Getty Buffalo Bills RB Chris Ivory is in a tough fantasy football spot in Week 3.
LeSean McCoy fantasy football owners find themselves in a bit of a bind as Week 3 of the NFL season is nearly here. As ESPN’s Field Yates reported the Buffalo Bills have officially ruled out their starting running back, resulting in fantasy players attempting to find a replacement currently.
Official:
Leonard Fournette: Out
T.J. Yeldon: In
LeSean McCoy: Out
Aaron Rodgers: In
Marcus Mariota: In
Corey Clement: In
Marquise Goodwin: In
Aaron Jones: In
Alshon Jeffery: Out
The question becomes, is McCoy’s backup Chris Ivory worth considering? On the surface, it’s hard to envision Ivory being much of a solid fantasy play this week in a tough matchup, but let’s dive a bit deeper.
Tough Matchup for Ivory, But Late News
Ivory and the Bills draw a tough matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. On the season, the Vikings have been one o the better teams against running backs, allowing just 174 yards on 44 carries and six receptions for 82 yards. On the surface, the matchup alone makes Ivory worth fading, but there’s more to consider than that.
Along with McCoy, there is a plethora of starting running backs such as Joe Mixon, Dalvin Cook and Leonard Fournette who are unexpected to play in Week 3. In turn, the waiver wire in your league has surely thinned out and Ivory may be one of the lone remaining options.
Consensus
I’d say Ivory has to be in consideration in 12 or 14-team leagues if you have virtually no other options and the waiver wire is all but wiped clean. He’s not even close to one of my favorite plays, and I’d much prefer someone like Latavius Murray, Giovani Bernard or even T.J. Yeldon if available. But those names are likely all off the board, so going with Ivory in a major bind is fine.
When it comes to any league smaller than 12 players, I’d avoid Ivory at all costs. Unless the benches are incredibly large in a 12-team league, there’s likely one or two options available better than the Bills running back.
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