Backfield Report: Isaac Guerendo enters league-winner conversation

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Week 14 Byes: BAL, DEN, HOU, IND, NE, WSH

Arizona Cardinals

  • James Conner (Week 13: 45 snaps, 20 opportunities, 17 routes, 4 targets)

  • Trey Benson (Week 13: 12 snaps, 3 opportunities, 5 routes, 0 targets)

  • Emari Demercardo (Week 13: 21 snaps, 4 opportunities, 12 routes, 1 target)

Notes: Trey Benson had seen a steady increase in opportunities in Weeks 10-12 but played behind Emari Demercado in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings. As far as his upside as a bench stash goes, it’s pretty safe to assume Benson is the back you want to hold as a handcuff to James Conner, but his Week 13 usage should serve as a reminder that he has no reliable stand-alone value at this time. Conner led the Cardinals in carries (17) and rushing yards (68), while also adding three receptions for 13 yards. He profiles as a solid RB2 in Week 14’s game at home against the Seahawks.

Atlanta Falcons

  • Bijan Robinson (Week 13: 57 snaps, 32 opportunities, 26 routes, 6 targets)

  • Tyler Allgeier (Week 13: 24 snaps, 9 opportunities, 11 routes, 1 target)

Notes: Tyler Allgeier has seen single-digit opportunities in three of his last five games and seven total games this season. Much like Trey Benson, Allgeier remains a solid handcuff to stash in the event his team’s RB1 goes down, but he is hard to trust on a weekly fantasy basis. In Sunday’s defeat, Allgeier ran eight times for 16 carries while catching one pass for another six yards. Bijan Robinson, on the other hand, ran for 26-102-1 and caught six passes for 33 additional yards. His 32 opportunities were also a new career high. Robinson and the Falcons get a tough Week 14 matchup against the Vikings, but his high volume will keep him in the RB1 conversation.

Baltimore Ravens

  • Derrick Henry (Week 13: 37 snaps, 22 opportunities, 12 routes, 3 targets)

  • Justice Hill (Week 13: 35 snaps, 9 opportunities, 28 routes, 6 targets)

Notes: The Ravens ran into a stout Eagles defense in their Week 13 loss to the Eagles. Henry ran for just 82 scoreless yards on 19 carries and caught another three passes for 29 yards, but he couldn’t find the end zone in the defeat. Justice Hill ran for six yards on three carries and caught 4-of-6 targets for a meager 15 yards. Hill’s 28 routes run were the third most of any running back this week, while his six targets tied with a handful of backs for the second-most on the week. There’s not much to say at this time, with the Ravens now heading into their Week 14 bye. Henry will be the only must-start member of this backfield when they return in Week 15 to face the Giants.

Buffalo Bills

  • James Cook (Week 13: 26 snaps, 15 opportunities, 10 routes, 1 target)

  • Ray Davis (Week 13: 18 snaps, 12 opportunities, 1 route, 1 target)

  • Ty Johnson (Week 13: 15 snaps, 6 opportunities, 4 routes, 1 target)

Notes: Playing in blizzard-like conditions in Week 13’s game against the 49ers, it was the “perfect” environment for Bills football. The Bills trounced the 49ers 35-10 in Sunday night’s win, with James Cook leading the team on the ground. Cook rushed 14 times for 107 yards and one touchdown and now has 10 total touchdowns on the season. Rookie Ray Davis turned in a solid outing as well, going for 11-63-1 on the ground, although it’s worth noting that seven of Davis’ 12 opportunities came in the fourth quarter in the blowout win. Everything is status quo in Buffalo. Cook remains locked in as the RB1, and Davis continues to be a solid handcuff with high-end RB2 upside if Cook were ever to miss time.

