Welcome back to another edition of the running back start and sit article! As you know by now, in this analysis, we have reviewed the adjusted line yards of the offensive and defensive lines to identify the top matchups for Week 17. Below you will see the matchup rank for each player. The matchup rank represents the rank of the overall matchup based on our adjusted line yards metric.
To see the full analysis and where each offense, defense, and matchup ranks, go check out our new adjusted line yards metric here on Razzball.com.
If you want to see the original data, you can find it on FTN!
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Running Back Starts
- Player: Bijan Robinson
- Opponent: Chicago Bears
- Matchup Rank: 28th
The Bears’ run defense has been elite this season, but where they have been vulnerable is through the air. Chicago has allowed the 2nd most receptions, 1st most yards, and six receiving touchdowns to running backs this season. This week they will face Bijan Robinson who has been targeted a team-high 14 times in the two full games that Taylor Heinicke has played this season.
- Player: D’Andre Swift
- Opponent: Arizona Cardinals
- Matchup Rank: 2nd
It looks like the Eagles have finally realized that they need to lean on the run game to get back on track. In their week 16 win vs. the Giants, D’Andre Swift carried the ball 20 times for just the second time all season. This usage led to Swift scoring 15 PPR points for the first time since Week 11. Now he gets to face a Cardinals DST that has allowed the most fantasy points to running backs this season.
- Player: Austin Ekeler
- Opponent: Denver Broncos
- Matchup Rank: 11th
We have seen this time and time again. A team fires their Head Coach and the new staff gets back to basics. That’s exactly what the Chargers did last week with Austin Ekeler. Ekeler received 15 or more carries for just the 4th time this season. Now in Week 17, he now gets a prime matchup vs. the Denver Broncos. Back in Week 14, Ekeler finished as a top 10 running back on the week vs. Denver.
- Player: Josh Jacobs/Zamir White
- Opponent: Indianapolis Colts
- Matchup Rank: 12th
Since Antonio Pierce took over as the Head Coach for the Raiders, Las Vegas has made it a point to run the ball. Over the past five weeks, the Raiders are 7th in the NFL in rushing yards per game. In Week 17, they will face a Colts DST that has allowed the second most rushing yards over that same time frame. So, whoever gets the start for the Raiders this week, will make for an intriguing start in the fantasy football finals.
Running Back Sit(s)
- Player: Breece Hall
- Opponent: Cleveland Browns
- Matchup Rank: 32th
This season’s sits have been well….terrible. It seems like every week I tell you to sit someone, and they find the end zone. That will probably happen again this week, but let’s hope for the law of averages to strike here. Breece Hall is coming off a masterful performance but now will have to travel on the road to face an elite Browns DST. The Browns have been elite at home this season making Breece Hall a risky start this week.
Week 16 Recap
- Start James Cook vs. the Chargers – MISS
- Start Zeke Elliott vs. the Broncos – HIT
- Start De’Von Achane vs. the Cowboys – MISS
- Start Najee Harris vs. the Bengals – HIT
- Sit Saquon Barkley vs. the Eagles – MISS
Score – 2 out of 5
If you have lineup questions or want more information on starts and sits, don’t forget to join us LIVE every Sunday for our Sunday Live Start and Sit Show on the Razzball Fantasy YouTube Channel!
For more from Bobby and his Razzball content, find him on Twitter @bobbylamarco.
Sources: Razzball.com, PFF.com, FantasyPros, FFToday, Pro Football Reference and Football Outsiders
