With his 91-yard run against the Rams in Week 7, rookie DeMarco Murray tied for seventh among week’s the rushing leaders. Of course, he went on to rumble for 253 yards and sent tongues wagging. Owners of Tony Romo shook their fists in anger.
“We had a deal! No 25-carry running backs!”
We move ahead to Week 8 and lose several of the game’s top options to Byes (Forte, Turner and McFadden). We also have numerous injuries at the running back position to consider as kickoffs approach. I can’t wait for the Sit-Start questions on the radio and for the FOXSports.com Fantasy Chat with Halpin, Beall and Fowler.
Bust out the 20-sided die and let’s go to work.
Exclude: Adrian Peterson, Arian Foster, Ray Rice, Fred Jackson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ryan Mathews, LeSean McCoy
Bye Week: Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Oakland, New York Jets
Click here for Harmon’s Week 8 QBs
Click here for Harmon’s Week 8 RBs
Click here for Harmon’s Week 8 WRs
Click here for Harmon’s Week 8 TEs
Week 8 Heroes
Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG vs. MIA: The Giants return from the Bye with a fantastic matchup. Eli Manning will have his way with the Miami secondary, thereby affording Bradshaw ample room to roam. The Dolphins allow 118.5 yards and 0.5 rushing touchdowns per game.
The long march to the selection of Andrew Luck continues this week against the Giants. With Brandon Jacobs still ailing, Bradshaw is in line for another huge day.
Chris Johnson TEN vs. IND: “It is time.” I referenced the seemingly unending parade of ads pushing “The Lion King” during my video hits for FOXSports.com this week. Seriously, the baboon taunts me in my sleep. So, I’ll go back to it again.
To call Johnson’s efforts to date “disappointing” would be a gross understatement. He’s earned a single 100-yard game and one touchdown through six games. In fact, Johnson’s earned a miserable total of 167 yards in his other five starts combined.
I’ll put those mind-numbing numbers to the wayside here for a home tilt against the Colts. Indianapolis has been run over time and again to the tune of 150.9 yards and 1.3 touchdowns per game. It’s the perfect spot for Johnson to finally get rolling.
DeMarco Murray, DAL at PHI: Murray rumbled for 253 yards in Week 7, an effort seen around the world. How many times have you seen his 91-yard run this week?
He’s set to produce a dominant follow-up effort this week against the Eagles in a big Sunday night matchup. Tashard Choice is a non-factor, and Felix Jones isn’t expected back just yet. The Eagles have allowed 123.8 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown per game.
Darren Sproles, NO at STL: Sproles remains a PPR beast and has generated solid efforts on the ground in three of the past four weeks. He’s already caught 45 passes through seven weeks and has eclipsed 80 total yards in five of seven games.
Sproles rates a fantastic play this week (as does waiver wire hero Pierre Thomas, who is discussed below) against St. Louis. The Rams rank dead last in run defense at 183.8 rushing yards allowed per game. Consider the Week 7 effort against the Colts a tune-up.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, NE at PIT: Green-Ellis missed Wednesday’s workout because of a toe injury, the same toe issue that put him on the injury report in Weeks 5 and 6. He’s a strong play coming out of the Bye week against the Steelers.
This isn’t your Pittsburgh run defense of years past, though Casey Hampton may return to the defensive interior. Beanie Wells was set to become the latest 100-yard rusher against Pittsburgh in Week 7 before departing the game with a knee injury. Green-Ellis maintains his role as the leader in the backfield and generates at least one goal line plunge.
Ryan Torain, WAS at BUF: What’s the line? “We won’t get fooled again?”
We tell ourselves that, but we keep going back to the well for Mike Shanahan running backs. With Tim Hightower lost for the season, Torain presumably slides back into the top spot. Of course, he’ll split touches with Ryan Torain (will Evan Royster get promoted from the practice squad?).
Torain rushed for 135 yards in a surprise spot in Week 4 and was seemingly set to reclaim that top spot in Week 7. Hightower owned the entire workload until he was injured. On paper, it’s a great spot for Torain in Week 8 against Buffalo (135.7 yards and 1.3 touchdowns allowed per game). I’ll dip my toes back into this murky water one more time.
