Getty Indianapolis Colts RB Marlon Mack
The Indianapolis Colts’ lack of a dominant ground game in recent years hurt in a big way. Not quite as bad as the injuries to Andrew Luck, but while veteran Frank Gore was solid over his three seasons with the team, he never averaged more than 3.9 yards per carry. Most importantly, he managed just seven touchdowns in the final two seasons.
But as the 2018 NFL season rolls along, the last few games have provided optimism for both the Colts and fantasy football owners alike. This is due to the strong play of second-year running back Marlon Mack, who’s emerging as an excellent NFL-caliber player. Although Mack has battled injuries this year, he’s totaled 56 attempts for 347 yards (roughly 6.2 yards per carry). He’s also topped 125 rushing yards in each of the past two games, scoring three touchdowns in that span.
Mack and the Colts now draw a matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10 which may be crucial for their playoff chances as they sit at 3-5 on the year. We’re going to break down whether Mack is a fantasy start or sit in this matchup.
Should You Start or Sit Marlon Mack?
While the Jaguars are widely-viewed as one of the NFL’s top defenses (understandably), they haven’t been completely dominant against the run. It’s no easy matchup for Mack, but Jacksonville has allowed 719 rushing yards on 186 attempts with four touchdowns, along with 31 receptions for 254 yards.
The numbers aren’t ideal in terms of a matchup, but they aren’t terrible either. Mack played 63 percent of the Colts’ offensive snaps in Week 8 prior to the bye, per Football Outsiders. He did lose 11 carries to Nyheim Hines but received 25 in the win over the Oakland Raiders, so his workload seems fairly safe.
I’d be fine starting Mack in 12-team leagues or above this week. He’s probably more ideal as a flex play in 12-team leagues but has the upside and high volume to be worth using as a RB2 as well.
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