Setting your Fantasy Football lineup for Week 17 is going to require keeping up with the news right up until Sunday Morning, because there are going to be plenty of absences to wade through before you know who will be available. As of Wednesday at running back, we already know Dalvin Cook (personal), James Robinson (ankle), Darrell Henderson (ankle), and La'Mical Perine (reserve/COVID-19) will be out for this week, and there will surely be others to follow in the coming days. We'll update you on everything you need to know before Sunday's games kick off, but you'll have to get ready to be flexible if you are playing into Week 17.
Here are Jamey Eisenberg's Start 'Em & Sit 'Em picks for running back for Week 17:
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
Start 'Em
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I thought Gaskin had the chance to play well in Week 16 at the Raiders, but he far exceeded my expectations with 14 carries for 87 yards, along with five catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns on five targets. He's now scored at least 12 PPR points in seven of his past eight games, including Week 2 against Buffalo when he had seven carries for 46 yards, as well as six catches for 36 yards on seven targets. He wasn't the featured running back then like he is now, and he should have another quality outing this week in the rematch with the Bills.
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Johnson was excellent in Week 16 as the Start of the Week with 12 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown, as well as three catches for 11 yards and a touchdown on three targets. He scored a season-high 28 PPR points and now has at least 23 PPR points in each of his past two games. He had 13 PPR points at Tennessee in Week 6 with 19 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown, along with one catch for 12 yards, and I hope he can at least replicate that performance again. If Duke Johnson (neck) remains out, expect another week with a lot of work for David Johnson, and the Titans have allowed five rushing touchdowns to running backs in their past four games.
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Dobbins will hopefully carry his touchdown streak into the NFL playoffs and potentially the offseason since he's scored in each of his past five games. He has at least 71 total yards in four of those games, and he's scored at least 13 PPR points in five games in a row. Now, the problem is Dobbins doesn't do much in the passing game with only three catches during his hot streak, and the most touches he's had over that span is 17 -- with two games of only 11. But against the Bengals that should be enough for a quality performance. Cincinnati has allowed a running back to score or gain 100 total yards in six games in a row. Dobbins is a solid No. 2 running back in all leagues, with his value higher in PPR. And you can consider Gus Edwards a sleeper this week as well.
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I liked Wilson in Week 16 at Arizona, and he was better than I expected with 22 carries for 183 yards, along with one catch for 21 yards and a touchdown on two targets. He now has six games this season with double digits in carries, and he's scored a combined eight touchdowns in those outings. He's also scored at least 12 PPR points in four of those games, and he should get another heavy workload with Raheem Mostert (ankle) out. It's a tough matchup against the Seahawks, but Wilson is still a must-start option in all leagues.
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Jones is back for Week 17 after being activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list, and hopefully he's healthy and ready to go since he also was dealing with a finger injury. He should have fresh legs since he hasn't played since Week 14, and prior to going out he scored at least 15 PPR points in three of his past four games, with two of those outings having at least 19 total touches. I'm expecting him to again be the featured rusher against the Falcons, who allowed two touchdowns and 65 total yards to Leonard Fournette in Week 15. And Atlanta has allowed a running back to score or gain at least 100 total yards in three of the past four weeks.
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Sleepers
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The Cowboys run defense has been better of late, but it still has allowed six touchdowns to running backs in its past five games, including two in a row. Gallman has struggled over the past three weeks with a combined 17 PPR points over that span, but I like him as a flex this week given the matchup. Prior to Week 14, Gallman scored or had over 100 rushing yards in six games in a row.
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Brown should be the lead running back with Darrell Henderson (ankle) and Cam Akers (ankle) hurt, and hopefully Brown takes advantage of this opportunity. There have been seven games this season where a Rams running back had at least 15 carries, and that has translated to at least 16 PPR points five times. Brown did that in Week 1 against Dallas with 21 total touches and scored 25 PPR points, and hopefully he can replicate that this week.
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Dillon had a dream game in Week 16 against Tennessee with 21 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns, along with one catch for 5 yards on one target. He won't do that again this week at Chicago barring something crazy happening, but if Jamaal Williams (quad) remains out, I can see Dillon getting a decent workload in tandem with Aaron Jones. The Packers will likely want to keep Jones fresh for the playoffs, and Dillon proved his worth against the Titans to get quality touches if Williams can't play.
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Sit 'Em
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I liked Moss in Week 16 against the Patriots, and he delivered with 12 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown, along with one catch for no yards on one target. He now has three games in a row with at least 12 carries, but that was the first time he had more than eight PPR points since Week 9. And he only has four games this season with at least 11 PPR points. Against Miami in Week 2, Moss had eight carries for 37 yards and no catches, and he's sharing too much with Devin Singletary to trust. Also, in the past five weeks, no team has allowed fewer Fantasy points to opposing running backs than the Dolphins, who have given up no touchdowns to the position over that span.
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We have no idea what the Chiefs plan to do with their starters in Week 17 since they have locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye. We also have no idea if Andy Reid views Bell as his best running back until Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle/hip) is back. In Week 16 against Atlanta, in the first game without Edwards-Helaire, Bell only had seven carries for 30 yards, along with one catch for 9 yards on three targets. Meanwhile, Darrel Williams had 10 carries for 46 yards, along with four catches for 27 yards on six targets. I wouldn't expect much work for Bell against the Chargers, and I would sit Bell in all formats. I also would shy away from Williams. We could see a lot of work for Darwin Thompson, making him a sleeper in deeper leagues.
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Bernard is more of a bust alert than a must-sit option, and he's been great over the past two games with at least 19 PPR points in each outing against the Steelers and Texans, along with at least 23 total touches in each of those two outings. Those were two surprise victories for Cincinnati, but I'm expecting that win streak to end against the Ravens. Baltimore hasn't been impenetrable against opposing running backs this season, but the Ravens are No. 10 against the position for the year. And I don't expect Bernard to be anything more than a flex as Baltimore needs to win this game to lock up a playoff berth.
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Bust Alert
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With Mason Rudolph starting this game in place of Ben Roethlisberger, we don't know how much Conner will play, if at all, since the Steelers could opt to rest him for the playoffs. But having Conner here is also an indication of how his season has gone, since he's unfortunately been a Fantasy bust to close 2020. While he did score 17 PPR points in Week 16 against the Colts, that was only the second time he's had at least 12 PPR points in the five games he's played since Week 8. If he is expected to play a full game against the Browns, then consider Conner a flex option in all leagues. But given Roethlisberger's status, I wouldn't expect four quarters out of Conner, so you should plan for an alternative Fantasy running back in Week 17.
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So who should you start and sit this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 16 rankings for every position, plus see which QB is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that out-performed experts big-time last season.
