Week 2 of the NFL season has arrived! After hitting both of my start/sit running back picks in Week 1, it’s time to take a deeper dive into the position.
Let’s break down my Week 2 start ’em, sit ’em fantasy football running back picks.
Start ‘Em: Jerome Ford (Browns) at Jaguars
Cleveland’s season opener against Dallas was one to forget, but there were still positives to take away for the Browns. One of those was Ford, who dominated backfield touches as expected. The 25-year-old saw a 75% snap percentage, taking 18 touches for 69 yards and a touchdown. Ford proved especially valuable in PPR leagues, as six of those touches were receptions.
That production should carry over this week against the Jaguars, who just allowed the backfield pairing of De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert to rack up nine catches for 86 yards. Cleveland’s offense should certainly look more composed in their second outing of the season, but even if things go awry, Ford has a path to solid numbers.
Sit ‘Em: Zamir White (Raiders) at Ravens
After being touted as Vegas’ lead back all offseason, it was Alexander Mattison who played a majority of the snaps in Week 1, not White. Now, Zeus did receive a bulk of the carries but he didn’t do much with them, recording just 44 yards on 13 attempts.
We can’t really use game script as an excuse for taking White — who only received a 38% snap percentage — off the field, as the Chargers only managed to score nine points through the first three quarters. Not only did Mattison handle virtually all the receiving work out of the backfield, but he was the RB who got into the end zone.
Let’s not overreact after only one game, but there’s legitimate reason for concern about White’s path to fantasy relevance. I would certainly keep him on your bench this week against a stout Ravens defense.
Fantasy Advice Twitter Takeover
On Sunday from 11-1 ET, Jeff Pratt will be taking over the DraftKings Network X account to answer all of your start/sit questions. Don’t miss out!
Start ‘Em: J.K. Dobbins (Chargers) at Panthers
How can you not be happy for J.K. Dobbins?
The guy has dealt with so many brutal injuries over the course of his young career, but he’s finally healthy and looked as electric as advertised in Week 1. The 25-year-old took his 10 carries for a whopping 135 yards and a touchdown, also racking up three receptions.
Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman is expected to ride the hot hand between Dobbins and Gus Edwards, and the former has certainly earned that label after averaging 13.5 yards per carry against the Raiders. He’s looking at a tantalizing matchup this Sunday as well in Carolina, as the Panthers just let Alvin Kamara average 5.5 yards per attempt and get into the end zone. I expect Dobbins to see a slightly increased workload as Roman stays true to his word.
Sit ‘Em: Zack Moss (Bengals) at Chiefs
A touchdown salvaged what would have been a disappointing fantasy day for Moss against the Patriots, as Cincy’s new starter racked up just 61 total yards on 11 touches.
It won’t get any easier for him this Sunday, as the Bengals travel to Arrowhead for a clash with the back-to-back defending champs. The Chiefs looked fresh as ever in their opening game against Baltimore, stifling superstar running back Derrick Henry on the ground. If Henry only managed 46 yards on 13 attempts, I fear Moss will be fighting an uphill battle all day.
Game script could certainly hurt the 26-year-old as well. The Bengals are fresh off an embarrassing Week 1 loss to New England in which they looked completely discombobulated. If that carries over into their next game, the Chiefs will jump out to a large early lead, eliminating opportunities for Moss on the ground. Chase Brown isn’t going away either, as the second-year back registered six touches in Week 1. It’s best to leave Moss on your bench until he proves his fantasy value.
Start ‘Em: Najee Harris (Steelers) at Broncos
Hamstring issues or not, Jaylen Warren took a clear backseat to Harris in Pittsburgh’s opening contest. It will be worth noting how the touches even out over time — as I expect them to do — but for now, it appears Arthur Smith is going to rely on his workhorse. Harris received 20 of the 26 backfield rushing attempts against the Falcons, taking them for 70 yards against a stout Atlanta defensive line. It’s also worth noting that Harris ran considerably more routes than Warren, which I don’t expect to become a trend but is still intriguing.
Harris will look to build off his solid start against a Denver defense that just allowed Kenneth Walker to run for 103 yards and a touchdown. Regardless of if it’s Justin Fields or Russell Wilson under center this Sunday, the Steelers should continue to pound the rock. Najee could be in for a monstrous performance.
Those are my start ’em, sit ’em Week 2 fantasy football running back picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice next week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
