Week 16 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings & Tiers: Studs, Sleepers, and Must-Starts (Ep. 1905)

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello friends, Welcome into Fantasy Pros, the Fantasy Football Podcast.
This is the week sixteen your semifinals matchup RB ranks.
I'm Chris Welsh. We got Pat Fitzmorris Andrew Rickson here
as we are going to be going through the top
thirty six at the position. What are the big plays?
What are the big questions? Hopefully we've got you guys covered.
You guys want to follow along, go to fantasypros dot

(00:21):
com slash rankings as it adjusts throughout the week. Game
schedules a little bit different this week. Ericson how many
big running back decisions do you have in your playoff
matchups this week? How many playoff matchups do you have?
And are there any big questionable rbs.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Not On the RB front, I think that I'm in
a pretty good spot in most cases. Actually, there is
one league where my RB one all year has been
Breese Hall and somehow we ended up getting to the semifinals.
This was the same league I mentioned on the Wide
Receiver show. I started Jakoi, Krosky Merrett over Breese Hall
and I'm being a good decision. So this one I'm

(00:59):
kind of scraping by and if the chips follow my
favor might be starting object estimate in that league, So
we'll see. I thank you.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
I was about to say, yeah, we got to see
how that shakes out injury wise. Estimate definitely might be
the Bill Krosky of this week as like a late
jump in RB that you're gonna deal with. My main
takeaway for doing that little bit, FITZI was kind of like,
doesn't it feel good to just not have questions around
running back? Just think about that during the draft season
next year where it's like wide receiver, wide receiver, But
it does serve feel nice when you can nail the

(01:31):
RB position and you've got depth and you just don't
have big, major questions. It feels to me it's actually
like a little bit more comforting than wide receiver because
there's just so much depth and so many players you
could have picked off with the wire that now have
like startability.

Speaker 3 (01:45):
Yeah, and there are some really interesting potential recent acquisitions
who are startaball this week, like Michael Carter for instance,
who I know we're going to talk about who I'm
considering starting over Omarion Hampton in one of my playoffs fleagues,
And yeah, I've got I've got some interesting choices this week, Like,

(02:06):
depending on how I feel about Jalen Waddle and depending
on Drake London comes back. In a league where we
have a lot of flexibility, I might be considering either,
Oh Lord help me, Tony Pollard or Kyle Manungai.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
And Tony Pollard there Eric so.

Speaker 3 (02:22):
Tony Pollard who just like disappointed me so much in
the early weeks of the season.

Speaker 1 (02:28):
I had to fight for Tony Pollard last week me,
Why am I fighting for Tony Pody?

Speaker 2 (02:32):
You were right, he outscore Chris Rodriguez, Crossky Marriot, not
not Bill because Bill was the dude.

Speaker 1 (02:38):
But and he hit that hundred marker Tony did again.
It would be very funny, like looking back and it's like,
you know, your big decisions after having all these great
running backs, and it's like, oh, drafted Breeze Hall and
I drafted Ashton Genty and you're like, well, I'm starting
Audric Estime and Bill Krofsky Merrit. That's what I'm going
in for, and I might flex, you know whatever, dumbed

(02:59):
Michael Carter. Michael Carter's my flex. That's what you're dealing
with in this week sixteen. But we're going to talk
about it. We can just keep going on about it.
We'll have talked about the actual ranks this week. As
I mentioned Fantasypros dot Com slash rankings, they're going to
just throughout the week. Make sure you're following there or
you can just do it to follow along in this episode.
But let's get to the big board, your top twelve
running backs for the week. It starts with Bijon Robinson
going against Cardinals five star matchup. Only one in the

(03:22):
top twelve here, it's Bijon, Devon h Chan, Jamior Gibbs,
Christian McCaffrey, James Cook, and Saquon Barkley. Pretty chocky there
in the top six, followed by Jonathan Taylor, Josh Jacobs,
Travis Et and Bucky Irving, Derek Henry and Trevion Henderson.
Derek Henry falling down the board slightly this week. He's
going against the New England Patriots, probably one of the
worst matchups on this Ericson, you're the high guy. You've

(03:45):
got him at RB seven versus FITZI, who's at twelve.
That's kind of a representation of like, no matter what,
you're probably not starting him, but seven. You're really like
pounding the table ericson for Derrick Henry this week.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
Yeah, that's because the Patriots run defence is not a
bad matchup. Since they lost Milton Williams, this run defense
has been bad. Dare I say, buns, this is what
this defense has been like against the run, just like
the Arizona Cardinals. So when you look at the defensive
injuries and how it's impacted how this run defense has

(04:19):
performed first nine weeks of the season, no running back
had gone over fifty rushing yards against the Patriots since
week basically after that point, they've allowed at least one
fifty yard rusher in every single game since they've lost
Milton Williams. Robert Splane, one of their key linebackers. He
didn't play at all against the buffal Bills. We just