Carolina Panthers

  • Chuba Hubbard (Week 13: 55 snaps, 12 opportunities, 25 routes, 0 targets)

  • Jonathon Brooks (Week 13: 14 snaps, 9 opportunities, 6 routes, 3 targets)

Notes: The Panthers pushed the Buccaneers to overtime in Week 13 and may have had a chance to pick up their fourth win of the season if not for a Chuba Hubbard fumble. Hubbard still led the Panthers’ backfield in snaps (55) and total opportunities (12) but failed to see a target despite running 25 routes. It was the third time this season that Hubbard went without a target and his first time since Week 6 against the Commanders. Rookie Jonathon Brooks saw an increase in both snaps and opportunities last week and totaled 41 yards from scrimmage on nine total touches. Brooks’ increased snap/opportunity share doesn’t come as a surprise, and there’s a good chance he’ll be in line for more work in Week 14’s game against the Eagles. Unfortunately, he and the Panthers get a tough matchup against an Eagles defense that held Derrick Henry to “just” 82 yards last week. Hubbard should have some upside as a top-24 back, but Brooks is probably best left on fantasy benches if you can afford to do so during a challenging week of byes.

Chicago Bears

  • D’Andre Swift (Week 13: 41 snaps, 14 opportunities, 23 routes, 3 targets)

  • Roschon Johnson (Week 13: 2 snaps, 0 opportunities, 1 route, 0 targets)

  • Travis Homer (Week 13: 16 snaps, 0 opportunities, 11 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: A concussion limited Roschon Johnson to just two snaps in the Bears’ Week 13 loss to the Lions, but that didn’t result in a major uptick in D’Andre Swift’s opportunities. Swift was the only Bears running back to earn an opportunity in the Thanksgiving Day loss. He churned out 74 yards from scrimmage but was held without a touchdown for the fourth time in his last five games. Swift and the Bears will pay a visit to the 49ers in Week 14. In their last five games, the Niners have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game (28.2) to opposing running backs in PPR leagues, and they rank 19th in yards per carry (4.4) allowed. Swift is the only viable fantasy option in Chicago’s backfield.

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Chase Brown (Week 13: 47 snaps, 15 opportunities, 27 routes, 3 targets)

  • Khalil Herbert (Week 13: 5 snaps, 1 opportunity, 3 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: Khalil Herbert finally found himself out of the doghouse and turned his return to the lineup into a whopping one carry for 14 yards. In a game that featured 82 combined points, Chase Brown’s overall production was lower than expected. He still turned in a solid day, racking up 100 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on 15 touches, with 70 of his yards coming on the ground. Since Week 9, Brown has handled 100 of the Bengals’ 101 running back opportunities and profiles as a fringe RB1 in next Monday’s name against the Cowboys.

Cleveland Browns

  • Jerome Ford (Week 13: 56 snaps, 10 opportunities, 38 routes, 1 target)

  • Nick Chubb (Week 13: 28, 11 opportunities, 9 routes, 2 targets)

Notes: Jerome Ford played twice as many snaps as Chubb did in Week 13’s loss to the Broncos. Chubb once again struggled on the ground, rushing nine times for 21 yards (2.3 YPC). A five-yard receiving touchdown in the fourth quarter bailed Chubb out from a potentially disastrous fantasy day, but the veteran running back continues to look like a shell of his former self. Ford led the Browns with 41 rushing yards on nine carries and also ripped off a 21-yard gain on his lone reception. His 62 yards from scrimmage were good for his fourth-highest total this season and his highest output since Week 4. It’s hard to know how much more involvement Ford could see going forward. The Browns have five games left to go in what’s a lost season, and the team is clearly still interested in giving Chubb looks. It may be best to fade both backs in Week 14 against the Steelers, but if you’re forced to play one, I’d give Chubb a slight edge over Chubb.

