David Montgomery ($7,700) is leading all running backs in DraftKings scoring over his last three weeks, and his Week 15 performance earned him the top spot with his second multi-touchdown outing in his previous three games. Ezekiel Elliot ($6,700) was a game day scratch, which resulted in a career day for Tony Pollard ($6,500), who scored 31.2 DKFP. Both Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook earned another top 5 last week along with Aaron Jones, who carved up the Carolina Panthers for 27.8 DKFP on 23 touches.
Week 16 will have another Saturday slate, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders. The Minnesota Vikings will travel to New Orleans to play the Saints on Friday, while Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans face the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night. The final game of Week 16 will feature the Buffalo Bills visiting the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football, which only leaves 10 games for Sunday’s main NFL slate.
Here are the running backs we should be targeting on DraftKings, along with their opportunity projections this week.
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STUDS
David Montgomery, Chicago Bears at Jacksonville Jaguars, $7,700
Few have been better than Montgomery since Week 12. He’s either had 100-plus yards rushing or two touchdowns in each of his last four games. Montgomery hasn’t finished worse than RB6, and yes, it helps to have faced the Packers, Lions, Texans and Vikings, who all rank outside the top 18 in PPR points per game allowed to the opposing running backs. Continue to attack this Jaguars run defense, as Jacksonville has given up the fourth most DKFP to opposing backfields this season.
Projections
Rushing: 18 attempts
Receiving: 4 Targets; 3 Receptions
Total: 21 Touches
Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys, $7,000
Last week’s volume was promising, but it turned out to be the Jalen Hurts ($7,000) show, as Hurts rushed 11 times for 63 yards and a touchdown to go with his impressive passing performance. Still, the upside is there for the second-year back, especially this week. Sanders has seen four red zone attempts, is running an average of 20.5 routes and is getting an average of 15.5 carries since Hurts took over in Week 15. The Eagles’ offense is averaging 73.5 plays per game over their last two, and Sanders has surpassed an 80 percent snap share in back-to-back games. Fire him up once more against one of the worst run defenses in the league.
Projections
Rushing: 16 Attempts
Receiving: 3 Targets; 3 Receptions
Total: 19 Touches
VALUES
David Johnson, Houston Texans vs. Cincinnati Bengals, $6,100
We shouldn’t expect last week’s 11 targets and 11 receptions for this upcoming contest with the Bengals, but it’s darn impressive and apparently in the range of outcomes for Johnson. Deshaun Watson ($7,600) isn’t known for targeting his running backs, and Johnson’s highest mark in targets this season coming into last week was four. Duke Johnson ($5,000) missed last week’s game, and it looks like he may still be dealing with some nagging injuries. David Johnson should be facing an exhausted Bengals defense who just took down the Steelers last week but still has allowed opposing backfields to rush for 128.4 yards per game, seventh highest in the league. If Duke is inactive, David could have another productive day. Duke being active would obviously limit David Johnson’s upside.
Projections
Rushing: 13 Attempts
Receiving: 4 Targets; 3 Receptions
Total: 16 Touches
Darrell Henderson Jr., Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks, $4,500
Cam Akers ($6,300) will miss Week 16, leaving both Henderson Jr. and Malcolm Brown ($4,000) to split the carries against a Seattle Seahawks defense that ranks 10th in DKFP allowed to RBs this season. In games Akers wasn’t being used as the lead back, Henderson averaged 15 touches on 47.8 percent of the snaps, compared to Brown’s 9.4 touches on 49.8 percent of the snaps. Henderson also saw 19 total red zone carries to Brown’s seven during this time frame.
Projections
Rushing: 14 Attempts
Receiving: 3 Targets; 2 Receptions
Total: 16 Touches
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