(04:40):
saw James Cook was RB one on the week, and
now we're viewing it ah Patriots tough matchup for Derrick
Henry when we just saw the RB one finish against
the so called New England Patriots impervious run defense. So
Derrick Henry has been really productive over the last coup.
He is ninety four plus rushing yards back to back games,
hasn't scored a touchdown, which has been the reason why

(05:00):
he's been kept out of the top ten, but before
that three straight top ten finishes. So I'm trying to
wrap my mind around how Derek Henry's not a top
ten running back this week and if the Patriots aren't
getting Milton Williams back, I think he's gonna be a
top ten guy. And I got him at RB seven
because I think I'm bullish on him.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
Let me ask you this, Derrick Henry or Travis Etien,
no tootin anymore? Etan just went out, did you see
my tweet? By the way, it's my favorite thing all
season of Debro. Debro's like, and by the way, number
one rankor greatest on the planet, our best friend. But
Debro's crying, He's like, look at all these touchdowns? No Eatan,
And then I went under. I went A few moments later,

(05:40):
Etian scores three touchdowns after he complains about it, and
Etan's a dude, but he's got a tougher matchup this
week against the Denver Broncos. Who do you like? Etan
or Derrek Henry Moore?

Speaker 2 (05:50):
Derrick Henry slightly slightly yep, so they're close.

Speaker 1 (05:54):
Okay, yeah, fits, you can do the same thing on
the Et and Derek Henry front, just to get a
little Etan talk in there. But you and you are lower,
so it'll be interesting. You've got Derek Henry at twelve,
so little bit maybe more concern, not that it probably matters,
but talk to us on Derrick Henry and the versus
Travis Et inside.

Speaker 3 (06:11):
Right now, it's CTN for me. But Erickson mentioned Milton
Williams and Robert Spulaine. I think the Patriots are expected
to get Spulaine back this week, and he was active
last week but just didn't play.

Speaker 4 (06:25):
And Splaine is fantastic against the run.

Speaker 3 (06:28):
I think he has one of the highest, if not
the highest run stopping grade of any linebacker on PFF.
So yeah, without Milton Williams and Spallain last week, James
Cook ran wild And if Spalain is out this week,
I'm gonna move up Derrick Henry. But all right, right now,
like my biggest concern is that the Ravens just aren't

(06:50):
scoring a lot of points. They scored twenty four against
the Bengals that last week. That was actually the most
points the Ravens have scored in a game since November ninth.
They haven't scored thirty points in a game since before Halloween.
I can live with the lack of receiving production from
Derrick Henry if he's playing in an offense that's scoring
a lot of touchdowns, because presumably he is going to

(07:11):
be getting a.

Speaker 4 (07:11):
Lot of those touchdowns.

Speaker 3 (07:13):
And Derek Henry had eighteen touchdowns last year, better than
one per game. He scored ten and fourteen games this season,
and he got two of them in the season opener,
So he's just not scoring touchdowns at the same rate,
and that's my concern.

Speaker 1 (07:28):
RB two, Well, the second RB we're going to talk
about on this list is the RB twelve. Here there
is a snap issue still hilariously with Traveon Henderson, but
snaps be damned. Travion Henderson just rolls, he eats, and
he balled out last week. But it is something you've
got to pay attention to if you like the matchup
a little bit less because Remindra, Stevenson is just not

(07:50):
going away. So there's like, you know, slight caps, but
we are beyond where that needs to maybe be like
a major thing. Fits you've got him at eleven. So
you've got Trevion Henderson over Derrick Henry this week ECR twelve.
What do you think about any potential snap issues or
is Trevion Henderson just completely above all of that stuff
now because of how explosive he is.

Speaker 3 (08:11):
I think I worried too much about the snap issues
last week, which is why I had Traveon Henderson ranked
as a mid range running back two, which is one
of the reasons I had a bad week in the rankings.
So yeah, the last two weeks. Week fourteen against the
Giants forty nine point two percent snapchair fourteen touches eighty
six yards from scrimmage. Last week against the Bills forty

(08:33):
eight point one percent snapchare sixteen touches, one hundred and
sixty one yards from scrimmage, two touchdowns. I don't think
it really matters much that Henderson is sharing work with
Ramandra Stevenson as long as he's getting around fifteen touches
a game, because Traveon Henderson doesn't need twenty touches a
game to do a lot of damage. This is a
dude who's averaging five point four yards per carry and

(08:54):
has scored seven touchdowns in his last five games, So
just get him those fifteen touches and he's going to
do a lot with them in most cases.

