Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Running Backs: Week 7

Welcome to Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em for Week 7 of the NFL season. In this week’s column, we take a look at two aging veterans headed in polar opposite directions on Sunday.

* Reminder: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is intended to present you with the non-obvious choices for your fantasy lineup. We dig deep into player matchups, scoring trends, and other factors to best help you with your fantasy decisions. Superstars such as Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley will not be found in this column. If you’re looking for players of their caliber check out our weekly fantasy football running back rankings.

Start-Sit [ QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | DEF | Ks]

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RB: Start ‘Em

Start of the Week: Leonard Fournette at CIN

After starting the season moderately slow, Fournette has exploded over the past three weeks totaling 500 yards from scrimmage. The one downside to Fournette’s stellar performances is his inability to find the endzone (just one TD all season). That will almost undoubtedly change this week, as no team in the NFL allows more rushing touchdowns to running backs on a per-game basis than the Cincinnati Bengals.

Josh Jacobs at GB

Prior to his bye, Jacobs dominated the vaunted Chicago Bears defense to the tune of 143 total yards, two touchdowns, and 29.3 fantasy points. The Green Bay Packers have struggled mightily on containing opposing running backs. Through the first six weeks of the season, only three teams have allowed more fantasy points to the position.

Tevin Coleman at WAS

Coleman has quickly regained his spot at the 49ers running back hierarchy. The running back has scored at least 14+ points and a touchdown in each of his two games since returning from injury. Washington allows the fifth-most points to running backs this year. Coleman has scored 30 touchdowns over his past 47 games.

Sleeper: Frank Gore vs. MIA

The ageless wonder Frank Gore has averaged 14.7 fantasy points in three of his previous four games. The Miami Dolphins allow an absurd average of 32.26 fantasy points per game to the running back position this season, including nine touchdowns.

RB: Sit ‘Em

Sit of the Week: Adrian Peterson vs. SF

Peterson was our sleeper of the week in this column a week ago, and he delivered. Yet, this week you’d be hard-pressed to plug he future hall of famer into your starting lineup. Besides Nick Chubb’s 10.4 point performance in Week 5, starting ball carriers average a horrendous 5.2 fantasy points per game against the ‘9ers this season.

David Montgomery vs. NO

Montgomery has taken hold of the RB1 duties in Chicago. However, he hasn’t looked so great manning that role. The Iowa State product has averaged greater than 3.4 yards per rush just once thus far this season, currently holding a 3.3 ypc average over his first five games as a pro. New Orleans has allowed opposing starting running backs an average of just 3.38 ypc since Week 1.

Buyers Beware: Austin Ekeler at TEN

Ekeler’s run as a premier fantasy option is on its last leg, and will likely come to its end in Week 7. While he always has a chance to produce respectable numbers in PPR due to his receiving prowess, the return of Melvin Gordon has made him a forgotten man in the run game. Tennesse surrenders the eighth fewest fantasy points to running backs this season.

READ NEXT:  Fantasy: Running Back Rankings Week 7