We were able to hit on both Mike Davis ($7,000) and Todd Gurley ($6,300) last week but missed on both Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Antonio Gibson ($5,500). Week 5 also had a couple of key injuries to players like Dalvin Cook, who’ll be out this week, and Dak Prescott, who’ll miss the remainder of the season. The Week 6 bye week includes the Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks.
Here are the running backs we should be targeting on DraftKings along with their opportunity projections this week.
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STUDS
Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans, $7,300
Week 5 was Henry’s second game in a row with multiple touchdowns and featured his highest red zone attempts this season with eight. The Titans are second in the league in pace and the Texans have not been good at defending the run, giving up the second-most attempts and most rushing yards to opposing running backs this season. Henry still hasn’t eclipsed three targets in a game, and he probably won’t top it this week, but all it takes is one explosive play from Henry to remind us how good he is in the passing game. We have yet to see one of his explosive ‘RAC’ this season.
Projections
Rushing: 24 attempts
Receiving: 3 Targets; 2 Receptions
Total: 26 Touches
Mike Davis, Carolina Panthers vs. Chicago Bears, $7,000
Christian McCaffrey should be out this week, which gives us another opportunity to confidently roster Mike Davis despite the chalk. His routes have increased every game, he’s catching almost every target thrown his way (eight per game), and he registered an 85 percent snap share last week. Davis is facing his old team (who he’s still getting paid by), and the Bears just gave up 17 carries, five targets and 125 total yards to Ronald Jones ($6,000) last week. Davis has totaled 12 attempts with one rushing touchdown and a 75 percent catch rate with two receiving touchdowns in the red zone this season. Select Davis with confidence.
Projections
Rushing: 14 Attempts
Receiving: 8 Targets; 8 Receptions
Total: 22 Touches
VALUES
David Montgomery, Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers, $5,800
Monty ran 31 routes last week and 35 the week before. The passing game potential is what you want from a GPP running back, and Montgomery, who’s got a bell-cow role, should be the pivot in this range. He played on 79 percent of the snaps last week and registered an 86 percent snap share against a tough run defense in the Indianapolis Colts the week before. The Bears have faced difficult run defenses this season with the Colts, Tampa Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons, who all give up less than 80 rushing yards per game to opposing backfields. He’ll get a much easier test facing a Panthers run defense that’s giving up the sixth-highest rushing yards (112.6) and most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs (37.4). The Panthers defense just lost Kawann Short for the season with a shoulder injury, which is a significant loss to an already struggling defense.
Projections
Rushing: 16 Attempts
Receiving: 4 Targets; 3 Receptions
Total: 19 Touches
Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets, $5,400
Gaskin saw 25 percent of his carries in the red zone last week with Jordan Howard ($4,000) inactive. Howard being out again would make Gaskin that much sweeter, but even if Howard’s active, Gaskin should be rostered facing the Jets, who have given up the fifth-most DKFP to running backs this season. Since Week 3, Gaskin has 20 total red zone opportunities, and the Jets’ defense is giving up an average of five scoring attempts inside the 20 on the road, which ties for the league’s worst.
Projections
Rushing: 17 Attempts
Receiving: 6 Targets; 5 Receptions
Total: 22 Touches
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