Speaker 1 (09:02):
Now, Rickson, you're a little bit lower. You've got him
at fifteen. Again, what is that a quate to. Maybe
not much of anything outside of like shorter team leagues,
you know, eight or ten man leagues possibly, but any
concerns kind of fueling the rank of fifteen for Travion
Henderson kind of capping some of the upside? Is it
some of the matchup with the Ravens, which seems pretty good?
What you take on, Trevion, I think it.

Speaker 2 (09:24):
Does have to do with the matchup the Ravens. How
they historically do. They always start the season really really
bad against all positions quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, et cetera.
But then they kind of get into form in the
second half of the season and since their bye week,
only one running back has gone sixty rushing yards against them. So, yes,
Henderson at two fifty yard touchdown runs last week. It

(09:47):
was against the Bills, Like this has been the Bills.
We've been attacking all year long because we know how
bad the run defense is. But besides that one run,
that Travion Henderson had in the second half, which again
awesome play off script reverse field. I was watching this
with some friends at a bar and we were just
going absolutely insane. Patriots are back, baby, and then they
obviously lost the game, which was not ideal. But that

(10:09):
being said, he had three carries in the entire second
half of that game. Like the Patriots did not really
run the ball very effectively against the Bills. Outside the
big runs. Again, they'll still count. And that's why you
always are starting Trey Van Henderson because he has an
explosive upside. But this is the toughest matchup they've drawn
in a couple of weeks against the Baltimore Ravens, who
have been much better. You look at the RB finishes
that they've given up since week eleven, RB thirty eight,

(10:31):
RB sixteen, RB fifteen, RB eighteen, RB nineteen, so and
they faced them expulsive running backs. Chase Brown was not
a top twelve running back in either matchup against the Ravens.
Brees Hall RB sixteen, Jalen wore RB eighteen, and then
Judkins was RB thirty eight. So that's why I have
him closer to the higher end of the RB two
tier as opposed to a low end fantasy RB one,
because we always can be afraid of, oh they're the

(10:53):
goal line, Oh what are you know? Romndre Stevenson touchdown,
And that's something you just have to keep in the
back of your mind because he is going to play
significant snaps. So will Henderson have another fifty yard touchdown
run and basically met Chris Johnson of twenty twenty five?
I hope so, but trying to be realistic when it's
not the Buffalo Bills defense.

Speaker 4 (11:13):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (11:13):
One of the worries too, is like if you read
the tea leaves on what you said too. Though, there's
a lot of receiving running backs that thrive more than
mass carries, and Ramandre is also a receiving back, like
they'll use him on third down and pass block situation
throwing the ball. So my point would be is like
if Travion was only a receiving back, maybe there's even
a little bit more upside, but you've got to definitely
be able to catch the ball to score some of
those points. It just sucks that they split that job

(11:35):
between Travion and Ramandre. So maybe a tiny bit of
a cap all right, RB tubes are coming up, but
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checkout for fifteen percent off RB twos. Starting at thirteen
down to twenty four, We've got Javonte Williams, Kyron Williams,
Chase Brown, DeAndre Swift, Woody, Marks, QUINCHW. Jutkins, R. J. Harvey,

(13:26):
Tyrone Tracy comes in at twenty, followed by Aaron Jones,
Brice Hall, a Marion Hampton, and Rico Dawdle. You had
mentioned quin Shawn Jutkins. He comes in at eighteen on
this list, You guys are a little bit on the
opposite end fits You got him at twenty one. Judkins,
you would love for him to be more involved in
the receiving game. That make everybody feel a lot better.
But this is a five star matchup. My only problem

(13:48):
with this is, yes, this is a five star matchup
rating against Buffalo stopping, but the Browns defense stinks or
Brown's offense stinks, and Jay got to be able to
move the ball and be you know, working on both
ends to be a really efficient run game. And I'm
just worried what we've seen with Jutkins decent amount as
we've seen mass carries that equates to fifty four yards

(14:09):
and they're just not really able to do anything else.
Is that what's fueling maybe a little bit of the
lower than ECR rank on Quinshawn Jutkins.

Speaker 3 (14:16):
Yes, empty rushing volume, and since Week six, quin Shawn
Judkins has averaged three point one yards per carry. Well,
she's averaged under two yards per carry in each of
his last two games. And we're talking about loving the
matchup this week. The last two games he played the
Titans and Bears, those are not very good run defenses.
So I don't have a great deal of faith that

(14:36):
Judkins is going to do significantly better against a.

Speaker 4 (14:39):
Bad Bills run defense.

Speaker 3 (14:40):
And a lot of this has to do with the
Browns offensive line which is just outrageously banged up right now.
So Ethan Posik is out, Jack Conklin, Wyatt Teller, Zach
Zinner all questionable this week.

Speaker 4 (14:53):
I don't think.

Speaker 3 (14:55):
Yeah, it's just I don't know if they have an
offensive lineman who's completely right now. So and while Judkins
does catch some passes, doesn't really move the needle as
a pass catcher, like twenty one receptions this year, one
hundred and forty two yards and fourteen games.

