Running back injuries piling up
NFL teams, fantasy owners alike scrambling to replace their starters
The NFL is a passing league, and that was apparent when 10 quarterbacks threw for over 300 yards but only five running backs topped 100 rushing yards. Of those, Isaiah Crowell (133), LeGarrette Blount (123) and Fozzy Whitaker (100) were on most fantasy benches last weekend.
INJURIES AND ANSWERS
Week 2 witnessed roughly one in every four teams losing its primary running back to injury, making both NFL and fantasy teams scramble to find replacements.
Ameer Abdullah, Detroit Lions: He only carried six times before injuring his foot. Theo Riddick was already the thirddown back and was part of a 60/40 split in Week 1. Once Abdullah left, Dwayne Washington ran four times for 31 yards, including 28 yards on his first carry.
Washington, a seventh-round pick this year, already jumped ahead of Zach Zenner on the depth chart. Riddick would take the primary role, but the 6-1, 223-pound back out of Washington would step up in the rotation. Riddick is only 5-9, 201 pounds, and the rookie would also take the short yardage and goal-line carries as well.
Arian Foster, Miami Dolphins: Well, that didn’t take long. Often-injured Foster is out with a groin injury that could linger. While Jay Ajayi was inactive in Week 1, he’ll be the primary back for as long as Foster remains out. But Ajayi only gained 14 yards on five carries in Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots.
Hosting the Cleveland Browns this weekend should be more favorable, though third-round rookie Kenyan Drake will also figure in, as he did Sunday. Drake only ran twice but gained 12 yards and scored on a 7-yard run.
The ex-Alabama back was taken earlier than Ajayi was in 2015 and becomes much more notable with Foster potentially missing extended time.
Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers: After only five carries, Stewart left in the first quarter with a strained hamstring and never returned. Stewart has never been a fast healer (he’s missed at least three games in each of the last four seasons) and could miss at least this weekend’s matchup with the visiting Minnesota Vikings.
Whitaker was effective in relief, gaining 100 yards on 16 carries and adding three catches for 31 yards.
Cameron Artis-Payne would become active for games again, but Whitaker would remain the replacement.
Danny Woodhead, San Diego Chargers: Coming off 120 total yards and a score in Week 1, Woodhead suffered a torn knee ligament and will miss the rest of the season.
Melvin Gordon had a career-high 24 carries for 102 yards and one touchdown, plus three catches for 18 yards. Gordon’s ready to be a workhorse if needed. Undrafted rookie Kenneth Farrow would figure in as a change-of-pace back.
Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Martin suffered a “tweak” to his hamstring and left after only seven carries. Charles Sims is already the receiving half of the backfield touches. If Martin remains out, the outlook is only lukewarm for Sims because the schedule hits a nasty streak with the St. Louis Rams, Denver Broncos and Panthers up next. Jacquizz Rodgers came in for one pass and could see slightly more use, but Sims would be the only back to carry fantasy value, mostly because of his role as a receiver.
He left with a bruised leg after only seven carries that netted a loss of 7 yards but is not expected to miss Week 3 when the San Francisco 49ers visit.
Christine Michael is already making the backfield a timeshare and rushing more effectively. Barring unforeseen injury, Rawls is less likely to shoulder the same heavy load he had in 2015. Fifth-round rookie Alex Collins was used for two carries when Rawls left, but Michael will continue to figure in as a significant part of the rotation.
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings already lost their starting quarterback, and Peterson’s knee injury will most likely force him to miss time. That will require both Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata to cover for him.
In 2014 when Peterson did not play, McKinnon ran 113 times for 538 yards and added 27 catches for 135 yards. Asiata was the primary back with 164 rushes for 570 yards and nine touchdowns, plus 44 receptions for 312 yards and a 10th touchdown. That sort of distribution happened on Sunday night when Asiata had seven touches to only three for McKinnon.
Don’t have the backup for your top running back? Get him now and not later when everyone wants him but you need him. While your waiver wire might already be littered with gems others gave up on after just one week, a few new players need to be considered.
TE Dennis Pitta, Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens already lost Benjamin Watson, and second-year tight end Maxx Williams is still slow to make a difference. Pitta hasn’t been remotely healthy since 2012 and has missed almost the entire last two years. But after catching three passes for 39 yards in Week 1, he turned in nine receptions for 102 yards in the win against the Cleveland Browns. This offense prefers to use tight ends in the passing scheme, and Pitta has become the primary target.
TE Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings: He’s become less productive in recent years but was targeted eight times by Sam Bradford on Sunday night. He caught three passes for 31 yards but scored once. He turned in 65 yards on four catches in Week 1. If he maintains that level of contri- bution, he’ll merit at least a bye-week replacement start.
WR DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins: He missed Week 1 because of a lingering hamstring injury. But the third wideout drafted in 2015 ended his rookie year with three games over 80 yards, and his first action of this season saw him snare eight passes for 106 yards. Parker went undrafted in smaller leagues and was even dropped in a few larger ones when he could not play last weekend. The Dolphins rushing offense looks even worse this year, and the passing game will be relied on heavily.
RB Fozzy Whitaker, Carolina Panthers: Stewart’s lack of durability is already a factor, and Whitaker was successful in the defeat of the 49ers.
The next six weeks will provide value from your waiver wire as depth charts and injury situations sort themselves out. There will also be more than a few players released who are merely getting a slow start to the season.