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It was a relatively quiet Week 13 in the NFL but we’re heading toward the playoffs in fantasy football. There are only a few weeks left in the regular season for fantasy so it’s important to target running backs who could benefit you in the postseason. There weren’t really any injuries to take advantage of, but we’ve got a few interesting backfield spot to look at for Week 13.
Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks (29.1 percent on ESPN)
We all thought that Chris Carson had a stranglehold on the Seahawks backfield but now it’s not so clear. Rashaad Penny had a huge game in Seattle’s win over the Eagles on Sunday, outcarrying Carson 14-8. Penny finished with 129 yards and a TD while Carson managed just 26 yards on the ground, though he did operate as the pass-catching back, with four catches for 31 yards. Still, it’s interesting to see the Seahawks ride Penny with the hot hand as opposed to going with Carson, who has been the workhorse for pretty much all season. If you’re a Carson owner, you better scoop up Penny now. If they’re going to split the rest of the regular season to keep Carson fresh, then Penny may be viable in deeper formats.
Benny Snell Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers (2.7 percent)
So with James Conner out, it’s clear that the Steelers favor Snell as the early down and workhorse back. In Week 12 vs the Bengals, Pittsburgh gave Snell the majority of the work — 21 carries for 98 yards in the win. Jaylen Samuels only saw two carries for six yards, though he did have three catches for 26 yards. While Conner is out, Snell will be the RB to own in most standard season-long leagues. PPR maybe Samuels still has some value, but Snell will get the bulk of the work until Conner returns.
Qadree Ollison, Atlanta Falcons (0.3 percent)
So Brian Hill was pretty much a non-factor in the Falcons’ loss to the Bucs in Week 12. We all thought that Hill would take the reins in the backfield but it was actually the no-name Ollison who finished at the top. Atlanta’s situation isn’t exactly great for fantasy purposes, but at least we know that Ollison will get a shot if Devonta Freeman remains out. Ollison finished with eight carries and 20 yards with a TD, also adding a seven-yard catch. The production wasn’t great, but he got touches and he’ll be very easy to scoop up in most formats.