Speaker 4 (15:12):
It helps a little, but not much.

Speaker 3 (15:14):
So I just worry that Judkins really can't take advantage
of a plus matchup.

Speaker 1 (15:21):
At this point, Eric, you seem a little bit more optimistic.
You've got him at RB fourteen, so you're toeing the
line of an RB one. Is your optimism built around
this defensive matchup that they're facing with.

Speaker 2 (15:32):
The Bills, it's part of it. Still think the Bills
can be vulnerable against the run, like we saw against
the Patriots last week, and I'm chasing the volume here.
Sometimes it doesn't work out. Sometimes you get the twenty
carries for thirty yards. Sometimes you just take one big run, though,
and Judkins is capable of doing that. So I still
think that you're chasing the volume with Kjohon Judkins. He

(15:55):
has sixteen plus opportunities and ten of his last twelve
games played, and this game's at home, which I do
like a little bit more for the Browns perspective, for
their offensive line, cold, windy game, what are they gonna do.
They're gonna feed the ball to quinch On Judkins. So yeah,
could it be another twenty carry game where his arts
carry is absolutely terrible? Yes, very much in his range
of outcomes, but you got to chase a potential ceiling,

(16:18):
and if he's going to see north of twenty carries
against the Bills run defense, there is a ceiling spot
for him, especially if they do get some of their
offensive lineman back. It's possible that white Teller could play
in this game after he's missed the last two weeks.
So it remains to be seen. But I mean, yeah,
chasing the William.

Speaker 3 (16:33):
If Ericson is telling me that he would start quinch
On Judkins over Travon Henderson, I want his Patriots fan
card revoked right now.

Speaker 1 (16:41):
Well, I didn't think about that. Yeah, you've got Henderson
at fifteen. Say it out loud. I'll just find it.

Speaker 2 (16:47):
I'll oof Henderson wants spot ahead of Judkins.

Speaker 1 (16:49):
Okay, well that's fine, that's fine. I just I want it.
We wanted you to make that commitment or changes.

Speaker 4 (16:54):
So there you go.

Speaker 1 (16:54):
I didn't even think about that. Good call, there, FITSI
We've talked a lot about Devin Singletary, but Tyrone Tracy
is getting the card here at ECR twenty. You guys
a little bit split. You kind of both around. Fitzy's
a little bit higher. Ericson, you're at twenty one. We
talked about like right as were like, you know what,
ever since the takeover, it's all been Devin Singletary and

(17:15):
then back to Tyrone Tracy just being the dude. So Ericson,
are you, even though you're a little bit lower, are
you bought in on Tyrone Tracy at this point?

Speaker 2 (17:24):
I think you have to be. Season hind snaps last
week at seventy six percent. I do get concerned that
they still seem to have this allegiance to Devin Singletary
in the red zone, especially at the goal line. Even
in this last game against the Commanders, one goal, one
carry was not Tyrone Tracy. It was Devin Singletary that
got it. But everything else, Tracy is checking off the
box that he just looked really good since he kind

(17:46):
of took on a larger role after the Scataboo injury.
If you just look at the Giants running backs combined
four straight games the lead guy in that backfield. Again,
in a Patriots matchup, Tracy got hurt and it was Singletary,
but in the other three games it was Tracy combined
for ninety seven or more yards from scrimmage four straight games.
So the Giants running backs have been pretty productive with
some of these matchups. We know that this is a

(18:08):
matchup against the Minnesota Vikings that yes, at times, you
can definitely run on Minnesota. They're also dealing with a
couple of defensive line injuries. Javon Hargrave is banged up.
They just put Grenard on injured reserve, so he's one
of their defensive ends. So yeah, I think Tracy's kind
of locked in as a pretty strong back end RB
two play this week, given he has a three down

(18:28):
skill set. So if the Vikings shove out to a
big league you're not worried about Tracy being game scripted
out because he does catch passes as well. So yeah,
I'm not really sure what else to add there.

Speaker 1 (18:39):
No, it's perfect, FITZI, what do you think you got
him higher? Though you are a little bit more optimistic
RB seventeen on Tyrone Tracy are you are you fearless
about Devin Singletary at this point? This is just Tracy's
Tracy's backfield own.

Speaker 4 (18:53):
So I'm not totally sure about that.

