Getty Devin Singletary looks to be taking control of the Bills backfield.
Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary is coming off of his best fantasy outing of the season one week ago with 14+ fantasy points. The rookie found the endzone for the first time since Week 2 and seems to be quickly developing into more of a focal point within the Bills offense.
However, is the role he carved out to this point big enough to warrant a spot in your starting fantasy lineups this week? Or is Singletary simply fool’s gold due to a fluke touchdown last week? Let’s discuss.
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Devin Singletary’s Fantasy Outlook vs. Washington Redskins
Devin Singletary racked up nearly 15 PPR fantasy points last week vs. the Philadelphia Eagles. That performance was good enough to firmly place him within the RB2 range in 10-12 man leagues. Singletary finished the week as the 17th highest scoring player at his position, while simultaneously outscoring his teammate and starting running back Frank Gore for the first time since Week 1.
Singletary’s fantasy numbers from last week, along with the fact that Gore has seen a dip in fantasy production in every game since Week 3, has made the Singletary truthers come out of the woodwork ahead of Week 9. However, as much as I’m a fan of his talents, I would recommend all Singletary fantasy owners tread carefully.
While many owners may have been disappointed when they saw 14.9 fantasy points left on their bench last week, take a closer look at Singletary’s numbers and you’ll likely remember why he was there in the first place.
Singletary has been extremely effective as a runner in his short career. In fact, it’s almost unprecedented. The former FAU Owl has averaged an insane 8.6 yards per carry over his first four games as a pro, averaging less than 6.3 ypc in only one game this season. However, for whatever reason, the Bills have yet to trust their rookie with a heavier workload, despite his impressive production.
While Singletary enjoyed a career day from a fantasy perspective last week, that game also marked his fewest number of rushing attempts in any game this season with just three. In fact, Singletary only averages five attempts on a per-game basis. Contrastingly, Gore averages nearly 14 attempts per game. Hell, an argument could even be made that Singletary is actually the third-option in the Bills running game, as even quarterback Josh Allen averages more rush attempts than Singletary does.
You would think a matchup with the Washington Redskins this week would allow you to look at Singletary’s fantasy outlook in a more positive light, however that may not be the case. Yes, it’s true that the ‘Skins allow the sixth-most fantasy points to running backs this season. However, if you eliminate matchups with Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook, and the Patriots from their resume, they’ve allowed the two leading rushers from their other five matchups this season to average just 42.1 yards apiece.
Should You Start or Sit Devin Singletary in Week 9?
As much as I am enamored with his talent, I would take a wait and see approach with Singletary moving forward. Which means he’ll be on my bench vs. the Redskins, as he should also be on yours. It’s not safe to project an added workload when the Bills have shown time-and-time again that they are not ready to feature Singletary in their offense.
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