DFS: Week 10 RB Committee Report
Another week, another rash of RB injuries to analyze in the weekly Committee Report:
New England Patriots
| PLAYER | SEASON CARRIES | SEASON TARGETS | O-SNAP% |
|---|---|---|---|
| D. Lewis | 49 | 50 | 51.9% |
| L. Blount | 98 | 3 | 28.9% |
| J. White | 7 | 10 | 12.2% |
| B. Bolden | 7 | 7 | 5.2% |
Jamaal Charles, Arian Foster, Le'Veon Bell and now Dion Lewis. The Grim Reaper of Running Backs struck again, with the Patriots' stand-out receiving-back out for the season with a torn ACL. In his first season with serious usage, Lewis totalled 622 all-purpose yards with four TDs; most importantly, he caught 36 passes out of the backfield, fifth-most among RBs.
LeGarrette Blount will see even more carries; he excels in short-yardage situations, but he lacks the hands that made Lewis a favorite of Tom Brady in the passing game.
The biggest beneficiary of Lewis' injury is James White. He hasn't seen the field often with Blount and Lewis ahead of him on the depth chart, but he's caught the ball when given a chance, averaging 7.4 yards on seven receptions. He's worth a flyer in GPP games against the Giants.
Green Bay Packers
| PLAYER | WEEK 9 CARRIES | WEEK 9 TARGETS | O-SNAP% |
|---|---|---|---|
| J. Starks | 10 | 8 | 71% |
| E. Lacy | 10 | 0 | 25% |
In most season-long league, Eddie Lacy was drafted in the first round; luckily, DFS players can avoid the sluggish Packer for the foreseeable future. James Starks has won the coaches' trust - and the Packers' starting job for their Week 10 showdown with the visiting Lions.
For the most part, Starks' increase in responsibility has paid off. Though he only totaled 39 yards on the ground for a middling 3.9 yards per carry, his 83 yards receiving and a TD more than made up for the sub-par running.
Even if Starks or Lacy are incapable of being a truly effective volume-rusher, that might suit the Packers just fine; Aaron Rodgers is still one of the best QBs in the league and Starks is capable of being a dependable, somewhat versatile threat as the lead back down the stretch.
Philadelphia Eagles
| PLAYER | WEEK 9 CARRIES | WEEK 9 TARGETS | O-SNAP% |
|---|---|---|---|
| D. Murray | 18 | 7 | 56% |
| R. Matthews | 11 | 0 | 30% |
| D. Sproles | 5 | 3 | 30% |
DeMarco Murray's sluggish start seems like eons ago. Murray torched the Cowboys for 83 yards and a TD on the ground and 78 yards on six catches. That's more in line with the high-watermark performances of past years.
Still, it's tough to anticipate how coach Chip Kelly will use his backs going forward. Murray has the highest ceiling, but injury concerns and overuse make him a threat to break down if not managed appropriately.
Ryan Mathews has averaged 6.1 yards per carry but doesn't offer the same catching skills as Murray, and Darren Sproles has long been one of the league's premiere change-of-pace backs.
Miami's defense has been bad this year and without pass-rusher Cameron Wake it will only get worse. The Dolphins trail only Cleveland in rushing yards per game against with 142.1. Expect to see 10-plus carries for both Murray and Mathews, with Murray getting the first chance to establish his rhythm.