It's Fantasy Championship time in most leagues, and weather worries will make things tougher for some Fantasy managers. Plus injuries and more could make things even trickier.
Jamey Eisenberg has his Start and Sit calls for RB here. His Waiver Wire column also can direct you to the best options that 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 16 numbers to know and more.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
RBs to Start
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Fournette has taken over the Tampa Bay backfield again, and he was awesome in Week 16 at Arizona with 20 carries for 72 yards and nine catches for 90 yards on 10 targets. He hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 10, but he does have seven games in a row with at least 10 PPR points, mostly due to his work in the passing game. Despite sharing playing time with Rachaad White, Fournette still has 25 catches on 28 targets in his past four outings. This week, he's taking on a Panthers team that has allowed just one running back to score more than 10 PPR points since Week 9, but Fournette will be tough to stop based on his role in the passing game right now.
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McKinnon caught another touchdown in Week 16 against Seattle, which was the fourth game in a row where he had a receiving score. That's tied for the longest streak for a running back since 1970. We'll see if he can make it five in a row against the Broncos, and he destroyed Denver in Week 14 with six carries for 22 yards and seven catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets. He had a relatively quiet game against the Seahawks with five carries for 7 yards and three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown on three targets, and 12 PPR points are probably more in line with what you should expect. But he's hot right now, so keep him active in all leagues in Week 17.
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Aaron Jones (ankle) is playing hurt, and that has helped Dillon take off over the past month. He's scored at least 12 PPR points in four games in a row, including three games with at least 17 PPR points, and he has five touchdowns over that span. He also has 11 catches on 13 targets, and we hope Aaron Rodgers continues to rely on Dillon in the passing game. This week, he's taking on a Vikings defense that has allowed six running backs to score at least 11 PPR points in their past six games, with seven touchdowns over that span, and Dillon should be considered a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues. I like him better than Jones given his injury.
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Despite the Rams falling apart this season, one bright spot has been Akers turning into a star down the stretch. Let's hope he can stay hot for one more week. He comes into Week 17 with either 100 total yards or a touchdown in four games in a row. He just destroyed the Broncos in Week 16 with 23 carries for 118 yards and three touchdowns and two catches for 29 yards on two targets, and he has five catches on five targets in his past two games with Baker Mayfield. The Chargers are No. 8 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs this season, and three running backs in their past five games have scored at least 20 PPR points. Akers has top-15 upside in all leagues in Week 17.
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If Jamaal Williams (leg) can't play in Week 17 then I hope Swift has a dominant game against the Bears. It would be great if he could end his season on a high note and prove to Fantasy managers he can be a workhorse running back. He has two games this season with double digits in carries (Week 1 against Philadelphia and Week 13 against Jacksonville), and he scored at least 20 PPR points in both outings. Against the Eagles, Swift had 18 total touches (three catches) for 175 total yards and a touchdown. And against the Jaguars, Swift had 18 total touches (four catches) for 111 total yards and a touchdown. He could be a monster this week if Williams is out, and hopefully he gets 18-plus touches again. The Bears are No. 6 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and four running backs have scored at least 13 PPR points against Chicago in the past four games. Also, if Williams is out, then consider Justin Jackson a sleeper because he would play in tandem with Swift and has the chance for quality production as well.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Antonio Gibson is dealing with a sprain of some sort (Ron Rivera did not indicate a body part on Tuesday), and if he's out in Week 17 against Cleveland then Robinson would be a starter in all leagues. This is a great matchup for the Commanders to run the ball since the Browns are No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and 11 running backs have scored at least 12 PPR points against Cleveland this year, including two in a row. Robinson has at least 100 total yards or a touchdown in four of his past six games, and he could see an increased role in the passing game if Gibson is out. If Gibson plays, Robinson is no worse than a flex option in all leagues.
