What to do with Adrian Peterson, D’Andre Swift, Kerryon Johnson in Week 6 fantasy football

Game day update: Adrian Peterson missed practice earlier this week and Tom Pelissero is reporting it’s due to some side pain he was having. He had blood work and an MRI with concerns about his appendix, but everything came back negative “and he’s expected to get his normal workload in that crowded backfield today vs. the #Jaguars.”

Choosing which running back from the Detroit Lions to add to your starting lineup may feel a lot like rolling the dice these days. That’s because that is basically what you are doing, as the Detroit coaching staff seems to want to keep us guessing as to the breakdown of the workload in this backfield. What can we expect from the Detroit running backs in Week 6, and are any of them worthy of a spot in your starting lineup? We break down the fantasy analysis below.

Fantasy Football analysis: Lions RBs Adrian Peterson, D’Andre Swift, Kerryon Johnson

Adrian Peterson still seems to be the leader of this backfield, though his usage is very inconsistent. After receiving 22 carries in Week 3, Peterson’s workload was halved in Week 4, as he had only 11 carries for 36 yards. His fantasy day was salvaged by a touchdown and he finished the day with 9.6 PPR points.

D’Andre Swift seems to have a hold on the passing down role while still receiving a few carries per game, and Kerryon Johnson is bound to steal a few carries here and there. The Jacksonville defense is a plus match-up both on the ground and through the air, but the uncertainties regarding Peterson’s workload make him no more than a low end flex play in Week 6.

As was mentioned above, D’Andre Swift has a solid hold on the passing down role in the Lions backfield, giving him PPR upside. He capitalized in Week 4 by turning four receptions into 30 yards and a touchdown while adding 22 yards on 5 carries. This performance came after a Week 3 dud in which he had one reception for nine yards. The coaches may be getting more comfortable using their rookie weapon and Swift could provide significant fantasy value if given a larger role. Unfortunately, we can’t assume his role will continue to grow or even remain steady from week to week given recent history. Swift holds similar value to Peterson as a low end flex until we receive more clarity on this Detroit timeshare.

Kerryon Johnson remains a distant third in the workload distribution for this backfield. He has received only three carries and hauled in one reception in each of the last two games. This minor role in insufficient for fantasy success and Johnson remains on the bench unless his workload increases significantly.

Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation

Start Adrian Peterson as a low end flex

Start D’Andre Swift as a low end flex

Sit Kerryon Johnson