Week 3 Running Back Start/Sit: Should You Start Jerome Ford? Plus Kyren Williams, Joshua Kelley, Raheem Mostert and More
We are going to do this article a bit differently this week. There have been a ton of injuries to starting running backs this year so each player featured in this article will be one of their replacements. We will let you know if you should plug these guys in or leave them on your bench.
Start
Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins
Mostert is coming off a monster 121-yard game with two touchdowns and the Denver Broncos just let Brian Robinson run all over them for 87 yards and two TDs. Salvon Ahmed also suffered a groin injury on Sunday night and could be out or limited this week leaving Miami very thin at running back with Jeff Wilson already on injured reserve. If you have Mostert it will be difficult to keep him out of your lineups this week in a game that the Dolphins should win handily and be trying to run down the clock in the fourth quarter.
D'Andre Swift, Philadelphia Eagles
Swift got his shot in Philly with Kenneth Gainwell injured and had the best game of his career last week. He carried the ball 28 times for 175 yards and a TD while reeling in all three of his targets. There is a chance Gainwell is out again this week when the Eagles take on the Bucs. Even if Gainwell is able to return, Swift should be the starting back moving forward. If you watch both of Philly's first two games, Swift is easily the faster more explosive back. Once Gainwell does return there will be a split, but it should be Swift's backfield to lose at this point.
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
This one may have a bit of an asterisk because the starter didn't actually get hurt, he's just terrible. Nevertheless, Williams has seized this job from Cam Akers and is a great start this week against the Bengals who nothing is going right for right now. Williams was the only running back to receive a carry for the Rams last week and he saw 10 targets in the passing attack finishing with 20 touches, 100 total yards, and two TDs. The Bengals allowed Gus Edwards and Justice Hill to run all over them. Currently, he is the RB3 on the season and is a must-start.
Joshua Kelley, Los Angeles Chargers
Kelley let a lot of people down last week, but that's not a reason to completely write him off. He had the worst matchup in the league against the Tennessee Titans' rushing attack. This week should be much more kind to him when he takes on the Minnesota Vikings. It's easy to give up on a backup who disappointed in his only start, but stick with him for one more week and see what he does. If he flops again this week then you can let him go.
Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts
Moss kicked off his Colts' career in a big way rushing for 88 yards and a TD and catching all four of his targets. He is clearly the workhorse back in Indy after Deon Jackson wasn't given a single touch in Week 2 after his disastrous Week 1. No other running back saw a touch, and Moss played all but one snap on offense. He is going to see a ton of volume in this offense and even more than usual this week if Anthony Richardson doesn't clear concussion protocol. Get him in your lineups.
Sit
Matt Breida, New York Giants
We aren't out on Breida as a whole, but we are out on him this week. We want no part of the Giants' offense going on the road to San Francisco on a short week for Thursday Night Football. The only guy on the entire team we'd even consider is Darren Waller. Leave Breida alone this week, leave the Giants alone this week, and we'll revisit him next week and reassess the situation. He is worth stashing on your bench though.
Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns
Of every running back listed here, Ford is probably the best option for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, that's not the case this week. This week the Browns take on the Titans and that's a defense that should be avoided if you have a running back going up against them. They were dominant against the run last year and so far this season they held the Saints to 2.6 yards per carry and the Chargers to 2.9 yards per carry. In the game that they didn't play the Titans, the Chargers averaged 5.8 YPC and the Saints 4.1 YPC. We love Ford for the rest of the season just not this week.
Tony Jones Jr, New Orleans Saints
Currently, Jones is ranked higher than Kendre Miller across the board in all formats. If Miller is active, he's the guy to start this week in New Orleans. Even if Miller is inactive, which looks unlikely, Jones can't be trusted to be more than a desperation flex option. We just aren't buying into Jones as a player. We've seen him try and we've seen him fail before. However, he would have to get some consideration only because it's such a good matchup against the Packers this week.
AJ Dillon, Green Bay Packers
We are going into a second year now of Dillon showing that he's just a guy. There is nothing special about him and he's definitely not an RB1. This week isn't a good matchup against the Saints, and unless it was an elite matchup, we don't want Dillon in our lineups. At this point, he shouldn't even be rostered once Aaron Jones is back. You can find a better option. Of all the sits we listed, he's the last one we would start.
Gus Edwards/Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have too even of a split to start either of these guys right now. Last week the carries were split 8-to-10. That's just not enough volume and not predictable enough to bank on. Hill has seen a bit more work, however, Edwards has been a bit more efficient. Leave this backfield alone for now until something changes and we get more clarity.
