DFS: Week 9 RB Committee Report
Once again, the Committee Report examines at a couple of teams forced to shuffle their rotation in the wake of injury.
Pittsburgh Steelers
| NAME | WEEKS 1+2 CARRIES | WEEKS 1+2 TARGETS | O-SNAP% |
|---|---|---|---|
| D. Williams | 41 | 6 | 87.7% |
| W. Johnson | 4 | 0 | 3.1% |
| J. Toddman | 1 | 0 | 2.3% |
Le'Veon Bell's season was as brief as he was brilliant. The Steelers' star back came into the season off of his two-game suspension just as QB Ben Roethlisberger left with his own injury; as Big Ben returned, Bell left with a torn MCL. There is still a chance for Mike Tomlin's team to regroup and make a push for a wild card bid; that starts with redistributing Bell's touches.
Pittsburgh has already had a chance to see how the team looks with Bell out; long-time Panther DeAngelo Williams had a sensational start to his season, totalling a combined 204 yards rushing, 20 yards receiving on five catches and three touchdowns while Bell was suspended. At 32 years old, Williams is the second-oldest regularly-used back in the league.
At his age and given that he hasn't been a bell-cow back in years, it's incredible how much responsibility Williams was given out of the gate. Once Bell returned, they formed a committee with a usage split close to 70-30.
Expect Williams to receive anywhere from 70-to-85% of the snaps going forward based on game situation; against a weak Oakland defense, he could be a steal at a reduced DFS salary. The other backs on the roster - Dri Archer, Jordan Todman and fullback Will Johnson - just aren't equipped for anything more than garbage-time duty in blowouts.
Chicago Bears
| NAME | SEASON CARRIES | SEASON TARGETS | O-SNAP% |
|---|---|---|---|
| M. Forte | 136 | 36 | 79.3% |
| J. Langford | 27 | 5 | 15.0% |
| J. Rodgers | 14 | 3 | 8.3% |
Matt Forte won't be out for the rest of the season but seems unlikely to play Monday night at San Diego. Jeremy Langford is the presumptive starter in his absence but the rookie out of Michigan State hasn't shown much in limited snaps so far this season.
To date, the fourth-round pick has 80 yards on 27 carries for a meager 2.96 yards per attempt; he hasn't had much of an opportunity to showcase his skills as a pass-catcher, either.
Five-year veteran Jacquizz Rodgers would have been in line to steal touches but he was placed on the Injured Reserve Week 5 after breaking his arm.
With Forte expected to be back soon, there doesn't seem to be an obvious outside candidate to take away from Langford's playing time against the Chargers. Expect 15 carries from Langford.
St. Louis Rams
| NAME | WEEK 8 CARRIES | WEEK 8 TARGETS | O-SNAP% |
|---|---|---|---|
| T. Gurley | 20 | 3 | 52.2% |
| T. Mason | 3 | 7 | 30.4% |
| B. Cunningham | 0 | 0 | 14.5% |
Don't be concerned with Tre Mason's increased number of snaps on offense last week; the Rams had little reason to burn their star rookie, Todd Gurley, in their blowout of the 49ers.
Gurley, who leads the league with 115 yards rushing per game, has been one of the top RBs this season. This week's matchup against Adrian Peterson and the Vikings could develop into a track meet.