Fantasy Football Running Back Start/Sit Week 12: De'Von Achane, Kyren Williams, James Cook, AJ Dillon and More
It's time to take a look at the running backs you need to get in your lineup this week, and the guys that you should leave on your bench.
Week 12 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.
Running Back Start/Sit
Start
Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns
After a bit of a scare when Kareem Hunt returned to Cleveland, Ford has re-established himself as the clear RB1 in Cleveland and he has a great matchup this week against the Denver Broncos. We target them almost every week and it's for good reason. They've given up more fantasy points to running backs than any team in the league. While their defense has vastly improved since that 70-point drubbing from the Miami Dolphins, the rush defense continues to struggle. The Browns will also look to run early and often with their quarterback situation in flux. Ford should be in all lineups this week.
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
It looks like Williams is ready to roll and there is no need to wait to plug him back in. The team has already cut Darrell Henderson this week and that's all you really need to know about Williams' availability. He comes back with an ideal matchup against the Arizona Cardinals this week who are allowing the third more fantasy points to opposing running backs. If for some reason Williams doesn't end up being active this week, just replace him with Royce Freeman and you should be good. If you have space on your bench, you could just handcuff Williams with Freeman now and wait until Williams is officially active to cut Freeman.
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings
Chandler continues to be the better running back than Alexander Mattison and both backs are startable this week against the Chicago Bears. However, most questions regarding these backs seem to be centered around Chandler because Mattison continues to get more volume. We are betting that performance wins out and rolling with Chandler this week. The Bears' defense is giving up the eighth-most fantasy points to running backs this season and we anticipate the Vikings opening up a healthy lead and being able to run the ball for most of the second half.
De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
We are ready to be hurt again. If Achane is out, Mostert is an obvious smash play against a Jets' defense that hasn't been good against running backs allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to the position. However, if Achane is active we are plugging him right back in without any hesitation. Surely, many fantasy owners will be scared, but we don't play scared. His ceiling is too high to bench him and for the short time he did play last week, it looked like they wanted him to be the guy in that backfield. So far this week he's been getting in limited practices which is a promising sign and why we are mentioning him here.
Sit
James Cook, Buffalo Bills
Despite Isiah Pacheco looking really good on Monday Night Football, we are still avoiding this Eagles' rush defense. They have been dominant all year and no team has allowed fewer fantasy points to the position. The Bills' rushing attack is up and down to begin with, so there is no way we are starting a back who already sees inconsistent touches and gets little to no work down by the end zone. Leave Cook on your bench this week.
AJ Dillon, Green Bay Packers
When a back goes down there is generally a ground swell of hype surrounding the new guy stepping in. Everyone that snags him off their waiver wire is excited to plug him into their lineup. Don't make that mistake with Dillon this week. Aaron Jones will be out this week and probably next week as well, but we've already seen this play out earlier in the season. Dillon just isn't very good and even as the RB1 you shouldn't be eager to start him, especially this week against a stout Detroit Lions' rush defense. The Lions are allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points to running backs and only the Eagles and 49ers have allowed fewer rushing yards. Don't even bother with Dillon this week.
Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears
Herbert is another guy expected to see an increased role with D'Onta Foreman likely sidelined this week. However, he will still be in some sort of a timeshare with Roschon Johnson, and his matchup this week is terrible. The Bears take on the Vikings, who are allowing the eighth-fewest fantasy points to running backs and the game script favors Johnson over Herbert this week. Pass on this backfield completely unless you're desperate.