Speaker 3 (18:55):
And part of the reason I was way too low
on Tyrone Tracy last week I did have and rank
behind Devin Singletary because it seemed as if the Giants
backfield was shifting in Singletary's direction with Mike Kafka calling
the plays. But then, as Ericson mentioned, Tracy played seventy
six percent of the snaps and fifteen carries for seventy

(19:16):
yards in a touchdown, three cashes for twenty seven yards
another touchdown, And now he gets this matchup against the Vikings, who,
not only are they much easier to run on than
they are to throw on, Minnesota's defense is the biggest
run funnel in the league. The Vikings have faced the
most rushing attempts by posing running backs twenty six point
six running back carries per game. So even if we're wrong,

(19:39):
about how the split works out, and maybe it's more
fifty to fifty this week. I think both running backs
could be in play as fantasy options this week against
the Vikings.

Speaker 1 (19:50):
This third one, speaking of the Vikings, is very fun
because it's got Aaron Jones coming in at twenty one
of the three running backs if you pay, if you
like the matchup grades matchup ratings on Fantasy pros are
three running backs that have five star matchup ratings this week.
Jon Robinson is the number one, Quinn Chuhn Jenkins we
talked about, and then Aaron Jones because Aaron Jones going
against the Giants, so we love Giants matchups for running

(20:12):
backs always. Aaron Jones has got him this week. He's
kind of been the predominant guy, and both of you
are lower than consensus on him. So FITZI, you tell
me you got him at twenty four. Ericson's at twenty two.
Not that you guys are like dramatically lower, but it's
just funny because this is like the built matchup where
you're gonna love it, and you guys are both lower

(20:33):
than ECR.

Speaker 3 (20:33):
So what do you think, FITZI, Yeah, I have no
real beef with where ECR is on Aaron Jones. The
matchup against the Giants is great. Giants probably have the
worst run defense in the league. It's just that Jones
shares work with Jordan Mason. And while Aaron Jones has
had fourteen and fifteen touches the last two weeks, He's
had twelve or fewer touches in seven of the ten
games he's played this season, So we just can't count

(20:56):
on a substantial workload.

Speaker 1 (20:58):
Ericson what do you think y're lower? This seems like
a prime spot. You're worried about touches? What do you
think on Aaron Jones this week?

Speaker 2 (21:06):
I just think you can never be too high on
Aaron Jones because of the facts that fits kind of
laid out there where, especially in the red zone, they
still like to flirt with Jordan Mason. And just in
the back of my mind is always his shoulder injury
with Aaron Jones, that he's always playing through and that
he's reaggravated a multiple times this season. Just I mean,
this Viking season has really been kind of a lost

(21:27):
cast for fantasy football purposes. And to assault to the
moon and be like, oh, Aaron Jones get the report
on Sunday, Oh bag up his shoulder again, and you
see Jordan Mason go off for like this monster game
on everyone's fantasy benches. So just kind of trying to
keep that in mind. But I would agree he's a
start as an RB two just based on just how
bad the Giants defense has been against the run.

Speaker 1 (21:46):
Then the last one in this here, then how about
him versus Rico dat Al. Rico's kind of in a
similar situation where he's in a split. But I mean,
of all the backs you put together, it might be
the most talented of them. You know, he's getting He's
still getting some vauolume. He's got a decent matchup against
Tampa Bay. He comes in at twenty four, and you
guys are lower both of you. Rico'dowdle over Aaron Jones.

(22:07):
So do you think Eric Erickson they're in the exact
same bucket with a slight preference because it's the Giants
for Aaron Jones or what is impetus of like him
clearly over Rico Dawdle.

Speaker 2 (22:19):
I think with Rico Daudo, the concern is there's a
game script where it goes really bad for him against
the Buccaneers. We know Todd Bowles defense. They sell out
stop the run on early downs. That's what Rico Dowdell's
job is in this offense is to be the early
down in between the tackles. Grinder running back or as

(22:39):
Chuba Hubbard is the guy that used in passing situations
and on third downs, and when you face Tampa Bay,
you dial up the pass attack. And even Dave Canallis,
who has been very clear about I want to establish
to run this year with my two top running backs
when he faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. Again,
Dave Canallis was once under Todd Bowles. He knows that

(23:01):
Todd Bowles does everything to sell out against the run.
He had a positive pass right over expectation in those
two games last year against Tampa Bay. So he let
Bryce Young throw the ball a little bit more.

Speaker 5 (23:12):
So.

Speaker 2 (23:12):
I think that kind of lends itself to this game
being more Bryce Young pass attempts, less early downcarries for
Rico Dawdle unless it's a game where the Panthers are
blowing out the Buccaneers. But I think that this is
probably going to be more of a high scoring pass
Heppy game, and that doesn't necessarily benefit a guy like
Rico Douda who is still seeding snaps to Chewba Hubbard.
So that's kind of why I think he's at back

(23:32):
end RB two gain you have touchdown equity with him
at the red zone. But besides that, I wouldn't expect
like this massive yardage game from up against the defense
that ranks top ten and fewish rushing yards allowed per
game two opposing running backs.

