Gus Edwards had his best performance of the season in the Ravens’ Week 8 win over the Cardinals, coming in as the overall RB1 for the week. After a slow start to the season, it seems that Edwards is firing on all cylinders over the last couple of games. Will he be worth a start in Week 9?
Fantasy Football analysis: Ravens RB Gus Edwards
Edwards ran the ball 19 times for a season-high 80 yards but also scored a whopping three touchdowns in the process. He added another 14 yards by catching both of his targets, bringing in a solid score of 29.4 fantasy points in PPR leagues. Fantasy managers in standard leagues were happy too, with his total coming out to 27.4 points there.
Start or sit in Week 9 PPR leagues?
Start. Edwards clearly took the No. 1 running back job in Baltimore as he out-touched and out-performed Justice Hill in Arizona. Of course, the Cardinals have one of the worst defenses in the league, but it was still a huge performance for the 28-year-old veteran. He’s been dealing with a toe injury that kept him out of practice on Wednesday, but he returned to practice on Thursday which looks promising for his injury designation this weekend. If he’s healthy, give him a start as he’ll be a solid RB2 this week.
Start or sit in Week 9 standard leagues?
Start. Edwards isn’t going to score three touchdowns every week, but he’s proving he can be efficient and rack up the points without the need to rely on targets and receptions. He hasn’t been too involved in the passing game this season, only seeing seven targets through eight games, so the bulk of his upside is coming on the ground which is a great option for fantasy managers in standard leagues. Again, keep an eye on his injury designation, but don’t be afraid to put him in your starting lineup this week if he’s good to go.
Player(s) you would start ahead of Gus Edwards
Gus Edwards comes in as the RB22 over at FantasyPros in their Week 9 PPR rankings, but the RB15 in standard scoring. If you’re feeling iffy about him going up against Seattle’s defense, you could do well to pick up Zack Moss just ahead of him, who has a favorable matchup against the Panthers this week.