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Should you start Dameon Pierce in fantasy football if Saquon Barkley misses Week 7?

Should you start Dameon Pierce in fantasy football if Saquon Barkley misses Week 7?

NFL DraftKings Fantasy Advice Season Long

Published:

By: Alex Hunter

Saquon Barkley missed his second game in a row with a hamstring injury this past Sunday vs. the Panthers after missing practice all week. With Tank Bigsby (core) and Will Shipley (foot) both on IR, Dameon Pierce started at running back for the Eagles and had a strong performance vs. Carolina.

Pierce rushed for 35 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries and caught 4-of-5 targets for 15 yards, resulting in 15 FPTS.

It remains to be seen if Barkley will practice this week and have any chance of suiting up for this coming Monday’s matchup vs. the Cowboys. If Barkley remains out, should fantasy mangers be starting Pierce?

Dameon Pierce Week 7 Outlook

The Eagles put all their trust in Pierce as two of his 12 carries came in the red zone, one of which he converted into a score. In the passing game, Pierce ran a route on 60% of his team’s dropbacks and saw a target on 17% of those routes.

Since this game, both Blue and Steele have been waived by the Eagles while Elijah Mitchell was signed to the practice squad. Mitchell may see some work behind Pierce if Barkley is inactive again this Monday vs. the Cowboys, but we can’t expect much in his debut with the team as the Eagles should once again heavily rely on Pierce.

Pierce should see 15+ touches if Barkley sits. This is a beautiful matchup vs. the Cowboys, too. Dallas is giving up the seventh-most yards per carry (4.7) and this team ranks second in pace this season.

Notably, the Cowboys have allowed an opposing running back to score double-digit FPTS in every game this season. Pierce will bring solid upside in this terrific spot and will be a strong RB3/FLEX play for season-long leagues if Barkley is inactive again.

Pierce is still available in 37% of leagues on Yahoo. Picking him up is a smart move if you need help at running back.

Alex Hunter
Alex Hunter is an avid DFS player and sports handicapper, who has been a proud member of the DraftKings Network team since 2020. He is a data-driven analyst, who earned his bachelor’s degree in communications at Worcester State University and has been in the sports content business for nearly a decade, covering the NBA, NFL and PGA TOUR. Alex is a diehard Boston Celtics fan, who loves to be on the golf course when he isn’t grinding lineups or producing content. For all of Alex’s work or if you need any lineup advice, be sure to follow him @Hunta512 on X.
Disclaimer

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Hunta512) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.