The Broncos visit the Chargers in an AFC West matchup to kick off Week 16. This is a very important game in terms of playoff seeding, as the Broncos sit only 1 game ahead of the Chargers in the Wild Card standings. Gus Edwards is heading into his fourth week as the starting running back for Los Angeles, as J.K. Dobbins is set to miss at least one more game.
So, should you start or sit him in fantasy football playoffs?
Although Edwards has led the Chargers in rush attempts in each of the last three games, he has not been effective. Over that time span, he’s rushed 24 times for 91 yards, only averaging around 3.8 yards per carry.
Kimani Vidal has been the backup running back since the departure of Dobbins, and his numbers are similar. Vidal has rushed 17 times for 63 yards with his average at 3.7 yards per carry. Both players only combined for one rush touchdown over the three-game period.
Dobbins made this running game tick, and without him, I don’t believe any of these running backs are worth a start in fantasy football, especially not in the playoffs.
As for the matchup, the Broncos are the fifth-best rushing defense in football, only allowing 98.6 rush yards per game. They are a little more generous in fantasy scoring, but still rank a respectable 12th in the NFL against opposing running backs.
Edwards has yet to eclipse 37 rushing yards in each of his three starts and should sit at all costs in Week 16.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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