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It's risky to trust Knight again given his production the past two games against Detroit and Jacksonville when he combined for just four PPR points, but that was with Zach Wilson under center. With Mike White back, the Bam Knight party should get back on track. In three games with White, Knight scored at least 12 PPR points, including two games with at least 100 total yards and three catches. He'll share touches with Michael Carter, but this is a great matchup for the Jets in Week 17 at Seattle. The Seahawks are No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and Seattle has allowed nine total touchdowns to the position in the past five games. With White at quarterback, I'm trusting Knight as a flex option again in all leagues.
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The Panthers proved in Week 16 against Detroit that they can run on anyone when D'Onta Foreman and Hubbard combined for 33 carries for 290 yards and a touchdown. Coming into that game, the Lions run defense had been unstoppable for eight games in a row. Tampa Bay's run defense is also stout (No. 6 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to running backs), but Foreman and Hubbard had 24 carries for 181 yards and a touchdown in Week 7 against the Buccaneers in the first game for Carolina after trading Christian McCaffrey. For this week, I'll consider Foreman and Hubbard both flex options, and Hubbard might be the better of the two with his role in the passing game. Prior to Week 16, Hubbard had three catches in each of his past two games on six targets, and Tampa Bay has allowed three running backs to catch at least five passes in the past three games.
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RBs to Sit
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Chase Edmonds was active for Week 16 at the Rams, and the Broncos used a three-headed backfield with Edmonds, Murray and Marlon Mack. That left Murray with a reduced role of just eight carries for 34 yards and one catch for 6 yards on three targets. He will likely share touches again, and he had minimal production against the Chiefs in their first meeting in Week 14 with eight carries for 32 yards and three catches for minus-1 yard on five targets. Murray is a low-end flex at best in the rematch in Week 17.
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You never know how the backfield split will go in Miami with Wilson and Raheem Mostert, but I would try to avoid both in Week 17 at New England. Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) could be out, and the Patriots run defense is still a strength. For the season, New England is No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and the Patriots have allowed just four total touchdowns to the position this year. Mostert has one game with more than four PPR points in his past four outings, and it was Week 15 at Buffalo when Wilson was out with a hip injury. And Wilson scored in Week 16 against Green Bay but had just 10 total touches. I like Wilson better than Mostert, but he's just a flex at best in all leagues.
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Singletary is coming off a big game in Week 16 at Chicago with 12 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown and two catches for 19 yards on three targets. But he also has scored nine PPR points or less in three of his past five games, and he has a tough matchup in Week 17 at Cincinnati. The Bengals are No. 9 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and they just held Nick Chubb, Leonard Fournette and Rhamondre Stevenson to seven PPR points or less in each of the past three games. Singletary continues to share playing time with James Cook, and this should be a Josh Allen game for the Bills in a potential shootout with Joe Burrow. If Singletary doesn't score a touchdown then his Fantasy production will likely be minimal.
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Moss was clearly the lead running back for the Colts in Week 16 against the Chargers with 12 carries for 65 yards and one catch for 5 yards on one target, but that might be as good as it gets for him in this offense, even with a plus matchup in Week 17 at the Giants. Nick Foles was a disaster at quarterback against the Chargers with three interceptions, and Indianapolis had just 10 first downs, 173 total yards and was 0-for-10 on third downs. Moss will likely need to score a touchdown to save his Fantasy production because he has a minimal role in the passing game, but the Colts have six points in their past six quarters. I would only use Moss as a flex in non-PPR leagues in Week 17.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Harris scored a touchdown against Baltimore in Week 14, but he only had 12 carries for 33 yards and two catches for 17 yards on three targets in that first meeting. I love that Harris was back to being involved in the passing game in Week 16 against Las Vegas with six catches for 42 yards on nine targets, but prior to that, he had four catches on five targets in his previous four games. It's hard to know what to expect from him in the passing game this week. And Harris' touchdown in Week 14 was the lone touchdown Baltimore has allowed on the ground since Week 8. I'm still starting Harris as at least a flex option this week in all leagues, but I don't have high expectations for him given the matchup.
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