Dallas Cowboys

  • Rico Dowdle (Week 13: 48 snaps, 25 opportunities, 15 routes, 3 targets)

  • Ezekiel Elliott (Week 13: 9 snaps, 1 opportunity, 4 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: Rico Dowdle handled all but one of the Cowboys’ running back snaps in Thursday’s win over the Giants. The fifth-year back ran for a season-high 112 yards and one touchdown on 22 touches while adding another three receptions for 11 yards. Dowdle has seen 15-plus opportunities in each of his last five games and could make for a solid streaming option in Week 14 against the Bengals.

Denver Broncos

  • Javonte Williams (Week 13: 27 snaps, 6 opportunities, 13 routes 2 targets)

  • Jaleel McLaughlin (Week 13: 22 snaps, 16 opportunities, 4 routes, 2 targets)

  • Audric Estime (Week 13: 8 snaps, 3 opportunities, 3 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: Jaleel McLaughlin led the Broncos in snaps and opportunities in Week 13’s win over the Browns. His 16 opportunities were 10 more than the next closest running back, and McLaughlin made good work of his looks, rushing 14 times for 84 yards — both season-highs. It’d be easy to assume McLaughlin will be the Broncos’ RB1 in Week 15 when they return from their bye week, but we assumed the same of Audric Estime after he ran 14 times for 53 yards in Week 10. Since then, Estime has run the ball just 12 times over the last three weeks. Javonte Williams continues to be in a serious down-bad state. Over his last two games, Williams has rushed 12 times for negative one yards. This total comes with a seven-yard from Week 12 run baked into the equation. Williams did find the end zone last week, but he remains impossible to trust from a fantasy perspective. There’s a chance McLaughlin is the team’s leadback after the bye, but we know better than to trust anything Sean Payton shows us.

Detroit Lions

  • Jahmyr Gibbs (Week 13: 33 snaps, 12 opportunities, 15 routes, 4 targets)

  • David Montgomery (Week 13: 36 snaps, 24 opportunities, 8 routes, 3 targets)

Notes: Both Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery were kept out of the end zone on Thanksgiving Day against the Bears. The only Lions player who scored was Sam LaPorta, who caught three passes for six yards and two touchdowns. Gibbs was efficient, averaging 9.7 YPC on his nine rush attempts, while Montgomery ran for 88 yards on his 21 carries. It was a disappointing outing for both backs, but the workload was what we’d expect to see — although Montgomery did see a slight edge in total opportunities. As usual, both backs are in play for Week 14 against the Packers.

Green Bay Packers

  • Josh Jacobs (Week 13: 41 snaps, 23 opportunities, 13 routes, 4 targets)

  • Chris Brooks (Week 13: 13 snaps, 5 opportunities, 5 routes, 2 targets)

  • Emanuel Wilson (Week 13: 6 snaps, 2 opportunities, 1 route, 0 targets)

Notes: It wasn’t an efficient day on the ground for Jacobs, who ran 19 times for 43 yards and a touchdown. Fortunately, his fantasy managers were more than happy with the production he provided through the air. Jacobs caught all four of his targets for 74 yards, which tied for his second-most receiving yards in a game. Rookie MarShawn Lloyd, who is on the NFI list after undergoing an emergency appendectomy nearly a month ago, can be activated at any time, but he’s the only player who could maybe threaten Jacobs for touches this season. We’d expect Jacobs to have another strong workload on Thursday night against the Lions.

Houston Texans

  • Joe Mixon (Week 13: 49 snaps, 26 opportunities, 21 routes, 6 targets)

  • Dare Ogunbowale (Week 13: 8 snaps, 0 opportunities, 4 routes, 0 targets)

  • Dameon Pierce (Week 13: 4 snaps, 1 opportunity, 3 routes, 1 target)

Notes: Joe Mixon ran 20 times for 101 yards and a score in Sunday’s win over the Jaguars while adding four receptions for another 18 yards. The Texans’ bell cow has handled 100-of-104 running back opportunities since Week 10 and will be sorely missed by fantasy managers who could use him in Week 14 with playoff berths on the line. Mixon and the Texans will return in Week 15 to play host to the Dolphins.

