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It took only two plays to find who will be one of the most popular Week 1 waiver-wire pickups.
Dion Lewis, come on down.
On the New England Patriots‘ first two plays from scrimmage (not counting the first, which was a penalty), Brady threw to the diminutive 24-year-old running back two times for 25 yards. On the next drive, he showed nice elusiveness on a couple of runs.
Lewis finished with 15 carries for 69 yards and four receptions for 51 yards. And thus a PPR star was born.
All preseason, one of the biggest fantasy questions from New England–you know, besides that whole Brady suspension appeal thing–surrounded the battle for the third-down running back, or in other words, the Shane Vereen role. Lewis, once regarded as a longshot to make the roster, was the most impressive back during the preseason. Not only did the Pittsburgh product make the team, but he earned the Week 1 start in place of the suspended LeGarrette Blount.
And he wasn’t just the third-down back against the Steelers. He was featured. He got 19 touches and was getting carries down the stretch when New England was running down the clock.
Now, there are some complications here. First, Blount, the projected starter, will be back next week. Second, as Pro Football Focus’ Mike Clay noted, it’s difficult to trust Bill Belichick having a consistent running-back rotation:
Still, Lewis, who averaged 4.8 yards per carry during two years with the Eagles and impressed in Cleveland before breaking his leg, looks extremely impressive. He’s shifty, elusive, capable of making people miss in tight spaces and perhaps most importantly, a good receiver.
At the very least, it looks like Lewis has nailed down the third-down role moving forward, and in this offense, that makes him a must-own player in PPR leagues. In standard formats, on the other hand, the uncertainty of New England’s depth chart means you should add him if you have room, but certainly don’t break the bank to do it.