With dynamic rookie TreVeyon Henderson likely on the shelf with
a concussion, Stevenson should soak up 80%+ of the running back
snaps for the Patriots this week. Volume, and the juicy matchup
with the 3-12 Jets push Stevenson into the FLEX conversation. He’s
regained a little of the burst he had after a mid-season toe injury,
as he’s tallied 101 yards on his last 14 carries (7.2 ypc) and continues
to see some work in the passing game.
Jeanty looked dynamic last week, flashing the balance, speed,
and vision that made him a top-10 pick. He saw a season high 24
carries as the Raiders nearly upset the highly favored Texans.
This week the Raiders face a Giants defense that is the worst
in the NFL against the run, yielding a robust 5.5 yards-per-carry
to opposing rushers. Neither team wants to truly win this game,
as the loser likely locks up the No.1 overall pick in the draft.
Pete Carrol doesn’t care, and should lean on his rookie
runner.
Although he is nursing an injury of his own, Jones looks to be
the clear lead back this week with Jordan Mason the shelf. While
he hasn’t done much to inspire Week 17 confidence, he is coming
off a season high in carries and yards, and gets a Detroit defense
that has been gashed for nearly 400 yards on the ground in the
last two weeks. With his career as a Viking likely coming to a
close, Jones should be set for a floor of 17 touches in this one.
Dowdle has been as inconsistent as this entire Carolina offense
this season. In a 60-40 split with Chuba Hubbard, Dowdle has to
maximize his carries to generate fantasy relevant numbers. That's
a tough call this week against the league’s best run defense. The
Seahawks have only allowed three backs to reach 75 yards this season
and are 2nd in the NFL in fantasy points allowed to the position.
Hall has all but disappeared this month, registering just 143
total yards in the last three games. Despite owning the backfield,
he’s only scored four times this season, and the Jets offense
had generally fallen off a cliff as they’ve been forced
to start their 3rd string quarterback. Big underdogs at home against
the Pats, game script won’t favor Hall and the ground game,
making Breece an incredibly risky start in the fantasy finals.
Commanders RBs vs DAL
Although Chris Rodriguez Jr. has held on to the lead role, the
Commanders continue to utilize a 3-headed backfield, cratering
the value of the entire unit. Jacory Croskey-Merritt mixes in,
and Jeremy McNichols is the preferred passing down back. With
a negative game script all but assured, Rodriguez becomes a touchdown
dependent option at best, and nothing more than a desperation
FLEX.
