Marlon Mack couldn’t possibly top his Week 7 performance where he racked up 159 total yards and two touchdowns, right? Well, he basically replicated it and proved it was no fluke this week when he totaled 149 total yards and two touchdowns against the leaky Raiders defense. It’s not necessarily the numbers that he put up that’s the most impressive, it’s the high usage that he’s been given since his return to the lineup that should leave his owners’ optimistic. After posting career-highs in both snap rate and touches against the Bills, Mack rewrote his personal record book in snap rate (62.8%), carries (25), and total touches (27) against Gruden’s defense. If you’re a Mack owner, you can feel comfortable inserting him into your RB2 slot on an every-week basis from here on out.
No one has ever said Mack lacks talent. In fact, one could argue that he’s one of the most gifted athletes at his position. It’s been his inability to stay on the field that’s been his issue. But, it looks like Frank Reich is confident enough in his durability to treat him like a true workhorse. He has the “tough” Jaguars defense following this week’s Bye, then has a relatively favorable schedule to finish out the second half. Either way, if he can stay healthy while receiving this bell-cow usage, his three-down traits will make him a potential league-winner down the stretch.
