Week 11 Running Back Starts & Sits: It's Commanders Week, Fire Up Brian Robinson & Antonio Gibson!
In case you’re new to the column, here’s a quick explainer of what we’re trying to do here (skip down if you’ve been here before). We’re here to wrestle with the decisions that are keeping us up at night. Do you bench a struggling player you took in the second round? Do you take a chance on the guy who has seemingly been playing over his head? Do you sit the high-floor/low-ceiling player for the low-floor/high-ceiling player? We won’t know the “correct” answers until the games are over. But we’re going to do our best to talk through it.
With Week 11 quarterbacks in the books, let’s dive into the running back start/sit decisions that are keeping us up at night.
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Start ‘Em
START OF THE WEEK: Antonio Gibson/Brian Robinson, Washington Commanders
Both? Both! The Commanders have a little lightning-and-thunder action going on with Robinson and Gibson. Against a good Eagles run defense, Robinson put up 86 rushing yards and a touchdown on 26 carries (not great efficiency, but points are points and usage is usage), and Gibson added 17 total touches for 58 yards and a touchdown. With a juicy matchup against the Texans this weekend, both can be started as there should be enough fantasy points to go around.
Jerrick McKinnon, Kansas City Chiefs
McKinnon is a bit game-script dependent, but the Chiefs have struggled running the ball and have seemingly put a lot of trust in McKinnon. While Isaih Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire will be a headache here, McKinnon has caught six passes in each of his last two games (on eight targets in each) and looks to be a safe PPR play against the Chargers this weekend.
Kenyan Drake, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens running game is almost impossible to predict, but there’s value here if we can get it right. While Gus Edwards looked great three weeks ago, Kenyan Drake looked great two weeks ago. What to do, what to do… Against a bad Panthers run defense, there honestly might be enough love to go around for both. If you have to choose one of the two, I’d go with Drake coming off a 24-carry game.
Sit ‘Em
SIT OF THE WEEK: Damien Harris, New England Patriots
The Patriots backfield isn’t nearly as hard to predict as it’s been in recent years, but that hasn’t helped anyone who has Damien Harris on their fantasy roster. Part of his issues have been health-related, but the other part of his issues is the fact that Rhamondre Stevenson has turned into an elite running back. Yes, I said elite running back. While Harris could still see 12-15 carries against the Jets this weekend, they’re a tough team to run against and he doesn’t do enough in the passing game to warrant a fantasy start.
A.J. Dillon, Denver Broncos
You’re still starting A.J. Dillon? Why? I hope it’s not because you drafted him in the fifth round thinking he was a steal. It’s Week 11 and he hasn’t been a steal. In fact, he’s been quite the opposite as he’s yet to put up more than 65 rushing yards in a game and hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 1. With a tough Week 11 matchup against the Titans on Thursday Night Football, Dillon should be on your fantasy bench.
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
I thought there would be enough fantasy value for both Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson last week, but I was wrong. Allgeier only saw 11 touches against a bad Panthers run defense and didn’t really do anything with them. Patterson didn’t do a whole lot either, but he’s the more effective back for the Falcons and will likely be the beneficiary of any points that are scored out of the Atlanta backfield. I’d keep Allgeier on your bench against the Bears unless you have no other options.
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