Steven Jackson, STL vs. NO: I’ll sell you on the start with a simple statistic. The Saints allow 5.4 rushing yards per carry. A.J. Feeley will take his shots downfield with Brandon Lloyd, but this offense still runs through Jackson (17, 18 and 18 carries in his past three games).
I’ll now make the case for watching this game. Appreciate the effort and performance you get out of Jackson, one of the last true workhorses of the NFL. You want the link to the past. Look at No. 39.
Jackie Battle, KC vs. SD: Battle posted a solid finish to the Week 7 win against Oakland following a slow start (he finished with 76 rushing yards). He’d amassed 119 yards on 19 carries in his introduction to the fantasy community in Week 5.
Look for Kansas City to try and establish the ground game early against the Chargers on Monday night. San Diego has been stingy near the goal line (three rushing touchdowns allowed), but has ceded 4.7 yards per carry through six games.
Daniel Thomas, MIA at NYG: I include Thomas because of the opportunity that avails itself here against the 27th-ranked New York Giants run defense (127.7 yards and 1.2 touchdowns allowed per game). Of course, his lingering hamstring injury requires a bit of trust. He carried the ball 19 times in Week 7 despite appearing on the injury list because of the hamstring injury.
Week 8 Ninja Alerts
Pierre Thomas, NO at STL: Thomas amassed 125 total yards on 15 touches in the Week 7 burial of the Colts. He and Darren Sproles have another fantastic opportunity on tap this week against the bottom-ranked St. Louis run defense (183 yards allowed per game). Thomas has recorded multiple receptions in five of seven games this season and will remain active on the edge against the Rams.
Mark Ingram has a heel injury and may sit this week (why would you rush him back?).
Knowshon Moreno, DEN vs. DET: Moreno gets his shot at the top spot in Week 8 with Willis McGahee sidelined because of a hand injury. He represents a solid RB2 play this week against the 28th-ranked Detroit run defense (129.4 yards allowed per game). Moreno will see more targets out of the backfield and has the cut-back speed to give the Lions fits.
Roy Helu, WAS at BUF: Do you have the extra slot to start both Ryan Torain and Helu? Remember, Week 7 was supposed to be the return of Torain to the top spot. We watched Tim Hightower run amuck before his season-ending injury. Well, Torain is slated to be the starter again this week, but who is to say we (the fantasy nation) don’t get “Shanahan’d” again?
Helu is a sneaky Flex option this week against the Bills (136 yards and 1.3 touchdowns allowed per game). He’ll certainly see some portion of the workload, and Shanahan’s confidence in Torain is certainly to be questioned.
Week 8 Flop Alerts
Rashard Mendenhall vs. NE: The Patriots have quieted returned to the top 10 in run defense, limiting opponents to 101.5 yards per game (five total touchdowns). Of course, the continued aerial assaults have a lot to do with the limited ground work.
I suspect that Ben Roethlisberger finds success against the Pats by spreading his speed receivers out and that we are treated to a battle between “Big” Ben and Brady. I’m fearful that Mendenhall’s ground issues continue against Vince Wilfork. He’s eclipsed 66 rushing yards once this season. Mendenhall’s a mid-RB2 performer this week.
Peyton Hillis/Montario Hardesty, CLE at SF: I can’t touch it. Hardesty plodded forward for 95 yards on 33 carries in Week 7. Hillis hadn’t been cleared to practice as of Thursday.
San Francisco ranks second in run defense, allowing 74.7 yards per game with zero touchdowns. You might see some returns in the passing game, but there’s nothing to get excited about here.
Alfonso Smith, ARI at BAL: Smith acquitted himself well with Beanie Wells sidelined in Week 3. He totaled 75 total yards against the Seahawks (54 on the ground). Smith is the leader of a split backfield with Stephens-Howling and even Chester Taylor should Wells sit out Week 8. Still, there’s not much to get excited about against the Baltimore run defense.
Bernard Scott, CIN at SEA: You finally have your chance to play Scott in place of the suspended Cedric Benson. I just wonder whether you’ll actually want to pull the trigger. Say what you will about the Seattle squad overall. The run defense has played quite well, limiting opposing rushers to just 3.1 yards per carry (look back to Week 7 and the efforts of Montario Hardesty).
FOX Fantasy Football Homepage | Fowler: Week 8 Start Sit Gallery
