Fantasy Football Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: Week 17 running backs to get in your lineups
Who you want in your Week 17 lineup at running back
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1 min read
It's championship week in most Fantasy leagues. Pressure to make the right lineup calls intensifies in Week 17, but there are more options for teams that need them.
Jamey Eisenberg has his Start and Sit calls for RB below. His Waiver Wire column also can direct you to the best options who may be available in your leagues. And don't forget to check out Heath Cummings' running back preview for more help with matchup notes, Week 17 numbers to know and more.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
Start 'Em
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Edmonds stepped in for an injured James Conner (heel) in Week 16 against Indianapolis and scored 26 PPR points with 16 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown, along with eight catches for 71 yards on nine targets. If Conner is out again then Edmonds is a must-start running back in all leagues against the Cowboys. There have now been five games since Week 10 where either Conner or Edmonds have been out, and the healthy running back has scored at least 14 PPR points in those outings with an average of 22.2 PPR points per game.
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Jones started for the Buccaneers in Week 16 at Carolina with Leonard Fournette (hamstring) out, and he scored 15 PPR points as the Start of the Week. He had 22 total touches (two catches), and Tampa Bay leaned on him as a workhorse, which should happen again. He has an even better matchup in Week 17 against the Jets, who allow the most Fantasy points to opposing running backs. Five running backs have scored at least 15 PPR points against the Jets in their past four games, including guys like Kenneth Gainwell, Duke Johnson and Dare Ogunbowale. Jones has top-five upside in this matchup.
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We'll see if Rhamondre Stevenson (COVID) returns this week after being out in Week 16 against Buffalo, but Harris was great as the lead running back against the Bills with 18 carries for 103 yards and three touchdowns. He's now scored a touchdown and at least 12 PPR points in each of his past three appearances, and I would still start Harris even if Stevenson plays. The Jaguars have allowed a running back to score a touchdown or rush for at least 100 yards in three of their past four games.
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I considered Wilson as the Start of the Week, but there's a chance Elijah Mitchell (knee) could play this week, which makes Wilson somewhat risky. But if Mitchell is out for a fourth game in a row then Wilson could be a top-10 Fantasy running back in all leagues against Houston. He has scored at least 14 PPR points in consecutive games against the Falcons and Titans, and the Texans are No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Four running backs in a row have scored at least 17 PPR points against Houston, and San Francisco will probably lean on its ground game even more than usual if Trey Lance starts for Jimmy Garoppolo (thumb).
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Penny was fantastic in Week 16 against Chicago, and he should have another standout performance this week against Detroit. Penny scored 19 PPR points against the Bears, which is the second time in the past three games he reached that total. The Lions have allowed a running back to score or gain at least 100 total yards in six of their past eight games, including six in a row on the road. Penny could be a top-15 running back in all leagues in Week 17.
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Sleepers
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Williams started five games earlier this season when Clyde Edwards-Helaire (shoulder) was out with a knee injury, and Williams scored at least 16 PPR points in three of those outings. He should have the opportunity for a quality outing against the Bengals with an increased workload, and he's worth trusting as a No. 2 running back in all leagues. In deeper formats, you can use Derrick Gore also. He has three games this season with at least 11 total touches, and he scored at least 13 PPR points in two of them.
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Miles Sanders (hand) has already been ruled out for Week 17, and Jordan Howard (neck) is dealing with a stinger. If both can't play against Washington then Scott would be considered a quality No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues. He has four games this season with at least 11 carries, and he either scored a touchdown or had at least 100 total yards in each outing. Philadelphia just played Washington in Week 15, and the combination of Sanders and Howard had 33 carries for 200 yards, along with two catches for 15 yards. Kenneth Gainwell would share touches with Scott, and Gainwell is worth using as a flex option in deeper leagues if Howard is out. Now, if Howard plays, then use him as a low-end running back in most leagues, and Scott would be a useful flex option.
