Jahmyr Gibbs ($9,500) missed Wednesday’s practice with a shoulder injury ahead of Sunday’s matchup vs. the Vikings.
This possibly was just a rest day for Gibbs, but there is also a chance it is something more serious. Gibbs handles one of the largest running back workloads in the league, and if he was inactive this Sunday, there would be a massive void within in the Lions’ offense.
Sione Vaki ($4,500) is the Lions’ RB2 on the depth chart behind Gibbs, and with the injury concerns surrounding the former All Pro, should fantasy mangers be picking Vaki up off waivers?
Sione Vaki’s Fantasy Value
Gibbs is a true workhorse back. The 24-year-old leads the NFL with 22.3 carries per game on a 78.6% snap rate, which ranks third among all backs. Gibbs is also seeing a 17% target share on a 57.9% route rate, both of which rank top-three at his position. With this massive role, Gibbs is the No. 2 scoring skill player for fantasy football this season.
While Gibbs has seen most of the work at running back for the Lions, Vaki is the only other Detroit back that has seen a carry this season. The third-year back out of Utah is Gibbs’ clear backup, and if Gibbs was inactive this Sunday vs. the Vikings, Vaki would likely see a featured role.
The problem is, Vaki isn’t nearly the player Gibbs is. Vaki is only averaging 3.5 YPC, compared to 4.6 YPC for Gibbs. Vaki is also only commanding a target on 10% of his routes, whereas Gibbs is seeing a target on 27% of his routes.
Another concern is this matchup vs. the Vikings, who have far and away been the NFL’s best defense this season. Minnesota leads the league in defensive EPA per play at -0.19, and the Vikings are giving up the fewest FPTS per game to running backs (16.7).
That being said, Vaki would likely be in line for around 20 touches if Gibbs was out, and in fantasy football, opportunity is the most important factor for success. So, despite his inefficiencies and this matchup, Vaki would be an attractive RB3 or FLEX play for season-long leagues.
So, should you rush to the waiver wire and grab Vaki now? If you have an open roster spot and know you will start Vaki in the event Gibbs is out, yes, scooping up Vaki now makes sense. However, if you’re unsure if you would start Vaki this week and don’t have any clear players to drop, I wouldn’t force picking up Vaki until we get further clarification on Gibbs.
If the back misses practice again Thursday, that will be a strong indicator that Gibbs will likely be inactive Sunday, so be sure to be watching for reports on the back closely. Again, though, picking up Vaki will only make sense if you are positive you will start him this week and have a player worthy of dropping to create the roster spot, because this is more than likely a one-week rental.