Speaker 1 (23:44):
Yeah, and Fitzy, you pushed him outside of an RB two,
you got him at RB twenty six. That's kind of
like that flex spot for Rico Dawdle. So not feeling
him for Week sixteen.

Speaker 4 (23:55):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (23:56):
So, aside from sharing more work with Chewba Hubbard, recently, rico'
dondell has averaged three point two or fewer yards per carry,
and four of his last five games, the Panthers running
game just maybe well at least for Rico not working
quite as well. And other than the Rams, none of
those games are really against top run defenses. So this week,

(24:16):
obviously the Buccaneers focus on stopping the run. That's just
kind of the Todd Bowles way. But you can get
the Buccaneers like running backs catch a lot of passes
against them. They've given it up to running backs in
the receiving game. So maybe that is the hope for
Rico Donald because he has had some pretty good receiving games.

(24:37):
He had five for fifty five against the Falcons a
few weeks ago, four for thirty six against the forty
nine ers. But you know he also has games where
he catches one or zero passes, so that might be
the key to him having a decent fantasy day.

Speaker 1 (24:51):
This week, we've got running back threes. Twenty five through
thirty six are kind of flex rbs coming up. But
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(25:11):
And I'll playoffs long at fantasypros dot com Slash Premium
and get started. RB's twenty five through thirty six. We've
got Ashton Gent who's got the Texans, Jalen Warren, Tony Pollard,
Michael Carter at twenty eight, Ken Walker Kenneth Gainwell, Kyle
Manage at thirty one, followed by Blake Korum, Corey Krosky, Merritt,
Bill Chebahver, Dave Montgomery, and Kareem Hunt. We've had some

(25:33):
soft mentions of him, but Michael Carter. There's no Trey
Benson there looks like there's no Bam Night, So Michael Carter.
But he comes in at twenty eight. Some questions of
like Carter, dear Marcato, what are they gonna do? They've
got the Atlanta Falcons this week, and you guys, this
is a big, big split range. And actually, Fitzy, let's
start with you, because you've got Michael Carter's an RB two.

(25:54):
Rickson's barely got him as an RB three, so we'll
see if maybe there's some adjustment there. But you've got
him in nineteen fits. You're all in on Michael Carter
as an absolute flex play.

Speaker 3 (26:03):
But RB two, Yeah, I think Bam Knight is going
on IR so he's not coming back for this one.
So last week after Bam left and I think Bam
got hurt on the first play of the game, Carter
was a workhorse like he played fifty three snaps.

Speaker 4 (26:19):
Mari de Mercato played seven. Now.

Speaker 3 (26:21):
I don't know if the split between those two is
going to be quite as pronounced this week, but it
does seem like there's a pretty good chance. Carter plays
a workhorse role and he has got dual run catch versatility.
Had fourteen carries for fifty six yards against the Texans
last week, four catches for thirty eight yards, and the
Houston defense might be the best in the league. He

(26:44):
wound up getting ninety four yards from scrimmage, so much
softer matchup.

Speaker 4 (26:49):
This week against the Falcons.

Speaker 3 (26:52):
I had some really big spens on Michael Carter in
waivers this week in leagues where I'm in the playoffs,
and I wanted to either two of those leagues I'm
getting Carter with the intention of starting, and one of
those leagues I just wanted to block other people from
getting him. So like to get a guy who to

(27:15):
think that Michael Carter is worthy of blocking someone. I
think that reflects just how highly I think of him.
For this week. I do think he's a top twenty
running back.

Speaker 1 (27:28):
I also love you saying that too. By the way,
the block, I feel like I did that with multiple people,
even about Kobe Parkinson. This week, not to jump the
tight ends, but it was just like, hey, if you've
got dead roster spots, I'm all about whether you need
them or not. Pick up these guys and block others
unless you think there's like a landmine situation. Ericson, do
you think there's a landmine situation going on with Michael Carter?
Because at least from the rank we have here, I

(27:48):
don't know if you mad any adjustments. You got him low,
You got him at thirty two, so your investment seems
to be pretty low on what you think he's going
to be able to produce this coming week.

Speaker 2 (27:57):
Yeah, I'm just concerned that he's not these that he
was last week. Demarcato was coming back from his first
game after a bunch of misstime. He only played seven snaps.
But we've seen this play out where it's Demarcado and
Michael Carter in the lineup weeks nine to ten, and
Demarcado was clearly behind or excuse me, Demarcato was clearly
ahead of Michael Carter. Michael Carter was. That was what

(28:18):
we're going through, the whole thing where he was inactive
and then like cut from the team and then like
we added back to the practice squad. So we've seen
the Cardinals go back to their hierarchy before. Remember that
one game Marvin Harrison year came back. Michael Wilson nowhere
to be found in terms of his target. So that's
where I get concerned about Michael Carter is it's not

(28:38):
the same type of snapshare that it was last week,
and we have the sample size of Demarcado playing ahead
of him when both guys are healthy and in the lineup.
So Michael Carter has been splitting touches Bozanom and Night.
So I think that it's more likely to be a
fifty to fifty type of split for the Arizona Cardinals
backfield than it to be Michael Carter to be the workhorse.
And I want to pose a question to you fits

(28:58):
again talking about another running back. It's kind of in
this range. So I capitulated on moving Henderson ahead of Judkins.
So your confidence love with Carter being the workhorse is
higher than Judkins being the workhorse for the Browns this week, then, right?

