Each week during the 2014 season, we're going to take a look at five running-back-by-committee (RBBC) situations that you should keep a close eye on. Some will have big questions, while others might be noted due to their circumstances becoming clearer. Finally, we're going to focus more on the week ahead than look down the road.
Week 10 byes: Texans, Colts, Vikings, Patriots, Chargers, Redskins
And now, in alphabetical order ...
Buffalo Bills
When we last left the Bills, Anthony (I'm not calling him Boobie) Dixon was dominating backfield touches, running 22 times for 44 yards against the Jets in Week 8, while teammate Bryce Brown carried seven times for 15 yards. But, thanks to the quarterbacking prowess of future Hall of Famer Kyle Orton (238 yards, four TD passes), the Bills' poor ground game didn't prevent them from beating up on the Jets.
On Monday, Fred Jackson (groin) did some individual drills and wouldn't rule out returning to practice this week. However, look for Dixon and Brown to again carry the load against the Chiefs' so-so run defense (116.1 ypg, 4.7 ypc), with Dixon probably handling the lead role and Brown acting as his sidekick. The Bills play again next Thursday, but that shouldn't factor into this week's gameplan.
Cleveland Browns
Over his last three games, Ben Tate has carried 41 times for 64 yards. In his Week 9 matchup against the Bucs, Tate ran 10 times for three yards. Terrance West, on the other hand, had 15 carries for 48 yards against the Bucs, and caught a two-yard TD pass.
Was this a fluke? Here's what we know:
1. Shortly before Sunday's game, Browns' beat writer Tony Grossi tweeted that "a little birdie" told him not to be surprised if West got the most carries for the Browns.
2. West played on 55 percent of the snaps Sunday, with Tate seeing 45 and Isaiah Crowell staying anchored to the bench. He also outcarried Tate, 15-10. Grossi was right, and the usage was pretty clearly planned that way.
3. West executed a key block on Bucs LB Lavonte David on a fourth-quarter touchdown pass, earning praise from his teammates.
4. Head coach Mike Pettine confirmed West's emergence following the game, saying, "When you looked at the tape and really compared the three, we feel he's really coming on ... He's earned those touches, and when he gets out there he does make the most of them."
Tate might not get buried here, but West is the favorite to again get the most carries on Thursday against the Bengals' 30th-ranked run defense. West faces the challenge of stacked boxes because defenses aren't afraid of Brian Hoyer beating them, but he should get enough work to be a flex candidate. Tate is a very shaky fantasy start for Week 10.
Detroit Lions
Reggie Bush (ankle) is expected to play Sunday against the Dolphins, joining teammate Joique Bell. The Bell/Bush combo hasn't been healthy at the same time since the first three weeks of the season. In those games, Bell played 113 snaps to Bush's 99, and had 47 touches to Bush's 41. Sounds like a pretty straight timeshare, right?
But, what about Theo Riddick, who caught eight passes for 75 yards and a touchdown in Week 8? Riddick is more of a threat to Bush than to Bell, and that makes Bush a shaky flex option this week.
New Orleans Saints
Is there still a committee here after Mark Ingram ran 30 times for 100 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers last Thursday? We won't know more about the injury statuses of Pierre Thomas (rib, shoulder) or Khiry Robinson (forearm) until Wednesday, but it would be surprising if Ingram doesn't get 15-20 carries in most games moving forward. When Thomas returns, he'll reassume his role of change-of-pace pass catcher.
(Psst ... let's all agree to forget about my preseason prediction of Thomas catching 90 passes. Thanks.)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Doug Martin (ankle) might be ready to return this week, but that doesn't mean he will. Rookie Charles Sims seems likely to get his first chance at playing, and Bobby Rainey had 121 yards from scrimmage on 20 touches versus the Browns. As much as the Bucs seem to like Sims, it would be very risky to start him in his first game as an active NFL player, because we really have no idea how much the Bucs will use him. Rainey is probably a safe start against the Falcons in Week 10, even if Martin is ready to come back. As for Martin ... kick him to the curb if you haven't already.
BONUS TEAM
New York Jets
Why did the Jets exhume Chris Johnson for 101 yards on 13 touches when Chris Ivory had been running the ball pretty well? Probably because the Jets were playing from behind for most of the game, and Johnson isn't a bad receiver. Ivory is still the preferred option here, though it would be a bit nerve-wracking to start him due to the inconsistency in his usage (he's had eight, 21, 13 and eight carries over his last four games).
