Fantasy Football Playoffs: Who to start, who to sit in Week 15
Running Backs – Start ‘Em
Cam Akers, RB – LAR vs NYJ
Rookie running back Cam Akers has definitely had the hot hand in terms of Los Angles Rams’ ball carries over the last few weeks. The 21-year-old has had at least 100 yards rushing or a touchdown or the last three weeks and possess true league-winning potential for fantasy football owners.
Last week vs the New England Patriots, Akers carried the ball 29 times, accumulating a very nice 171 rushing yards while also adding two catches for 23 yards. The New York Jets defense isn’t as bad as you might assume, but they’re not horrible either. Start Akers this week. There is tremendous upside here.
Detroit Lions
Mike Davis, RB – CAR vs GB
Carolina Panthers running backs both helped me and hurt me in 2020, as someone that possesses Christian McCaffrey in my home (keeper) league.
Thus, I also drafted Mike Davis as a handcuff. Davis started out well as McCaffery’s replacement but then started to show that he also doesn’t possess the talent that McCaffrey does as the season wore on.
In Week 15, you can have (at least some) confidence putting Davis in your starting lineup vs the Green Bay Packers, particularly in PPR.
The Packers have allowed at least 100 total yards to running backs in all but one game this season and have also allowed at least four catches to eight different backs.
Running Backs – Sit ‘Em
Chris Carson, RB – SEA vs WAS
Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson started the year off very strong before injuries derailed his momentum. Since returning, Carson isn’t getting the 20-ish carries a game he once was, as Head Coach Pete Carroll spreads the workload with the backs he has healthy on a week-to-week basis.
Couple that with the Seahawks matchup, a meeting against the Washington Football Team that has the third-best rush defense in the league, and it’s hard to put your trust in Carson with the season on the line.
Ezekiel Elliott, RB – DAL vs SF
When you drafted Ezekiel Elliott back in August, you probably assumed you had drafted a solid workhorse for your fantasy football team. Little did we know that the Dallas Cowboys’ season would go up in flames following the gruesome season-ending injury suffered by quarterback Dak Prescott.
Elliott has only one 100-yard game this season, coming back in Week 11, and has only had two games since Week 6 with double-digit fantasy points. The San Francisco 49ers’ defense ranks fourth against opposing running backs in 2020.
He is not playing healthy and had only one more touch than Tony Pollard in Week 14. It’s hard to sit him in fear that he could put up 25 in your playoffs and be on your bench. It’s a tough call, but if I can avoid trusting in Elliott, I’m going somewhere else.