Fantasy football lineup advice: Week 8 BOOM or BUST!
Fantasy football lineup advice: Running Back
BOOM:
Le’Veon Bell, NYJ @ JAX
It’s been five games now since Bell last hit the 20-point mark, averaging just 11.7 FPPG over his last four. Incompetent quarterback play has been at the roots of this string of lackluster outings, from sixth-round rookie Luke Falk running the show to Sam Darnold “seeing ghosts.” Bell had his best game running the ball efficiency-wise last week against Patriots, producing 4.7 yards per attempt. He’s still seeing a massive workload (21.5 touches per game), something that should translate to fantasy success in the near future with a soft second-half schedule that awaits him.
The Jaguars should help kick Bell back into gear, as they’ve coughed up 4.8 yards per carry to tailbacks this season. Once seen as a stay-away matchup, Jacksonville’s D is just a shell of its former self, allowing RBs 24.7 FPPG (bottom-half in the league). Gang Green’s offense runs through Bell, and any sort of success moving the chains will fall on his shoulders.
James White, NE vs. CLE
Through six games, White has been a model of consistency, scoring between 11.9 and 13.8 fantasy points in each of his games. Shockingly, the six-year veteran has yet to reach pay-dirt this season. Luck has not been on his side, as he’s had a touchdown called back in each of the last two weeks. Early-down back Sony Michel has eaten into his red-zone usage, but White should still see scoring opportunities on an offense that’s regularly seen great field-position thanks to a world-class defense.
I’m willing to bet that this is the week White’s end-zone drought comes to an end. His superb receiving chops make him a big play waiting to happen, something the Browns have been susceptible to this season. On the year, Cleveland has handed over the sixth-most fantasy points to running-backs and given up nearly nine yards per reception to the position. Also consider that White should see more usage in a game that should stay close, as the team won’t need Michel to melt the clock away.
BUST:
Melvin Gordon, LAC @ CHI
Since returning to the lineup in Week 5, Gordon has been a mega-bust for owners, averaging just 8.2 FPPG to go along with a paltry 2.3 yards per carry. After finishing last season as the overall RB7, Gordon looks like he may have lost a step in the midst of his contract holdout. Meanwhile, his teammate Austin Ekeler looks like the far-superior back. He did enough in Gordon’s absence to warrant a near-even backfield split for the foreseeable future.
This upcoming matching with Chicago deceptively looks like a get-right spot for Gordon, but not so fast. The Bears front-seven has been suddenly leaky as teams have trampled their way to 160 rushing yards per game in their last two contests. However, when taking a closer look, this defense has been gassed due to Chicago’s inability to control time-of-possession on offense. L.A.’s defense has been poor itself, meaning the Bears’ D should get more breathers this week. After three consecutive uninspiring outings, it’s hard to trust Gordon on the road against a usually-formidable rush-defense.
Adrian Peterson, WSH @ MIN
The ageless wonder that is Peterson has done just enough to remain fantasy-relevant this season. Over the last two weeks, he’s amassed a total of 43 carries. New head coach Bill Callahan has emphasized getting the team’s ground-game going, which bodes well for Peterson’s outlook, but his non-existent role as a receiver has capped his ceiling in PPR formats. It was announced after last week’s action that Peterson is dealing with a high-ankle sprain, but the 34-year-old seems confident he’ll suit up Thursday against his former squad.
Assuming that he does play, it’ll be hard for him to make much noise. The Vikings are one of the league’s strongest defenses against the run, halting enemy backs to just 18 FPPG (fifth-fewest in the league). As I’ve mentioned in previous weeks, Minnesota generally takes their game to an entirely-different level when playing at home. This has the looks of a blowout, something that should have AP planted on your bench this week.
Sleeper:
Jamaal Williams, GB @ KC
After suffering a scary-looking concussion in Week 4, Williams has proven to be a productive option in the Packers’ high-powered offense (18.3 FPPG in the last two weeks). Matt LaFleur has been adamant about using a RBBC, so Williams isn’t going away any time soon. Kansas City ranks as a bottom-10 defense against RBs, providing a safe floor for Williams this week.