Start 'Em Sit 'Em Running Backs Week 10: Bijan Robinson, Khalil Herbert, Alexander Mattison, Zack Moss and More
Week 10 is here and it's time to make the tough decisions. These are the running backs you must start and the ones you have to sit this week.
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Start
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
It's disturbing that Robinson even has to be included in this article. Still, Arthur Smith is incompetent to the point that he's managing to waste one of the most talented young offenses in the NFL with Robinson, Kyle Pitts and Drake London. You can make the argument that the quarterback is the problem for the pass catchers, however, that doesn't explain giving Tyler Allgeier more touches than Robinson. Robinson has also been more efficient and is clearly more explosive. That said, we are here to tell you not to panic and to ride this out. The talent is there and he can do a lot with a little. This week the Falcons take on the Arizona Cardinals who are allowing the third most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. Plug him in and bank on the talent ultimately winning out.
Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears
It sounds like Herbert will be back for Thursday Night Football this week. Assuming he is, it's safe to immediately put him into your starting lineup. If he is not promoted to the active roster from injured reserve then just copy and paste D'Onta Foreman here. Either way, the starting running back for the Bears needs to be in your lineup and if Herbert is active, Foreman can also be started alongside him. The Bears take on the Carolina Panthers this week. No team has been worse than the Panthers against fantasy running backs, excluding the Denver Broncos. However, they have been consistently worse than Denver since the Miami Dolphins scored 30 points on them and went absolutely nuclear. The Panthers are the best matchup in the league right now for fantasy running backs.
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
On the other side of the field on Thursday Night Football, get Hubbard into your lineups as well. He has clearly taken over this backfield once again, dominating touches last week. Hubbard handled 16 carries and saw six targets while Miles Sanders carried the ball just six times and saw five targets. The Bears are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. Sanders could also be flexed in an emergency situation, but understand it's a risky play. Hubbard on the other hand is a must-start option.
Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
After disappointing for most of the season, Stevenson is coming off a big game in which he looked great in last week. We anticipate him carrying that success over into Week 10 so get him in your lineups. Rhamondre is beginning to ascend while Ezekiel Elliott is beginning to fade, at least in terms of efficiency. Last week, Stevenson averaged 9.7 yards per carry and 10.5 yards per reception while seeing nine carries, six targets, and playing 63% of snaps. Zeke averaged just 2.8 yards per carry and 5 yards per catch on six carries, five targets, and 38% of snaps. Expect this trend to continue as the young and fresh back gets stronger and the old back starts to slow down. It doesn't hurt that the Pats take on the Indianapolis Colts who are allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs and no team has given up more rushing TDs than the 11 Indy has surrendered.
Sit
Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings
With Cam Akers now done forever with another blown Achilles, it is very tempting to roll with Mattison again. However, he has a tough matchup this week against the New Orleans Saints, who have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. While having the volume back will be great, Mattison isn't good enough to just plug in against terrible matchups. Mattison is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry this year and doesn't have a rushing TD. When he has been good it's because of what he's gotten done through the air. No team has been better against pass-catching running backs than the Saints. New Orleans has allowed a total of 237 yards and no TDs through the air to backs this season.
Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens
We don't know what happened last week, but it has to scare fantasy owners who were rolling with Edwards. He did score two TDs, so it wasn't a bad fantasy week. However, he saw just five carries, no targets, and was on the field for 18% of snaps. Justice Hill saw 13 carries and played 63% of snaps while rookie Keaton Mitchell saw 18% of snaps and turned nine carries into 138 yards and a TD. Despite the strong fantasy output this week, this gives me a lot of pause when it comes to starting Edwards. When you add in the fact that the Ravens are taking on the Cleveland Browns this week, he's an easy sit candidate. The Browns have arguably the best defense in the league and are allowing fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs.
Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts
It finally happened last week. The week most of us were waiting for and some of us were dreading. Jonathan Taylor took a stranglehold of the Colts' backfield. Moss played just 21% of snaps, saw seven carries, and wasn't targeted even once. Taylor was out there for 74% of snaps and ran the ball 18 times with five targets. You can no longer plug Moss into your lineup unless something changes. It's a tough situation because you also don't want to cut him. For now, he is essentially just the best handcuff in the league until further notice.