Indianapolis Colts

  • Jonathan Taylor (Week 13: 51 snaps, 26 opportunities, 15 routes, 1 target)

  • Trey Sermon (Week 13: 5 snaps, 0 opportunities, 5 routes, 0 targets)

  • Tyler Goodson (Week 13: 1 snap, 0 opportunities, 0 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: Jonathan Taylor is another key player fantasy managers will have to do without as the Colts head into their Week 14 bye. In last week’s win over the Patriots, Taylor ran 25 times for 96 scoreless yards but did find the end zone on a seven-yard reception, which was his lone catch on the day. Taylor has just one top-12 fantasy week in his last six games, but his 39 percent opportunity share since Week 8 is tied for the fifth-highest of any running back in the league. Fantasy managers will have no choice but to trust him when he returns in Week 15 against the Broncos.

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Travis Etienne (Week 13: 35 snaps, 16 opportunities, 15 routes, 3 targets)

  • Tank Bigsby (Week 13: 31 snaps, 8 opportunities, 19 routes, 1 target)

Notes: The Jaguars’ rushing attack was abysmal in last week’s loss to the Texans. Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby combined for 74 rushing yards on 20 carries (3.7 YPC), and neither back found the end zone. It’s been a rough stretch for Jaguars running backs as of late. Since Week 10, Etienne is leading the backfield with 6.8 PPR points per game, while Bigsby is averaging 2.5 fantasy points per game over that span. Etienne’s volume has been solid. He’s averaging 14.3 opportunities/gm to Bigsby’s five, but the production simply isn’t there. Jacksonville’s offense is also expected to struggle in Week 14, with Trevor Lawrence (concussion) unlikely to play after suffering a brutal hit last week.

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Kareem Hunt (Week 13: 28 snaps, 10 opportunities, 19 routes, 3 targets)

  • Isiah Pacheco (Week 13: 22 snaps, 8 opportunities, 11 routes, 1 target)

  • Samaje Perine (Week 13: 17 snaps, 1 opportunity 12 routes, 1 target)

  • Carson Steele (Week 13: 3 snaps, 0 opportunities, 0 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: In Isiah Pacheco’s first game since Week 2, the Chiefs’s RB1 played closely behind Kareem Hunt in Friday’s win over the Raiders. Pacheco led the Chiefs with 44 rushing yards on seven carries, while Hunt ran for 7-15-0 and caught two passes for no yards. Pacheco should see an increased workload in the coming weeks and will likely lead the backfield in touches in a big Week 14 game against the Chargers on Sunday Night Football. Hunt’s volume was the only thing making him valuable in fantasy. The veteran running back is averaging just 4.0 yards per touch — the second-lowest total of his career, and will be hard to trust as the RB2, who is likely to be on the low end of a split touch share.

Las Vegas Raiders

  • Sincere McCormick (Week 13: 24 snaps, 14 opportunities, 7 routes, 2 targets)

  • Ameer Abdullah (Week 13: 39 snaps, 12 opportunities, 20 routes, 2 targets)

Notes: Sincere McCormick led the Raiders in carries (12) and rushing yards (64) and could see more work in the coming weeks with the Raiders playing out the remaining schedule of yet another lost season. In his last two games, McCormick has rushed 17 times for 97 yards (5.7) while averaging 3.35 YCO/ATT and forced a missed tackle on 23.5 percent of his carries. His increased opportunities came with Alexander Mattison (ankle) and Zamir White (quad) sidelined, but there’s little reason for the Raiders to play them even if they are healthy. Both White and Mattison have struggled this season, and there’s a legitimate argument for McCormick being the best back on the roster. It’s hard to know what McCormick’s opportunity share could look like in Week 14 against the Buccaneers, but if both White and Mattison are sidelined, he could be in line for double-digit touches against a Buccaneers defense that’s allowing the ninth-highest yards per carry (4.7) this season. Ameer Abdullah totaled 53 yards from scrimmage on his 12 touches and could also see a decent split if White/Mattison are out.

