Fantasy Football Handcuff Report: Week 3

As we head into Week 3 there are several running backs who are dealing with nagging injuries that may or may not be able to play this week. It’s going to be imperative that you pay attention to the active and inactive reports as your fantasy player’s game times approach. Let’s take a closer look at some of the backfields of interest that may impact your upcoming fantasy football matchups.

Arizona Cardinals

David Johnson suffered a wrist injury in Week 2 that kept him out of a portion of the Cardinals’ matchup against the Ravens. While the Cardinals expect him to play this Sunday, it’s a situation worth monitoring. Seven carries for 14 yards is unacceptable but for now, let’s chalk it up in part to his in game injury and also due to his tough matchup against a premium Ravens defense. Kliff Kingsbury’s new “Air Raid” offense is by definition, a pass first offense, but DJ will be facing a much friendlier Carolina Panthers run defense in Week 3. 

Atlanta Falcons

Week 1 saw Devonta Freeman and Ito Smith each played 36 snaps. In Week 2 Freeman played 63.5 percent of the Falcons’ offensive snaps compared to just 36.5 percent for Smith. In both weeks Smith was the more effective runner. Freeman is averaging just 2.2 yards per carry (YPC) on the season. We’ll be watching Freeman’s performance and usage against the Colts very carefully in Week 3. Falcons RBs have a favorable matchup against the Colts who’ve allowed the third most fantasy points to the position so far this season.  

Buffalo Bills

Devin Singletary played just 33 percent of the Bills’ offensive snaps in Week 2 after playing 70 percent in Week 1. He tweaked his hamstring in the fourth quarter of his Week 2 matchup against the Giants. Watch Singletary’s progress carefully as his Week 3 game time approaches. Bills running backs have a plus matchup against the Bengals who’ve given up the most fantasy points to the position thus far this season.    

Chicago Bears

We mentioned that the Bears were likely to increase David Montgomery ’s role in their offense, and in Week 2 they did! Montgomery led Bears running backs in carries (by far) and offensive snaps played. Using Montgomery as their lead back, having Mike Davis fill the change of pace role, and taking advantage of Tarik Cohen ’s dynamic abilities to make things happen as a pass catcher, seems to be the best way for the Bears to utilize their backfield resources. Let’s see what happens in Week 3 against the Redskins. 

Denver Broncos

Just as we noted last week, Philip Lindsay and Royce Freeman are being used as a 50/50 committee backfield. Their snap counts, carries and pass targets were virtually identical in Week 2. Thanks Coach Fangio!! 

Detroit Lions

The Lions cut C.J. Anderson and the free Kerryon Johnson movement has been gaining momentum among fantasy football players as Johnson logged just 12 carries in Week 2. The new look Lions backfield will likely have Ty Johnson in the role of change of pace back with J.D. McKissic used as the pass catching third down option. Lions running backs have a tough assignment against a stingy Eagles run defense. 

Green Bay Packers

Just when Aaron Jones fantasy owners thought they could breathe a sigh of relief after his big Week 2 performance, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur announced that he wanted to “even up” the touches between Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams . We’ll have to see what that means in the coming weeks, but LaFleur’s 2018 Titans offense evenly distributed carries between Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis . Williams might have slightly better blocking abilities than Jones, but Jones has proven to be the more productive back from among the two. 

Houston Texans

Carries were pretty evenly distributed between Duke Johnson and Carlos Hyde in Week 1, but Week 2 saw Hyde and Johnson return to their traditional roles. Hyde out-snapped Johnson 40 to 29, and out carried Johnson 20 to 6. Although he was targeted just once, Johnson has been most effective as a third down pass catching back throughout his NFL career. Hyde has a 5.8 YPC average in his first two games of the season.

Kansas City Chiefs

Week 1 saw Damien Williams play more than twice as many snaps as LeSean McCoy (45 to 20), but the gap narrowed a bit in Week 2 (43 to 31). Week 2 carries and targets were very similar among the two backs and will probably be so for the majority of the season. Both McCoy and Williams missed practice Wednesday due to injuries. Watch this situation closely. Darwin Thompson and Darrel Williams would benefit if Damien Williams and McCoy were to be ruled out in Week 3.  

Los Angeles Rams

Todd Gurley played 64 percent of the Rams’ Week 2 offensive snaps, Malcolm Brown played 36 percent and Darrell Henderson was hanging out on the sidelines. The good news is that Gurley punched in a TD from the Saints four yard line. He had four red zone carries in Week 2 after having none in Week 1. Brown had five red zone touches in Week 1 and just two in Week 2. 

Philadelphia Eagles

Not surprisingly, the Eagles backfield is a bit of a mess for fantasy players. In Week 2, offensive snaps played percentages had Miles Sanders playing 43 percent, Darren Sproles playing 35 percent and Jordan Howard playing 22 percent. On the field, carries were basically split among Sanders and Howard with Sproles playing his familiar pass catching back role. We’ll still refer to Howard as the Eagles’ lead back, with Sanders considered as RB1A.This was the second week in a row that Sanders lead Eagles running backs in snaps played percentage. Will he be able to turn his dominant snaps played percentage into greater fantasy production? We’ll be watching. 

San Francisco 49ers

Talk about a running back by committee approach! Week 2 saw the following distribution of carries in the 49ers backfield: Raheem Mostert , 13, Jeff Wilson Jr. 10, and Matt Breida 12. Mostert was targeted four times and led the trio in offensive snaps played. The 49ers have executed the second highest percentage of running plays this season, but with a backfield consisting of a three headed monster, it will be difficult to determine which running back to start in any given week. Tevin Coleman is still recuperating from a high ankle sprain and will possibly miss additional time. We still consider Breida the lead back during Coleman’s absence, but don’t be surprised if the 49ers use a hot hand approach. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Peyton Barber was the Buccaneers’ lead back in Week 2, playing 65 percent of the team’s offensive snaps. After having an effective Week 1, Ronald Jones only played eight offensive snaps in Week 2. Bucs coach Bruce Arians has suggested that Peyton Barber is his lead back, but that he would also consider using a hot hand approach. Apparently, Jones’ hands were stone cold in Week 2. Dare Ogunbowale doubled Jones’ snaps played with 16 and caught his lone pass target. 

***Keep an eye on Steelers RB James Conner , Indianapolis Colts RB Marlon Mack and Raiders RB Josh Jacobs . All are dealing with injuries this week. Their condition should be monitored as their game times approach.