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Game day update: Antonio Gibson is slowly starting to pickup how to play running back at the NFL level. The rookie out of Memphis had one of his best performances this season against Dallas, where he had 128 rushing yards on 20 carries and a touchdown. Gibson will be looking to carry that momentum over against the Giants on Sunday.
However, he won’t have to do it all with J.D. McKissic, another former WR turned RB, being able to help in the passing game for WFT’s offense. ESPN projects Gibson to score 11.3 fantasy points and McKissic to score 6.8 points.
The Washington Football Team’s backfield remains split pretty evenly — J.D. McKissic has played 233 offensive snaps this year while Antonio Gibson has played 208. But there’s no question as to who is the real leader in this backfield. Washington’s most recent game proved that. We’ll see how this duo performs against the New York Giants in Week 9.
Fantasy Football analysis: Washington RBs Antonio Gibson, J.D. McKissic
Before the Football Team went on bye in Week 8, it handed Gibson 20 carries against the Dallas Cowboys. He ran for 128 yards and a touchdown and ended up out-touching McKissic, 20-7, despite playing one fewer snap than his teammate. Gibson hasn’t been a fantasy star as a rookie, but he showed his potential in that game versus Dallas, has scored four times in the last six games and chipped in with 16 catches from Weeks 3-6. He gained 30 yards on just nine carries and caught four of five targets for 25 yards when these teams faced off in Week 6.
McKissic was more productive against the Giants — eight carries, 41 yards; six catches on six targets for 43 yards as Washington was fighting from behind nearly all game long. The third-down specialist hasn’t received more than eight carries in any week, but he caught at least six balls during a three-game span in Weeks 4-6.
That may be the smart way to attack a Giants defense that has allowed only 680 rushing yards to RBs in eight games, but has given up 47 receptions, 403 yards and three receiving TDs to the positions. Each of those three totals are among 10 most in the NFL.
Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation
Gibson’s assumed workload and TD odds keep him in the RB2 range in season-long leagues. McKissic is a PPR-only player who is kind of game script-dependent, but he does cost $1,500 less than Gibson ($5,800-$4,300). Given the matchup, McKissic might end up being the smarter play in DFS.