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Gus Edwards (Week 13: 24 snaps, 7 opportunities, 8 routes, 1 target)

  • Kimani Vidal (Week 13: 12 snaps, 4 opportunities, 5 routes, 0 targets)

  • Hassan Haskins (Week 13: 6 snaps, 1 opportunity, 3 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: As expected, Gus Edwards led the Chargers’ backfield in opportunities and touches. He also performed exactly as we expected, rushing six times for 32 scoreless yards while hauling in one catch for one yard. It was just the second catch for Edwards this season. Rookie Kimani Vidal didn’t see any work in the passing game, which could change in the coming weeks, but he did run four times for 20 yards. Unless Vidal can tap into some of the receiving work J.K. Dobbins was seeing before suffering his knee injury, Vidal will be hard to trust on a week-to-week basis, but he is well worth a stash ahead of the fantasy playoffs. He could be one injury away from double-digit touches.

Los Angeles Rams

  • Kyren Williams (Week 13: 37 snaps, 16 opportunities, 9 routes, 1 target)

  • Blake Corum (Week 13: 18 snaps, 8 opportunities, 2 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: The Rams’ first carry of the game in last week’s win over the Saints went to Blake Corum, who immediately ripped off a nine-yard gain. Corum also handled the Rams’ second carry of the game, which he took for a 10-yard game. Corum saw five of his eight opportunities come on the Rams’ second drive of the game before giving way to Kyren Williams the rest of the way. His day ended with a season-high 42 rushing yards and was just enough to reinforce the belief that Corum is a potential league-winner if Williams ever misses time. Williams totaled 113 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on his 16 opportunities and has now scored in back-to-back games after suffering through a three-game scoreless streak. Williams profiles as a solid RB1 in Week 14 against the Bills, especially with so many big-name backs on bye.

Miami Dolphins

  • De’Von Achane (Week 13: 44 snaps, 16 opportunities, 30 routes, 9 targets)

  • Raheem Mostert (Week 13: 24 snaps, 8 opportunities, 16 routes, 3 targets)

  • Jaylen Wright (Week 13: 1 snap, 0 opportunities, 1 route, 0 targets)

Notes: Raheem Mostert averaged three opportunities/gm from Weeks 10-12, while rookie Jaylen Wright averaged 6.3 opportunities/gm over that same span. It wasn’t much, but the Dolphins appeared to be shifting toward Wright as their RB2 behind De’Von Achane. In Week 13’s loss to the Packers, Mostert returned to his RB2 role but managed only 34 yards from scrimmage on seven touches, while Wright played on just one snap. It wasn’t a great performance for either back, but Wright’s limited usage does draw his value as a handcuff into question ahead of the fantasy playoffs. Both backs make for intriguing stashes at this time, but Achane is the only one with weekly fantasy value.

Minnesota Vikings

  • Aaron Jones (Week 13: 26 snaps, 9 opportunities, 16 routes, 4 targets)

  • Cam Akers (Week 13: 16 snaps, 4 opportunities, 6 routes, 0 targets)

  • Ty Chandler (Week 13: 5 snaps, 2 opportunities, 2 routes, 2 targets)

Notes: It was a brutal week for Vikings running backs. Aaron Jones led the team with 5-22-0 on the ground but did catch three passes for six yards and a touchdown. Cam Akers continued to play well ahead of Ty Chandler, rushing for 22 yards on four carries, but has no stand-alone value at this time. Jones will look to bounce back in Week 14 when the Vikings play host to the Falcons.

