Fantasy Football Running Back Handcuff Report: Week 15

Week 15 in the NFL is Week 1 of the fantasy football playoffs for most season long leagues. Unfortunately, we fantasy football managers find ourselves not only dealing with the typical injuries that surface at the end of a long grueling football season, but also having to contend with the reality of the resurgence of COVID-19, which is once again wreaking havoc with our fantasy rosters.

As this article is being written three Dolphins RBs, Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed and Phillip Lindsay are all on the reserve/COVID-19 list. The Dolphins are hoping that Malcolm Brown will be healthy enough to be activated from the IR ahead of Week 15’s matchup against the Jets. They’ve elevated Duke Johnson from their practice squad and have also worked out former Dolphin Lamar Miller. 

Rams RB Darrell Henderson is currently on the COVID-19 list as well and was forced to miss Week 14’s matchup against the Cardinals. Sony Michel has filled in nicely for Henderson, who was also sidelined in Week 13 due to a quad injury. Watch his progress as game time approaches.

Other injuries to monitor as Week 15 approaches:

Patriots RB Damien Harris (hamstring) is coming off a bye week. He’s got a tough Saturday matchup against the Colts who give up the fourth fewest average fantasy points to RBs. Rhamondre Stevenson would be the leading early down back for the Pats if Harris is forced to miss time.

Cardinals RB James Conner is having an MRI on his ankle which he appeared to injure on the last play of Monday night’s loss to the Rams. Chase Edmonds (ankle) was close to being reinstated off the IR prior to Week 14 and should be active for the Cardinals’ juicy matchup against the Lions this week. 

Kareem Hunt is dealing with his own ankle injury and if he’s inactive in Week 15 D’Ernest Johnson should have an expanded role for the Browns. Nick Chubb is obviously still the Browns RB to start in Week 15 against a Raiders team that’s given up the third highest average fantasy points to RBs thus far this season. 

Eagles RB Miles Sanders is still another back whose Week 15 status is uncertain due to an ankle injury. Jordan Howard (knee) is eligible to be reinstated from the IR. The Eagles feature a run first offense and if Sanders and Howard are inactive this week Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott will have their work cut out for them against a tough Washington run defense. 

Depending on who you believe Lions RB D’Andre Swift (shoulder) might either play in Week 15 or he’ll be headed to the IR. Jamaal Williams, his handcuff, is on the COVID-19 list as this article is being written. If both are out in Week 15 Craig Reynolds could be a long shot to play some meaningful snaps once again in Week 15. Last week Reynolds rushed for 83 yards on 11 carries for a 7.55 YPC average. 

Tony Pollard, who was inactive in Week 14 (torn plantar fascia) seems to be trending towards being active in Week 15, but if he’s not Corey Clement will again be Zeke Elliott’s backup.

More backfield situations to take note of heading into Week 15:

In last week’s column I said that “you’ve got to have a better option than to start a Seahawk RB” for Week 14. Well, Rashaad Penny, who is a Seattle RB, went off last week (137 rushing yards, 2 TDs). Trying to keep up with head coach Pete Carroll’s public statements regarding how he expects to use his RBs can make your head spin, but it does seem that Penny, who doesn’t have a great matchup against the Rams this week, will be the team’s lead back (until he’s not) moving forward. 

James Robinson is the best RB on the Jaguars’ current roster but let’s face it he’s not Urban Meyers’ guy. Travis Etienne was. However, with four fumbles (two lost) on the season Robinson is making it easy for Meyer to make him one of the major scapegoats on his two win team. With the Jaguars’ next two opponents being the Texans and Jets, Robinson, who has only had 14 carries in his last two games, may have an opportunity to get back on track. 

Jets RB Michael Carter (high ankle sprain) is expected to be reinstated from the IR for a Week 15 matchup against the Dolphins. Carter had taken over as the Jets’ lead back prior to his injury.

We had mentioned that the Packers had wanted to get A.J. Dillon more involved in their offense in a previous column and that certainly has been the case of late. In Dillon’s first seven games of the season, he played an average of 32 percent of the Packers’ offensive snaps. Over the past six weeks that percentage has increased to 51. Dillon had 15 carries to Aaron Jones’ five this past week against the Bears. Dillon has averaged 13.6 PPR fantasy points per game over the past three weeks compared to just 11.9 PPR fantasy points per game for Jones during the same period.