Speaker 3 (29:13):
I don't know if I'm more confident in Carter, Like
if I was betting on who's going to get more touches,
I would bet on Judkins. I just don't think he's
going to do a lot with those touches, which is
kind of the way it's been going for Judkins for
the last two months.

Speaker 1 (29:28):
It's a good It's an interesting point.

Speaker 5 (29:29):
By the way.

Speaker 1 (29:30):
So if someone asked the question this is like the
Rickson thing, like you really going to have Judkins over Henderson?
Ericson's like, all right, fine.

Speaker 2 (29:35):
Well fitz was right. He came out and he's like,
you're right, I gotta move Henderson.

Speaker 1 (29:39):
So way fits if someone asks you, do I start
Judkins or Michael Carter? You are committed to saying Michael Carter.

Speaker 4 (29:44):
I am committed. Sorry, I can't best that. What a dog?
What a dog? I love it? I love it.

Speaker 1 (29:49):
Get that commitment, all right? How about Blake Corum Blake
corem he has been a dude the last couple of weeks.
We know he does the every other drive. I think
there's always the question people have of just overall volumes
got a score and they just always score like it's
it's ridiculous at their level of scoring without DeVante Adams,
so they could lean on the run game a little
bit more. All of that aside, though, a horrifically bad

(30:10):
matchup in a divisional matchup against the Seahawks, Like it's
the worst graded individual star graded matchup on the entire
top thirty six rbs are up against Seattle. So Blake
Korm comes in at RB thirty two, regardless of some
of that positivity. But FITZI, you're a little bit higher.
You guys are both in the thirties. You guys are

(30:31):
both flex options on Korum, you get a little bit
of the high spot.

Speaker 4 (30:34):
So talk to us.

Speaker 1 (30:35):
About Blake Koram for Week sixteen against the Seahawks.

Speaker 3 (30:38):
I don't feel great about having Blake Koram ranked this highly,
knowing that he only plays about one third of the
Rams offensive snaps, although his snapchair was up to forty
six percent last week. And I know the matchup against
the Seahawks is a really tough one, and Korm doesn't
really add anything as a pass catcher, So it's like,

(30:59):
why do I have him here? A couple of reasons.
One is that the guys he's ahead of are also
basically fifty to fifty backs in tough matchups, Guys like
Kenneth Walker going against the Rams and ramondra Stevenson going
against the Ravens and Kyle Manangai going against the Packers.
So I've got Koram basically in that tier and right now.

Speaker 4 (31:18):
I've got him just ahead of those guys.

Speaker 3 (31:21):
But the other reason I've got him there, students had
double digit carries the last two weeks and over his
last three games three games, Blake Koram is averaging ninety
three point three rushing yards a game in nine point
three yards per carry with four touchdowns. Like the Rams
running game is just humming right now.

Speaker 4 (31:40):
So while the.

Speaker 3 (31:41):
Matchup is tough, I don't know, I still think Korm
can be effective in it.

Speaker 2 (31:46):
Now.

Speaker 1 (31:47):
It was like top five RB the last three weeks.
I think he's been He's just been ridiculous. Ridiculous numbers
out there, ericson, you got him at thirty three year
a little bit lower. Are you echoing pretty much everything
that fitz he is saying? Or is there any extra
worry maybe based on this matchup?

Speaker 2 (32:02):
No, not really any extra worry. And in fact, the
last time we saw the Rams play the Seahawks, Blake
Korm was terrible eight for ten yards, but he had
three goal line attempts and he just didn't find the
end zone, so we know someone's gonna benefit from Adams
being out right just trying to figure out, Okay, where
are these touchdowns gonna go. Is it gonna be Kiren,
Is it gonna be Korm? Is it gonna be three
touchdowns for Kobe Parkinson. We all know it's gonna end

(32:23):
up being Terrence Fergus and we're going to be tilting
our faces off because nobody actually started to end up
scoring these touchdowns. But I think it's worth the gamble
to go after, especially as like a flex type of
play with Blake Korm, because to your point, I can't.
I'm not gonna move him down just because he's facing
the Seahawks. When we saw the Rams play the Seahawks
and Karen Williams rushed for ninety one yards on twelve carries, Like,

(32:45):
clearly they can run the football on the Seattle Seahawks
and clearly on anybody. And Korm has just been so
so good. So I can't move him down so substantially
just because oh, well it's the Seahawks. Oh well it's
the Rams offense, Like watch out, you gotta move the
Seahawks down your ranking because they're facing a really good
rams rushing attack. So again, not a top twenty four
running back by means, but someone that I think that

(33:07):
if you need to start somebody in a pinch, I
think Quorm makes sense just based on how well he's played.