New England Patriots

  • Rhamondre Stevenson (Week 13: 51 snaps, 21 opportunities, 28 routes, 3 targets)

  • Antonio Gibson (Week 13: 16 snaps, 7 opportunities, 4 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: Rhamondre Stevenson totaled 94 scoreless yards from scrimmage while handling 21-of-28 running back opportunities in the Patriots’ loss to the Colts. Stevenson fell victim to an 11-yard touchdown run by Antonio Gibson, who finished the day with 7-62-1 on the ground. Gibson’s 62 rushing yards were good for his second-highest total of the season, but Gibson continues to see light work in the Patriots’ backfield. Gibson hasn’t seen more than eight opportunities in a game since Week 6 and can’t be trusted in fantasy lineups. The Patriots now head into their Week 14 bye and will return in Week 15 to face the Cardinals.

New Orleans Saints

  • Alvin Kamara (Week 13: 58 snaps, 29 opportunities, 27 routes, 6 targets)

  • Jamaal Williams (Week 13: 4 snaps, 1 opportunity, 3 routes, 1 target)

Notes: The unfortunate season-ending knee injury to Taysom Hill immediately bolsters Alvin Kamara’s fantasy value. Highlighting this is the nature of fantasy beast, but Kamara was losing valuable fantasy work to Hill, who has averaged 14.5 opportunities/gm in his last two games. Kamara hasn’t had an RB1 fantasy week since Week 10, despite seeing 20-plus opportunities in five-straight games. He totaled 119 yards from scrimmage in last week’s loss to the Rams and was the RB14 on the week in PPR leagues. Kamara has no legitimate threat to his touches and should have a high-end RB1 week in Week 14 against the Giants.

New York Giants

  • Tyrone Tracy (Week 13: 44 snaps, 12 opportunities, 24 routes, 3 targets)

  • Devin Singletary (Week 13: 13 snaps, 8 opportunities, 4 routes, 1 target)

  • Eric Gray (Week 13: 2 snaps, 0 opportunities, 1 route, 0 targets)

Notes: Tyrone Tracy was held to just 32 rushing yards on nine carries in last week’s loss to the Cowboys, but the fantasy gods bailed him out of a bad day with a one-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The Giants’ RB1 also caught two passes for 33 yards and finished as the RB17 one the week with 14.5 PPR points. Devin Singletary continues to lurk as a lightly used RB2, but Tracy is the only back worth starting in this backfield. Tracy is averaging 17.0 opportunities/gm in his last five games and gets a plus matchup in Week 14 against a Saints defense that’s allowed the 13th-most fantasy points per game to running backs over the last five weeks.

New York Jets

  • Breece Hall (Week 13: 38 snaps, 13 opportunities, 16 routes, 1 target)

  • Braelon Allen (Week 13: 18 snaps, 7 opportunities, 11 routes, 2 targets)

  • Isaiah Davis (Week 13: 13 snaps, 4 opportunities, 9 routes, 3 targets)

Notes: The Jets were handed their ninth loss of the season in last week’s game against the Seahawks. Breece Hall rushed 12 times for 60 yards in the defeat but did not record a catch on the day, much to the chagrin of his fantasy managers. It was the first time this season that Hall didn’t haul in a pass, while his one target was also a season-low. Before Week 13, Hall had never seen less than three targets in a game this season. Rookie Braelon Allen totaled just 27 yards on his seven touches and has been brutal with the opportunities given to him as of late. In his last seven games, Allen has averaged 3.0 yards per touch or less in five of those games. The value Allen could see in the event of an injury to Hall makes him a worthwhile stash ahead of the fantasy playoffs, but it could be tough sledding even if he did fall face-first into a role.

