Tony Pollard from getting to the end zone.

Speaker 3 (35:08):
I don't want to chase last week's.

Speaker 2 (35:09):
Points here, so I would have to be really really
desperate to start Tony Pollard.

Speaker 1 (35:16):
I want to.

Speaker 4 (35:17):
I want to add one other thing, because well, you're
in my ear a little bit here with I'm probably
gonna have to. So I moved Tony Pollard ahead Chris Rodriguez,
so I've could let's go with that with that ranking
because I think to your point, Pollard has more outs
and his profile, whereas Rodriguez is touched out or Russ
even though Stone Cold lock anytime touchdown for Sea Rod

(35:37):
is happening this week.

Speaker 1 (35:39):
Check out the bet Betting Pro Show apparently.

Speaker 4 (35:41):
Betting Pro Show. Pollard against the Jaguars two weeks ago
actually did look pretty good in that game too. He
was averaging six yards of carry. He was actually on
a tear on the opening drive, but as it happens
in Titans games. They got blown out and he becomes irrelevant.
So a lot of this has to do with game script.
The Titans played with the lead last week against the
Cleveland Browns. Now, going back to if Vegas is right

(36:03):
about this game and the forty nine ers are blowing
them out, that's how you run to issues with Tony Pollard. However,
looking back at some of these forty nine ers matchups,
and I think welsheron't remember what show you talked about it.
You know, brock Perty's not coming off the best game
ever if they don't blow out the Titans at home
where they tend to be kind of overvalued against the spread. Anyway,

(36:24):
maybe this is more of a touchdown game and not
a two touchdown game where the Titans can actually feed
Tony Pollard. So again kind of spinning a positive towards
Pollard here as well. So again opened up as a
suckers play. Maybe I'm just a sucker that's falling for it.

Speaker 1 (36:37):
So it's a good breakdown. It made me laugh too though,
when FITZI said, as someone that drafted him to be fair,
I have zero shares of Tony, right, I don't have.

Speaker 4 (36:46):
That yeah, talk about him.

Speaker 1 (36:48):
So I'm like, what are you guys talking about? This
looks pretty cool? Like if I had him, I don't
have him anywhere. Last one, I actually want to turn
this into a little bit of a versus because this
is just an interesting one. Devin Singletary comes in as
RB thirty three on this list, going up against Washington.
Really good matchup. But I was staring at Blake Koram
out there at thirty five, and we kind of know

(37:09):
exactly who he is. His usage, he keeps dominating. He's
got Detroit this week, and I just want to turn
this into a versus because you guys are both on
opposite ends of Devin Singletary fits. You're at thirty ericson
you're at forty. So this is startable to not startable.
Welcome to do your Devin Singletary take on it, but
I also want to in the lens of versus Blake Koram,

(37:31):
So FITZI, why don't we start with you? You are
kind of a positive on Devin Singletary, so put that
sell in there, and how does that compare versus Blake Korm.

Speaker 2 (37:39):
So I've got Devin Singletary RB thirty but I have
him one spot behind Blake Koram and RB twenty nine,
so yeah, similar.

Speaker 3 (37:49):
Usage out looks. I want to go with the guy
who's in.

Speaker 2 (37:51):
The far superior offense with Blake Koram. But as for Singletary,
the positive case I think is that he split work
with Tyrone Tracy when we last saw the Giants in
week thirteen, and Tyrone Tracy injured his hip in that game.
Apparently Tracy's fine and he's expected to play this week.
But I think Singletary is a better fantasy option than

(38:14):
Tyrone Tracy and the matchup against the Commanders is a
good one. Washington has allowed the fifth most rushing yards
and fifth most fantasy points to running backs. But here
are Devin Singletary's carry totals in the three games since
the Giants fired Brian Dable and made Mike Kafka their
interim head coach sixteen fourteen twelve, and in that last

(38:37):
game he added three catches for thirty four yards. So
it seems like Kafka wants to use Devin Singletary and
keep him involved in the offense and in a good matchup.

Speaker 1 (38:46):
I think he's flexworthy, So Erekon, you are much lower
on Devin Singletary. That has been that like Tyrone Tracy
versus Singletary thing by Devin Singletary versus Blake Korman this
as well.

Speaker 4 (38:58):
I need to know what Tracy's injury statuses because Mike
Kafka talked about earlier this week that they still want
to see him in the training room and how he's
doing in rehab. Usually you don't refer to someone in
rehab injuries when it comes to a guy that says
he's fine. So I need to get more injury information
before I can make a differentess statement on how I

(39:18):
feel about the Giants running backs, and that also relates
to Blake orm Yeah.

Speaker 3 (39:23):
Just to be clear, i'm ranking.

Speaker 2 (39:24):
I am ranking Singletary as if Tracy is playing, Like
I still feel like Singletary is very playable even if
Tracy plays.

Speaker 1 (39:32):
Is your rank ericson currently a forty that Tracy is
going to play?

Speaker 4 (39:36):
Yes, but that's without restriction, Like that's Oh, I'm fine,
I'm not on the injury report.

Speaker 1 (39:41):
Oh okay, that's fine. It doesn't sounder under that circumstance.
Korm over Tracy.

Speaker 4 (39:46):
Yes, or excuse me, com over Singletary.

Speaker 1 (39:49):
Oh yeah, I'm sorry, Qorm over Singletary. So then if
Tracy does not play and it is Singletary, and or
if Tracy is in some limited capacity, Singletary.

Speaker 4 (39:58):
Or Korm, Singletary over Korn. Okay, if it's Singletary's backfield, yeah, perfect.

Speaker 1 (40:03):
Korm is going to be just a popular conversation piece.
But I think Singletary in this situation as well. A
lot of RBS we covered. There could still be a
lot more questions. So if we didn't get to something
that you might have, check out the Start and Sit
live stream on our YouTube channel. You can come and
ask whatever specific start and Sit questions you have. A
Thursday three pm Eastern. If you're on the pod YouTube
dot com slash Fantasy pro subscribe, click the notdies, get

(40:26):
in there, Get in those live streams while we still
got them. That is it Week fifteen RBS in the
books for Ericson and Pat Fitzmorris. I'm Chris Welsh. Good luck.
We'll talk to you next time right here on Fantasy Pros.

Speaker 2 (40:37):
Thanks for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Football Podcast.

Speaker 1 (40:40):
If you love the show, the best freeway to support
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Episode Transcript

Hosts And Creators

Andrew Erickson

Joe Pisapia

Derek Brown

Thor Nystrom

Ryan Wormeli

Pat Fitzmaurice

Matthew Freedman

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Week 15 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings & Tiers: Studs, Sleepers, and Must-Starts (Ep. 1891)