Start 'Em SIt 'Em: Running Backs & Wide Receivers Brian Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, Dalvin Cook
Week 1 is behind us and now it's time to focus on Week 2. We are going to take a look at the running backs you should be starting this week and the ones that you should leave on your bench.
Start 'Em
Brian Robinson, Washington Commanders
Robinson is going to be the guy in Washington because Antonio Gibson can't stop fumbling. We even saw Robinson catch a TD pass because the coaching staff lost faith in Gibson after he lost another fumble. By the end of the game, Robinson saw 19 carries to Gibson's three, and Robinson out-targeted Gibson 2-to-1. You are going to get a ton of volume from Robinson every week unless there is some sort of drastic change. Throw him in your lineup this week against the Broncos and every week, because there is a real chance he ends up leading the league in, carries this season, or is at the very least near the top of that list.
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
Last week wasn't a fluke. The Falcons want to run the ball and run the ball constantly. While he may not outscore Bijan Robinson every week, he did last week and saw more touches. His 18 touches aren't an anomaly. You're going to see Allgeier get double-digit touches week after week. In Week 1 he had 15 carries for for 75 yards and two TDs adding three receptions. Robinson's role will grow, but Allgeier isn't going away. Don't be afraid to start him this week against the Packers who can be had on the ground.
Jamaal Williams, New Orleans Saints
Last week we didn't love Williams because of the brutal matchup against the Titans. This week we are in on him because he's the lone back in New Orleans and has much more reasonable matchup against the Panthers who were gashed on the ground by the Falcons last week. Williams saw 18 carries and two targets last week which he turned into 52 yards. Expect the touches to stay the same, however, the production should see a significant spike and he'll probably find the end zone. The Saints are going to win this game and run the ball down the Panthers' throats. Get Williams in your lineup.
Sit 'Em
Dalvin Cook, New York Jets
That whole "Cook is going to be a great asset early in the year" thing didn't quite work out like we hoped. Breece Hall looked absolutely incredible and Cook looked like a 28-year-old running back whom no one wanted to give a big contract to. Hall is taking over the backfield and it's happening immediately. On Monday night, Cook did see more carries with 13. He took them for 33 yards at 2.5 yards per carry. Hall rushed for 127 yards on 10 carries and was electric. This week the Jets take on the Dallas Cowboys whose defense looks horrifying. You may not want to start anyone against them let alone a backup running back on a terrible offense.
Cam Akers, Los Angeles Rams
Akers is cooked! This was never going to work out and it's insane that people thought it would. The Achilles is undefeated and Akers is no exception. If you overlooked decades of data because of a few games in December then you made a mistake and we warned you. In Week 1 Akers, in-game, was surpassed by Kyren Williams. It was clear that Akers just doesn't have it and we saw him take a back seat until garbage time. His final stat line was 22 carries for 29 yards which averages out to 1.3 yards per carry. Don't just sit Akers, trade him now while he still has some value. The end of the road is near and it's time to hop off the bus while you still can. Move on from him in all formats.
Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins
This feels like a trap. In Week 2 the consensus rankings have Mostert as a fringe RB2. He did serve as the clear RB1 for Miami this past week. The only other running back to get a touch was Salvon Ahmed who handled three carries to Moserts's 10. Mostert also had two receptions to none over Ahmed, but Ahmed did get three targets he just didn't catch them. However, we already saw how this backfield played out last season. One week Mostert looks great then the next week someone else is handling the workload. Don't trust Mike McDaniel with running backs because he will switch up everything at the drop of a dime.
The matchup against the Patriots also isn't ideal. They are a great defense and did a good job against the Eagles' rushing attack last week. When you combine a bad matchup with the possibility that we have no idea what the running back rotation will look like from week to week, Mostert is just too risky for me. Nevertheless, if he was the defined starter he should be considered a flex option, but we don't trust that will be the case.