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Saquon Barkley (Week 13: 47 snaps, 26 opportunities, 13 routes, 3 targets)

  • Kenneth Gainwell (Week 13: 7 snaps, 0 opportunities, 2 routes, 0 targets)

  • Will Shipley (Week 13: 1 snap, 1 opportunity, 0 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: Saquon Barkley continued to build his case for league MVP in Week 13’s win over the Ravens. Barkley saw 26 of the Eagles’ 27 running back opportunities and racked up 117 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown in the Eagles’ 24-19 win. Barkley’s biggest play of the game came on a 25-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter to push the Eagles’ lead to double-digits in a game that was close throughout. Currently sitting on 1,499 rushing yards through 12 games, Barkley is on pace to finish the season with 2,123 rushing yards, which would break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record (2,105) by 18 yards. Barkley has a great chance to keep up his record-setting pace in Week 14 when the Eagles play host to the Panthers.

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Najee Harris (Week 13: 33 snaps, 22 opportunities, 15 routes, 6 targets)

  • Jaylen Warren (Week 13: 25 snaps, 7 opportunities, 15 routes, 4 targets)

  • Cordarrelle Patterson (Week 13: 10 snaps, 6 opportunities, 7 routes, 3 targets)

Notes: The seven opportunities Jaylen Warren saw in Week 13’s win over the Bengals were his fewest since Week 6. Warren was riding a five-game streak of double-digit touches into the week, averaging a solid 14.4 opportunities/gm over that span. Warren averaged a solid 64 yards from scrimmage on his seven touches (9.1 YPT). Najee Harris, who briefly left the game due to an injury, totaled 129 yards and a touchdown on 20 touches, was leaned on heavily in the victory, and finished as the overall RB3 in PPR leagues with 24.9 fantasy points. Cordarrelle Patterson worked his way into the rotation during Harris’ brief absence but seems unlikely to be a candidate for more touches anytime soon. Hopefully, Warren’s touches rebound in Week 14 against the Browns while Harris remains entrenched as the leader in this backfield.

Seattle Seahawks

  • Kenneth Walker (Week 13: 35 snaps, 19 opportunities, 8 routes, 3 targets)

  • Zach Charbonnet (Week 13: 25 snaps, 6 opportunities, 12 routes, 2 targets)

Notes: It was business as usual for the Seahawks in their 26-21 win over the Jets. Kenneth Walker continued to dominate in touches despite totaling 46 scoreless yards on 18 touches, while Zach Charbonnet saw only six touches but managed 41 yards and a touchdown thanks to an eight-yard run late in the fourth quarter. Walker has been awful on the ground as of late. He’s averaged less than 4.0 YPC in five straight games and has averaged over 4.0 YPC in just three games this season. Still, the volume has been there for the Seahawks’ RB1, and he continues to reward fantasy managers with decent RB1/RB2 production. Next week, Walker gets a Cardinals defense that’s allowed the 11th-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs (23.3) over the last five weeks. With so many key running backs sidelined, he’ll teeter on an RB1/RB2 ranking in Week 14.

San Francisco 49ers

  • Jordan Mason (Week 13: 24 snaps, 13 opportunities, 8 routes, 0 targets)

  • Christian McCaffrey (Week 13: 12 snaps, 10 opportunities, 5 routes, 3 targets)

  • Isaac Guerendo (Week 13: 11 snaps, 5 opportunities, 6 routes, 1 target)

Notes: Jordan Mason and Christian McCaffrey combined to play on 36 snaps while seeing 23 opportunities. Injuries paved the way for both backs to see work, but now both backs are out for the remainder of the fantasy season after McCaffrey (knee) and Mason (ankle) were placed on injured reserve. Now, rookie Isaac Guerendo finds himself in a spot to lead the Niners’ backfield for the final five weeks of the season. More importantly, Guerendo has a chance to be a league-winner for his fantasy managers. A true size/speed specimen, Guerendo was a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft and saw his draft stock when he turned in one of the best combines in the event’s history.

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With a 9.88 RAS, Establish the Run’s Adam Levitan also pointed out that Guerendo is one of just two players of the last two years to weigh 220-plus pounds while also running a 4.33 or faster. The other? Physical freak DK Metcalf.