Speaker 1 (33:12):
Speaking of being started in a pinch, this was last second.
Last week, Bill Krossky Merritt was probably a week Round
one playoff saver. Can that carry over into round two?
He is ranked thirty three on the list going up
against the Eagles. Not the great matchup. Questions obviously about
who's in the backfield. You guys are inn opposite ends. Ericson,
you're right at acr fits a year lower. Ericson, let's

(33:33):
get your take on Bill Krosky this week. As he's
someone you can trust, you've got him one spot lower
than Korm.

Speaker 2 (33:40):
I will not trust him if Chris Rodriguez is back,
and I think that's kind of where we're going to
end up happening with this backfield. It seemed like he
was kind of close to playing last week. Again, was
a game time decision, and immediately after the game, it's
not the coaches are talking about, Oh we love Bill,
we love Jaseammitz. Can't wait to get Chris Rodriguez back
in a line. So that's a concern for me. Facing

(34:02):
the Eagles defense is always a concern. Even though they
don't have Jalen Carter. We have seen a couple of
spike weeks of production from running backs. It's going to
be a three split backfield between these three guys. McNichols
started the gate for the Commanders. Again, he didn't do
anything with it, and I end up going to Bill.
But it just seems like Bill is not on their
priority list of Hey, we got to get Bill going

(34:22):
like it was at the beginning of the year. So
I think that this is one where you're like, Bill,
thank you for getting to me to my semi finals.
But here's the bench man, I can't go back to
you this week.

Speaker 1 (34:31):
Is your rank representative of Chris Rodriguez being active?

Speaker 2 (34:36):
It's kind of just like a head ranking, because again,
I don't want I don't want to make any definitive
statements until we like see the practice report. Sure, so
then okay, so he's more likely to go down that up.

Speaker 1 (34:44):
Okay, So let's say Chris Rodriguez is inactive, where's Bill?
Just a rough rame you have to give me the exactly,
but like top twenty four.

Speaker 2 (34:53):
She's probably like probably top thirty.

Speaker 1 (34:58):
Yeah, okay, And then if Chris Rodriguez is active.

Speaker 2 (35:03):
He's handholding with where Fits has him ranked, and.

Speaker 1 (35:06):
That takes us to FITZI, because that was going to
be the question, is Fitz is your rank representative of
Chris Rodriguez not being active? And then same vibes like
if active, if not active, But is your forty three
ranks saying you think Chris Rodriguez is going to be
active and Bill's just not trustworthy?

Speaker 4 (35:22):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (35:22):
Right now, I've got Rodriguez forty two and Bill forty three,
and if Rodriguez is out, I'm probably going to have
Bill right around where Blake Koram is at running back thirty.
Can't decide whether I'd have him higher or lower than Koram.

Speaker 2 (35:35):
Probably I think I think too is a two point,
like I think Korum is a good guy to bring
up here because you may not have that information. So
it's like you, I wouldn't wade out JCM. I would
probably just start Blake korm on Thursday night because the
risk of having Rodriguez come back then you're kind of
left hold in the bag with nothing whereas Hey, we
already talked about Koram again it's not an amazing spot,

(35:57):
but just been too good. Do I think that he
would be the lean there right because.

Speaker 3 (36:00):
It would be a three man backfield with McNichols and
Quorum and or McNichols, Rodriguez and JCM, so it's not
like it would even be just a two man backfield.
A three man backfield against a not pushover Eagles defense
very much so.

Speaker 1 (36:17):
Lots of stuff, lots of plays and maybe there's still
lots of questions if there are, we got you covered
Thursday right here on our YouTube channel three pm Eastern
start and sits you guys want to roll with it
YouTube dot com slash Fantasy Pro subscribe, make sure you're notified,
don't miss it. Come and ask any of those last
minute playoff questions. We got other outlets for you, but
that's the most specific one based on this show. If

(36:40):
you missed out, so come and join there. That is
going to do it for the week sixteen RB ranks.
Good luck in your matchups. Hopefully we helped you out
and you know where to go if you've got any
more questions for Fitzie and ericson I'm Welsh. We'll talk
to you next time right here on Fantasy Pros.

Speaker 5 (36:55):
Thanks for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Football podcast.
If you love the show, the best free way to
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Speaker 4 (37:05):
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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 16 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings & Tiers: Studs, Sleepers, and Must-Starts (Ep. 1905)