Week 13 demonstrated that poor play can quickly cause your fantasy running back to be benched.With Week 14 typically marking the start of your fantasy football playoffs, you don’t want to risk placing a player in your starting lineup who might not play an entire game. 

Fantasy players who started Jonathan Williams in Week 13 might have wondered where he disappeared to in the second half of the Colts’ matchup against the Titans. According to Colts head coach Frank Reich, the fact that Williams didn’t get a second half carry in the game was an in-game decision based on his poor performance  (14 yards on 8 carries) and his holding penalty towards the end of the first half that eliminated a first-down completion. Williams was coming off two straight games in which he had rushed for at least 100 yards. Jordan Wilkins led Colts RBs with 13 touches in Week 13. Marlon Mack who has missed the last two games due to a broken hand is practicing this week and may make his return in Week 14. Based on all the uncertainty surrounding this backfield if you have better options, you might want to use them.

Bucs RB Ronald Jones was also benched due to poor play in Week 13. According to Bucs head coach Bruce Arians, Jones failed to pick up the blitz “and that’s it. You don’t get to play no more.” Jones didn’t see the field after the first quarter in Week 13, but Peyton Barber , who filled in for him, only rushed for 44 yards on 17 carries. That translates to 2.59 yards per carry. Arians has said that Jones is still his starter but if he plays poorly, will we see him on the field at the end of Week 14’s game?

There are a few question marks surrounding the Chiefs backfield for Week 14. Damien Williams missed last week’s matchup due to a rib injury and Darrel Williams is dealing with a hamstring injury which might force him to miss Week 14. It’s looking like LeSean McCoy and preseason darling Darwin Thompson might be splitting carries this week. Things have gotten so bad that the Chiefs have re-signed Spencer Ware .

Last week we discussed how Chris Carson ’s fumbling issues might affect his and Rashaad Penny ’s playing time. Carson played 52% and Penny played 47% of the Seahawks’ offensive snaps in Week 13. Carson still out carried Penny by a 23 to 15 margin, but Penny scored a TD in his second straight game. It appears that at least for now, Carson is still the main guy in the Seahawks’ backfield, but Penny seems to be carving out a recurring and increasing role in their offense.

Titans RB Derrick Henry is a freak of nature. While many RBs usually start to tire and falter by the end of the season, he just gets better and better. He is averaging 165 rushing yards per game over the last three weeks and he has scored a TD in four straight games. It doesn’t seem to be a fluke. Last season Henry averaged 146 rushing yards per game over the last four weeks of the regular season.

Team

Primary RB

Change of Pace

3rd Down Back

Handcuff

IR/PUP/Susp./Holdout/Injured

Arizona Cardinals

Kenyan Drake

David Johnson

 

David Johnson /*Chase Edmonds

*Edmonds was active last week but did not register a carry

Atlanta Falcons

Devonta Freeman

*Quadree Ollison

Kenjon Barner

Brian Hill

Ito Smith on IR/*Ollison had no carries Week 14

Baltimore Ravens

Mark Ingram

Gus Edwards /Justice Hill

 

Gus Edwards

 

Buffalo Bills

Devin Singletary

Frank Gore

 

Frank Gore

 

Carolina Panthers

Christian McCaffrey

Reggie Bonnafon /Alex Armah  

 

Reggie Bonnafon

 

Chicago Bears

David Montgomery

 

Tarik Cohen

 

 

Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Mixon

 

Giovani Bernard

Giovani Bernard

 

Cleveland Browns

Nick Chubb

 

Kareem Hunt

Kareem Hunt

 

Dallas Cowboys

Ezekiel Elliott

 

 

Tony Pollard

 

Denver Broncos

Phillip Lindsay

Royce Freeman

 

Royce Freeman

 

Detroit Lions

Bo Scarbrough

Ty Johnson

J.D. McKissic

 

Kerryon Johnson , Tra Carson on IR

Green Bay Packers

Aaron Jones

 

Jamaal Williams

Jamaal Williams

 

Houston Texans

Carlos Hyde

Duke Johnson

 

Duke Johnson

Lamar Miller

Indianapolis Colts

Jordan Wilkins

Jonathan Williams

Nyheim Hines

Jonathan Williams

Marlon Mack – broken hand – may play this week – watch his progress

Jacksonville Jaguars

Leonard Fournette

 

 

Ryquell Armstead

Alfred Blue

Kansas City Chiefs

Damien Williams /LeSean McCoy

Darrel Williams /Spencer Ware

  

Darrel Williams -hamstring injury-watch his progress as game time approaches

Los Angeles Chargers

Melvin Gordon

 

Austin Ekeler

Austin Ekeler

 

Los Angeles Rams

Todd Gurley

Darrell Henderson

 

Malcolm Brown

 

Miami Dolphins

Patrick Laird

Myles Gaskin/Kalen Ballage

   

Minnesota Vikings

*Dalvin Cook

Alexander Mattison

 

Alexander Mattison

*Watch Cook’s progress (shoulder/chest) as game time approaches

New England Patriots

Sony Michel

Rex Burkhead

James White

 

James Develin

New Orleans Saints

Alvin Kamara

 

 

Latavius Murray

 

New York Giants

Saquon Barkley

 

 

Wayne Gallman /Elijhaa Penny

 

New York Jets

Le’Veon Bell

  

Bilal Powell /Ty Montgomery

 

Oakland Raiders

Josh Jacobs

DeAndre Washington

Jalen Richard

DeAndre Washington /Jalen Richard

 

Philadelphia Eagles

*Jordan Howard

Jay Ajayi

Miles Sanders

Miles Sanders

Darren Sproles IR, *Howard has missed the last three games-watch his progress as game time approaches.

Pittsburgh Steelers

*James Conner

Kerrith Whyte

Jaylen Samuels

Benny Snell

*Connerhas missed the las two games and was limited to begin the Steelers’ week of practice.Watch his progress as game time approaches.

San Francisco 49ers

Tevin Coleman

Raheem Mostert /*Matt Breida

Kyle Juszczyk

Raheem Mostert

Jerick McKinnon on IR, *Breida is dealing with ankle injury-has missed three straight games.

Seattle Seahawks

Chris Carson

Rashaad Penny

 

 Rashaad Penny

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Ronald Jones

Peyton Barber

Dare Ogunbowale

Peyton Barber

 

Tennessee Titans

*Derrick Henry

 

 Dion Lewis

Dion Lewis

*Henry is listed as limited with a hamstring injury. He was also listed as limited last week and rushed for 149 yards.

Washington Redskins

Adrian Peterson

Derrius Guice

Chris Thompson

Wendell Smallwood