For all the fantasy football owners who opted to take a chance on drafting running back LeSean McCoy, there’s hope it may pay off in Week 3. While the Chiefs have a tough matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, a positive twist has gone in favor of McCoy’s outlook from a playing time perspective.
As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported, fellow backfield mate Damien Williams has been ruled out for Week 3 due to a knee injury.
Chiefs ruled out RB Damien Williams (knee) from Sunday’s game against the Ravens.
In turn, it should be the McCoy show, with a bit of Darwin Thompson in the mix as well. It’s an interesting outlook to discuss, and we’re going to evaluate McCoy’s fantasy value against the Ravens and whether he’s a start or sit.
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LeSean McCoy Fantasy: Matchup vs. Ravens Brutally Tough
The easy answer, based on workload, is that McCoy should be in lineups, but it’s not quite that simple. Unfortunately, McCoy’s matchup isn’t just tough, it’s absolutely brutal based on the numbers.
According to Yahoo Sports’ scoring, the Ravens rank as the best team in the NFL against opposing running backs. Through the first two weeks, they’ve allowed just 14 rushing yards per game and 21.5 receiving yards to the position. It’s a less-than-ideal outlook and it points to a strong likelihood that the Chiefs could wind up going pass-heavy and utilizing Patrick Mahomes even more than usual.
It’s going to be tough to sell McCoy as a “start” in Week 3 for fantasy, but much of it depends on your other options. There’s also a lot to consider when evaluating your roster outlook and the available players on the waiver wire heading into the weekend. It’s unlikely that there’s a free agent better than McCoy, but checking out the waiver breakdown would be a wise move for fantasy owners in need of a running back.
Is LeSean McCoy a Start or Sit in Week 3?
It’s tough to gauge what to expect from McCoy, considering he impressed in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. During the 40-26 victory, McCoy rushed 10 times for 81 yards and caught one pass for 12 yards. But on the other side of the argument, McCoy had just 11 carries for 23 yards and three receptions for zero yards in the Week 2 win over the Oakland Raiders.
There’s an argument to be made that McCoy is a fine flex play, based on potential volume, but there’s also the question of how much work Darwin Thompson will receive with Williams ruled out. Between McCoy’s matchup and the question mark about Thompson’s potential snaps, I’d err on the side of caution and try to find another player as my RB2 in 10-12 team leagues.
If you’re playing in a 14-team league or even larger, then McCoy jumps into the mix as a player you’re almost certainly locking into the flex spot. He’s also in consideration as a RB2 in 14-team leagues if you’re thin at the running back position.
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LeSean McCoy Fantasy: Is RB a Start or Sit After Damien Williams Injury?