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The Bills still have issues running the ball, but Singletary is starting to deliver as a Fantasy option, which makes him a No. 2 running back in all leagues. He's scored at least 14 PPR points in three games in a row, and he has two touchdowns and two outings with at least five catches over that span. He also has at least 17 total touches in consecutive games, which is the first time that's happened all season. The Falcons are No. 9 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and Singletary should deliver another quality outing at home this week.
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Pollard is worth using as a flex option against the Cardinals this week. He only had six PPR points in Week 16 against Washington, but he wasn't used much after halftime in the blowout victory. Prior to Week 16, Pollard had scored at least 11 PPR points in three of his past five games, and he should continue to do well in tandem with Ezekiel Elliott. The Cardinals have allowed a running back to score or gain over 100 total yards in five of their past six games.
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Sit 'Em
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Foreman has done a great job in helping Fantasy managers over the past four games. He has either a touchdown or 100 total yards in each of his past four outings, and he scored at least 13 PPR points in two of those games. But he struggled in Week 16 against San Francisco with just nine carries for 17 yards and the touchdown, and he had no targets. Jeremy McNichols and Dontrell Hilliard will share touches with Foreman, and this is a brutal matchup against Miami. The Dolphins haven't allowed a running back to score a touchdown since Week 7, including matchups with Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Alvin Kamara and Michael Carter twice. And Barkley in Week 13 is the lone running back with more than nine PPR points against Miami in the past seven games. Foreman is a questionable flex option in this matchup.
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Freeman scored a touchdown last week at Cincinnati but managed just nine PPR points. He's now scored 12 combined PPR points in his past two games against the Packers and Bengals and only has 12 carries for 39 yards and three catches for 5 yards in those two outings. We'll see if Lamar Jackson (ankle) can return this week and help get Freeman back on track, but you can't trust him in Week 17 against the Rams based on his production from the past two games.
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It's a good idea to avoid all the Dolphins running backs in Week 17 since Johnson, Myles Gaskin and Phillip Lindsay are part of a bad committee. In Week 16 at New Orleans, Johnson had 13 carries for 39 yards and no targets. Lindsay had 13 carries for 36 yards and no targets. And Gaskin had three carries for 10 yards, along with one catch for 6 yards on three targets. Johnson and Lindsay both had short-yardage chances near the goal line but failed to convert. And this matchup against the Titans is tough since Tennessee is No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs.
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Burkhead was amazing for any Fantasy managers who trusted him in Week 16 against the Chargers. He had 22 carries for 149 yards and two touchdowns, as well as two catches for no yards on two targets. It's the first time he scored a touchdown since Week 8 and only the third time he's scored double digits in PPR this season. His expected workload at San Francisco makes him a potential flex option in all leagues, and hopefully, he can deliver a quality stat line for the second week in a row. But the problem is the 49ers have allowed one touchdown to a running back in their past three games. I'd be hesitant to trust Burkhead despite his big outing in Week 16.
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I don't want to start Ogunbowale in Week 17 at New England, but he could be a flex option in deeper leagues as the replacement for James Robinson (Achilles). In Week 16 at the Jets, Ogunbowale stepped in when Robinson went down and finished with 17 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown, along with two catches for 15 yards on four targets. The Patriots have allowed a touchdown to a running back in three of their past four games, and hopefully, the Jaguars lean on Ogunbowale in this matchup for any Fantasy managers in deeper leagues who might have to start him. But it's hard to imagine this Jacksonville offense having much success in New England after the Patriots are coming off a tough loss to Buffalo. Be cautious if you're starting Ogunbowale this week.
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Bust Alert
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Carter was fantastic in Week 16 against Jacksonville with 16 carries for 118 yards, along with two catches for 6 yards on three targets. He looked back to himself after missing three outings with an ankle injury from Weeks 12-14, and it would be great if he has another quality performance in Week 17 against Tampa Bay. But I would only use him as a flex option against the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay hasn't allowed a running back to score a touchdown in three games in a row, and the Buccaneers are No. 7 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to running backs for the season. I have to start Carter in one championship game, and I'm nervous about the matchup with Tampa Bay this week.
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