After rumbling to 61 yards and a score in the first quarter, Matt Breida was forced out of Sunday’s contest versus the Cardinals. Thankfully, what looked like a potential season-ender is not nearly as serious, as MRI’s revealed “more of a mid-ankle sprain” than a high ankle ailment. Though he hasn’t even been ruled out for Week 6, Breida seems likely for at least a one game absence.
Long-term, Breida’s now piled up a shoulder, knee, and ankle ailment in just five weeks. This raises durability question marks, and makes it unlikely Breida ever secures a true workhorse role. Unfortunately, this volume cap severely limits his fantasy ceiling, as Breida has been one of the most effective per-touch backs in the NFL. He’s run far less tentatively in 2018, showing impeccable vision for Kyle Shanahan‘s zone-blocking scheme, and bursting through the hole and arm tackles in equal measure. In fact, entering Sunday as the third-leading rusher in the NFL, Breida seemed ready to explode for a 20+ carry, 150+ yard, 2+ TD day before going down, with over 60 total yards and a score in under a quarter of action.
For the immediate, Alfred Morris (42% owned) has to be added wherever dropped. He rumbled for a bleh 61 yards on 18 carries (3.4 YPC), but also flashed more receiving ability than we’re accustomed to, with 3 catches for 30 yards. Morris would be a solid bet at 80+ total yards and a TD against a soft Packers front-seven. Plus, with Breida’s constant injury woes, Morris is a necessary handcuff for the remainder of 2018.
