Leonard Fournette puts fantasy owners on roller coaster ride again

Leonard Fournette has finally been healthy and productive, but now a suspension will take him away from his fantasy owners again in Week 13.

Heading into Jacksonville’s Week 9 bye, running back Leonard Fournette had left both of the games he played in with a hamstring issue. Those 20 carries for 71 yards over half a season, or more than half a season in fantasy football, was not what anyone who drafted him envisioned.

But Fournette was set to be a factor for his fantasy owners down the stretch, and he was delivering. He had 70 carries for 243 yards and five touchdowns, along with 10 receptions for 115 yards and another score, over his first three games back in action. But that third game, Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, was shortened by an ejection after Fournette threw a punch in the third quarter.

However unlikely, the idea Fournette would avoid a suspension was reported quickly Sunday night. On Monday afternoon that was proven false, as Fournette was indeed given a one-game suspension. He will, however, appeal.

It’s hard to see Fournette winning an appeal, so he’ll miss Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. It’s not a great matchup, as the Colts entered Week 12 barely in the bottom half of the league in fantasy points allowed to running backs (ESPN PPR scoring). But they had allowed the third-most receptions the position, so there’s been a path to production for opposing backs.

Fournette finished as RB7, RB6 and RB6 in Week 10-12 (ESPN PPR scoring). With Cody Kessler replacing Blake Bortles under center for the Jaguars, Fournette might have threatened 30 carries this week. Instead, that workload will be split between T.J. Yeldon and Carlos Hyde.

Fournette’s fantasy owners are definitely in a lurch now, and finding a replacement starter for the final week of the regular season in a lot of leagues will be next to impossible.

But who might be available off the waiver wire (Yahoo! ownership rates cited)?

Among Jacksonville running backs, Yeldon (60 percent owned) is a better option than Hyde (37 percent owned).

Austin Ekeler (71 percent), Gus Edwards (64 percent), Josh Adams (56 percent), Doug Martin (47 percent), Theo Riddick (51 percent), Jalen Richard (41 percent) and Giovani Bernard (28 percent) are the top running backs to add this week. LeGarrette Blount (14 percent owned) also deserves mention, though only if Kerryon Johnson (knee) is in line to miss another game.

Fortunately, in some respect, Fournette’s fantasy owners are used to not having him available this year. But for those who managed to navigate that previous prolonged absence and need a win in Week 13 to earn a playoff spot, the suspension may be the proverbial knockout blow.