This season, Guerendo has rushed 42 times for 246 yards and two touchdowns (5.9 YPC), while catching five passes for 19 additional yards. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has leaned heavily on a single back in the majority of games this season, meaning Guerendo should be a lock for double-digits in any game he’s healthy. Below is a week-to-week look at the 49ers’ rush attempt market share, courtesy of the RotoViz Player Usage tool.

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Guerendo gets a matchup against a Bears defense that’s been solid vs. the pass but ranks near the bottom of the league in run defense. The 4.9 yards per carry they’ve allowed is the fourth-highest total of any team in the league. Guerendo is a must-start on any fantasy roster devoid of a true bell cow.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Bucky Irving (Week 13: 41 snaps, 28 opportunities, 12 routes, 3 targets)

  • Rachaad White (Week 13: 40 snaps, 12 opportunities, 13 routes, 1 target)

  • Sean Tucker (Week 13: 0 snaps, 0 opportunities, 0 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: In Week 12, Bucky Irving appeared to take hold of the Buccaneers’ RB1 role. In Week 13, Irving further cemented his status as the Buccaneers’ RB1. He only played one more snap than Rachaad White, but Irving’s 28 opportunities more than doubled that of White, while his 185 yards from scrimmage also topped White’s 78 yards by a wide margin. Irving ran for 25-152-1 on the ground and averaged an impressive 4.08 YCO/ATT. Amongst 32 running backs with 100-plus carries, Irving’s 4.17 YCO/ATT on the season is second only to Tank Bigsby (4.27), while his 28.8 percent missed tackles forced rate also ranks near the top. White should continue to flirt with double-digit touches in Week 14’s game against the Raiders, but this is clearly Irving’s backfield going forward. Sean Tucker, who is allegedly the third head of the “three-headed monster” in Tampa, did not see the field in las week’s win and is nothing more than a handcuff to either White or Irving.

Tennessee Titans

  • Tony Pollard (Week 13: 36 snaps, 14 opportunities, 21 routes, 6 targets)

  • Tyjae Spears (Week 13: 13 snaps, 1 opportunity, 9 routes, 0 targets)

  • Julius Chestnut (Week 13: 1 snap, 0 opportunities, 0 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: In his return from a concussion he suffered in Week 11, Tyjae Spears managed just one opportunity in last week’s loss to the Commanders. The second-year back continues to be impossible to trust in fantasy and is off the fantasy radar in Week 14 against the Jaguars. Tony Pollard managed 68 yards from scrimmage but didn’t find the end zone as the Titans quickly found themselves down 28-0 just minutes into the second quarter. Pollard’s volume will keep him in the RB2 conversation for Week 14, but he could fall victim to the Titans taking advantage of a pass defense that’s among the worst in the league.

Washington Commanders

  • Brian Robinson (Week 13: 35 snaps, 17 opportunities, 11 routes, 1 target)

  • Chris Rodriguez (Week 13: 22 snaps, 13 opportunities, 3 routes, 0 targets)

  • Jeremy McNichols (Week 13: 21 snaps, 7 opportunities, 8 routes, 0 targets)

Notes: With Austin Ekeler sidelined (concussion, IR), Chris Rodriguez stepped in as the Commanders’ RB2 behind Brian Robinson and churned out the best game of his career. Rodriguez rushed 13 times for 94 yards and a touchdown in the win, while Brian Robinson ran for 16-103-1. Robinson kicked things off with a 40-yard touchdown and sat for most of the second half with the game well out of reach. It’s worth noting that Robinson suited up just a week after suffering a nasty-looking injury against the Cowboys. While he looked good in his return, Week 13’s game script, coupled with the Commanders heading into a Week 14 bye, likely resulted in the team pulling B-Rob early. We shouldn’t expect Rodriguez to see double-digit touches every week, but with Ekeler not eligible to return until Week 18, Rodriguez is worth a stash as injury insurance in the fantasy playoffs. Washington will return in Week 15 to face the Saints.

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