Fantasy Football Running Back Start/Sit Week 5: Breece Hall, De'Von Achane, Kyren Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs
Week 5 will be kicking off soon and it's time to figure out who to start and who to sit. Here, I will be focusing on the running backs that may be just on the edge of your lineup.
Start
Breece Hall, New York Jets
Hall came out of the gates on fire in Week 1 torching the Buffalo Bills defense which now ranks second in points allowed and sixth in yards allowed. It appeared that he was fully healthy and ready to be the fantasy star everyone envisioned prior to his ACL injury. Things haven't gone so swimmingly since. A lack of touches and lack of production on a terrible offense has greatly hindered his fantasy value. However, this week he gets to go up against the Denver Broncos' defense. The Broncos are getting absolutely gashed by running backs both on the ground and through the air. They are allowing more than 10 points a game more points to running backs than any other team. Any starting running back you have matched up against Denver should be started every week.
De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
We weren't ready to go all in on Achane last week in a tough matchup with a still muddy backfield. That is no longer the case. If you have him you should start him this week and until further notice. This week he draws the Giants who are allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to running backs this season and have the eighth-worst rush defense in the league. After a tough loss last week, look for the Dolphins to try to right the ship by bludgeoning the Giants in Week 5.
Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
After Week 1, we said not to panic with Pacheco. He had been hurt for almost all of the preseason and we were told he was going to be eased into a full workload. Now he is dominating snaps and touches, and is coming off a breakout game against a tough Jets' defense, turning 20 carries into 115 yards and a TD. Pacheco also added three receptions and 43 yards through the air. Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon combined for seven touches for 20 total yards from scrimmage.
Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens
It looks like Edwards is the clear-cut RB1 in Baltimore as he dominates the backfield in touches and opportunities. Last week, he had 15 carries while no other back had more than three and he also led the backfield with three targets with Melvin Gordon getting the only other one. This week, the former Miami Hurricane takes on the Pittsburgh Steelers' 29th-ranked rush defense. They are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing backs. This is a great matchup in a suddenly cleared-up backfield.
Sit
Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts
We are going on the assumption here that Jonathan Taylor will not be playing. If he does end up suiting up this also applies to him. The Colts are taking on the Tennessee Titans and we just aren't starting running backs against them unless it is a superstar. If you do, you are fully relying on production through the air or a short TD. They have dominated on the ground since Week 2 of last year and they're awful against the pass. There is no need to start Moss in this one.
Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers
As great as the Titans have been against the rush, it's the Lions who boast the top rush defense in the NFL at the moment. They are also allowing the third-fewest fantasy points to running backs this season, holding them to single-digit points on a per-game basis this season. Sanders also has been banged up and looks awful when he's out there. In Week 4, he averaged just 1.5 yards per carry on 13 attempts compared to Chuba Hubbard's 2.9 yards per carry on 14 attempts. On the season, Sanders is averaging less than three yards per carry. This is a bad situation on a bad offense against a terrible matchup. There is no reason to even consider Sanders this week.
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
The touches just aren't there for Gibbs. He is noticeably more explosive than David Montgomery, but this is what the Lions do. They want to grind the ball with a mediocre, but steady battering ram of a running back and play four yards and a cloud of dust football. It's worked so it's tough to argue against. Gibbs is going to occasionally break big plays and have monster upside. Nevertheless, the touches just aren't there and we are looking to start someone else if possible. We saw it with D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, and history is once again repeating itself.
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
Williams quietly limped out of last week's game banged up and is now taking on the Philadelphia Eagles who are allowing the fewest fantasy points in the league to opposing running backs. By most advanced metrics, Williams also hasn't been great this season despite his impressive fantasy output. Williams is volume dependent and we are afraid that Ronnie Rivers is going to start to get some more run. This week we don't think there will be enough fantasy points to go around for either of them to excel.
