Austin Ekeler @ PHI (Thu)

Ekeler has quietly had a strong first season with the Commanders. He has filled in admirably for an injured Brian Robinson Jr., averaging just over nine standard points per game. His 5.2 yards per carry is his best since 2018, and the Commander offensive line continues to boast an impressive winning percentage. Even with Robinson likely to return from a hamstring injury, Ekeler maintains at least FLEX value in a game with an over/under of 48.5 points.

Nick Chubb @ NO

The fact that Nick Chubb can even run again is astonishing, so it’s no surprise that he’s gotten off to a slow start since returning in Week 7. He’s struggled to make long runs, and his current average of 2.7 yards per carry is good. among his career marks. On the plus side, he has taken control of this backfield from his less talented teammates, and the extra rest from the bye week, and a date with the league’s second-worst rush defense should help improve these numbers.

Audric Etime vs. ATL

Estime saw a workhorse-like 82% of carries in Denver’s backfield last week, taking his 14 carries for 53 yards. Sure, those numbers don’t jump off the page, but considering this went against the league’s best run defense, I can give him a pass. What interests me are the opportunities he was given, and the fresh legs he brings to a fading backfield. With Nix making the passing game respectable, Estime should continue to get opportunities to take over this backfield against a mediocre Atlanta defense.

Grab some pine trees

Tony Pollard vs. MIN

Pollard has been banged up in recent weeks, and with the healthy return of Tajae Spears, Pollard registered a season-low percentage of 54%. He’s been a decent fantasy asset, but he certainly can’t afford to be in a 50-50 timeshare. If this game gets messy, Spears will likely soak up more of the messy time snaps as well.

Tank Bigsby / Travis Etienne @ DET

This Jaguar offense was already the most disappointing in the NFL, but losing Trevor Lawrence now has all the value they could have lost. Etienne looked healthy and spry for the first time this season last week, but the timeshare with Bigsby isn’t going away, even if nagging injuries have slowed his role in recent weeks. The match is brutal and it’s unlikely either of these guys can be trusted for the rest of the year.

Rico Dowdle vs HOU (Mon)

Dallas’ running game was already dangling by a thread, and the loss of Prescott will undermine it even further. Dowdle has been a touchdown or bust option all season, and he may be squeaking into lineups with the bye weeks, but he’s certainly not someone to trust, especially since he has yet to score on the ground.

Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers