Fantasy Football Week 3 Running Back Start/Sit Decisions: TreVeyon Henderson, Cam Skattebo, and More

Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson of the New England Patriots is showing up more often than any running back on our FantasySP start/sit tool heading into Sunday's games. After an exciting preseason and looking the best of anyone in New England's backfield in Week 1, Henderson was anonymous in Week 2, making fantasy owners question how much he will be involved this week.

Let's look at Henderson and three running backs who have been compared to him most: Cam Skattebo, Bhayshul Tuten, and Rachaad White.

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TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pats had a quiet day running the ball against the Raiders in Week 1, but Henderson looked the best of the group, taking five carries for 27 yards and six receptions for 24 yards, getting the most touches among running backs. Something turned last week, and Henderson took just three carries for 10 yards and had two catches for 30 yards.

Rhamondre Stevenson has played the most snaps and handled most of the rushing work, and Antonio Gibson has played a little too, especially in Week 2 when he had five carries and a catch despite playing about half as much as Henderson. A multi-tiered attack is probably great for the Patriots, but it leaves fantasy owners wondering how much we can really trust the rookie to touch the ball.

The Steelers were projected to have a stout defense, but they have been torn up a bit the first two games, especially against the pass. They're a little better against the run, ranking slightly worse than average after in yards per attempt allowed after finishing fifth best in that area last year.

I do expect Pittsburgh to improve on that side of the ball, but they have been beaten up a bit by the Jets and Seahawks, two teams that project to have middling offenses at best. I am cautiously optimistic about targeting the Steelers until we see improvement. Specific to Henderson, they have only given up three receptions to backs, so that could limit what the rookie does best at times.

The question is about how much Henderson will get on the field after inconsistent use. With two other backs taking snaps from him (and one guy outplaying him), I am skeptical of Henderson's upside and wary of putting him in my lineup.

Cam Skattebo, New York Giants vs. Kanas City Chiefs

Skattebo's usage went the opposite of Henderson's, as he had two rush attempts for negative-three yards and two receptions for 12 yards in Week 1 but then saw a big surge in the second game, carrying the ball 11 times for 45 yards and a touchdown and catching two more passes for 14 yards.

Most importantly in that second game, Tyrone Tracy Jr. had just five carries (though he caught the ball four times). If Skattebo starts taking the bulk of the carries, he jumps to a different fantasy level. After just two games, though, it's hard to know what to expect moving forward.

Kansas City was seventh in least yards per rush attempt allowed last year, and they currently rank in that same spot through two weeks. They might be a little more susceptible to the pass if Week 1 is any indication, though KC hasn't allowed backs to do much of anything in the passing game.

Skattebo and Henderson are in the same spot in terms of an uncertain workload, but I'm leaning toward the former because his numbers went up from Week 1 to Week 2 while Henderson's went down. If you're in a PPR league, Henderson has a little more value.

Advice: Start Cam Skattebo over TreVeyon Henderson

Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Houston Texans

Tuten follows more of Skattebo's path so far. In the first game, the rookie was behind both Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby in terms of rushing attempts and snaps played. When the Jags traded Bigsby to the Eagles after Week 1, Tuten took a step up the ladder, ranking second in both categories in Week 2.

Etienne still looks like the top guy by a wide margin, but with fewer bodies in front of him, Tuten has a better chance to get on the field. He was productive in that second game, taking eight carries for 42 yards and turning two receptions into 32 more and a touchdown. Like the other two, his biggest concern is getting onto the field.

Houston has a tough defense overall but has been a little better against the pass than the run. They were slightly better than average last season in terms of yards per rush attempt allowed, and they are slightly worse than average this year; it's fair to say they are right near the middle.

Tuten is an intriguing young player but likely locked into that second spot, as Etienne has been good to start the season. Etienne also matches one of Tuten's strengths, catching the ball, so the rookie can't count on more work in the passing game. This is a risky play, just like Henderson; frankly, I'd rather leave both on the bench if I could.

Advice: Start TreVeyon Henderson over Bhayshul Tuten, but it's close

Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Jets

All four of the guys listed here are either playing behind another running back or sharing the duties in the backfield, making them risky fantasy propositions. White has been far out-snapped and out-touched by Bucky Irving, pushing the more veteran player to maybe the lowest fantasy level of his career.

In Week 1, Irving took 14 carries to White's two and caught four passes to White's one. In Week 2, it was Irving with 17 rush attempts and six receptions while White was at 10 and two. White was previously used more in the passing game, but Irving has taken more of that work too, leaving White just to handle the scraps.

While the other situations we looked at might be a little more fluid, this one seems pretty clear-cut: Irving leads the backfield in all facets, and White is the backup player who will be a change-of-pace guy and can contribute both rushing and receiving.

The Jets were sixth in least yards per rush attempt allowed last year, but they have fallen to a slightly-below-average level this season. New York hasn't been able to stop anyone so far, giving up 34 points to the Steelers then 30 more to the Bills, so I like the idea of targeting New York with the right players.

White just seems more likely to be stuck in that backup spot moving forward than the other guys and gives me less hope of upside or an expanded role. I am staying away.

Advice: Start TreVeyon Henderson over Rachaad White