Welcome to Week 12. It’s officially fantasy crunch time. The fantasy playoffs are just a few weeks away and every matchup matters more than ever. Every waiver claim and every roster decision is magnified and can make or break that season.
This is especially true at the running back position. With constant turnover at the position and injuries each week, starting the right running back can be incredibly tricky.
With that being said, let’s evaluate some more questionable situations at running back and decide if these players can be trusted in your Week 12 fantasy lineup.
KYREN WILLIAMS WEEK 12 OUTLOOK
Both the Los Angeles Rams and fantasy managers are rejoicing, King Kyren is back. After spending four weeks on the sideline with an ankle injury, Kyren Williams is set to return in Week 12.
Without spoiling things too much, Williams is in a position to thrive in his return to action.
First, we have the action of the Los Angeles Rams over the last few days. When Williams was designated for the IR, the Rams added Darrell Henderson Jr. to their stable of RBs. Henderson contributed in a fairly significant way, handling 56 touches across four games.
Henderson has since been released by the team. Going from 12+ touches per game to being released is a phenomenal sign that Williams is in line to handle a large workload when he returns.
Speaking of Williams’ usage, he had one of the best roles for a running back before he was injured.
As far as running back work went in Los Angeles, Williams was handling just about everything.
This may not hold up following the injury. Royce Freeman has played a big role in recent weeks, handling over 50 percent of running back carries in two straight games. However, the role prior to injury and the release of Henderson indicates that Kyren will be involved early and often.
Finally, we get to the Rams’ Week 12 matchup, the Arizona Cardinals. To keep things simple, the Cardinals are a dream matchup for any running back. The Cardinals give up 26.6 fantasy points per game to RBs, the 3rd most in the NFL. The Cardinals have allowed a running back to have 80+ total yards in every game this season excluding Week 1. This included an explosion from Williams where he took 20 carries for 158 yards and a trip to the endzone.
Williams has been productive throughout the season and has a premium matchup on Sunday. The only thing that might hold him back is limited usage. Following the release of Henderson, it appears to be wheels up. Kyren Williams should be in lineups in Week 12.
ZACH CHARBONNET WEEK 12 OUTLOOK
Zach Charbonnet has been the subject of plenty of buzz in recent weeks. This has primarily been driven by Charbonnet’s increased playing time. Heading into a Week 11 matchup with the Rams, the rookie had out-snapped Kenneth Walker in three straight games.
Week 11 added yet another wrinkle to the fold. Walker left the game with a fairly significant oblique injury. Although head coach Pete Carroll indicated that Walker would not be placed on IR, he will miss Week 12 at a minimum and will likely miss multiple games. This catapults Charbonnet into the starting role in Seattle for now.
We got a taste of what Charbonnet would look like as a starter following Walker’s injury. Charbonnet caught all six of his targets for 22 yards last week. Charbonnet will be asked to handle both rushing and receiving work in Week 12. Unfortunately, getting things going on the ground proved difficult in Week 11 and Charbonnet finished with 15 carries for 47 yards.
It will once again be difficult to get things going in Week 12 as the Seahawks take on the 49ers. San Francisco ranks 23rd in fantasy points allowed to running backs. The 49ers are also capable of putting teams in incredibly negative game scripts, making it difficult to produce as a ball carrier. Charbonnet may be able to make up for this by catching passes, but I don’t see the rookie torching the 49ers on the ground.
Outside of a tough matchup, there are some things going on in Seattle that are concerning for Charbonnet. First, I’m not entirely sold that Charbonnet will have a workhorse role. With Walker and DeeJay Dallas not practicing early this week, Pete Carroll indicated that Kenny McIntosh may see work this week.
This would not be surprising given Charbonnet’s lackluster efficiency in Week 11.
Outside of the running back room, QB Geno Smith has been limited in practice this week. An injured or missing Geno Smith would make it even more difficult to produce against San Francisco.
All signs point to Charbonnet disappointing managers in Week 12. His pass-catching ability makes him relevant in PPR leagues if necessary but taking a cautious approach with Charbonnet seems to be the best idea.
JAYLEN WARREN WEEK 12 OUTLOOK
Najee Harris haters have been waiting on this one for a long time. Jaylen Warren finally had his signature performance with 145 total yards and a score on just 12 touches in Week 11. His day was highlighted by one massive touchdown.
Although Week 11 was his signature performance in terms of the box score and fantasy output, Warren has been a phenomenal running back throughout the season.
People have been pushing for Warren to be the top back in Pittsburgh for some time. Following this kind of performance against a world-class Cleveland defense, it will be difficult to keep Warren off the field in favor of Harris.
Week 12 brings an ideal matchup for Warren and the Pittsburgh rushing attack. The Steelers take on the Bengals on Sunday, one of the league’s worst rushing defenses. The Cincinnati defense ranks 31st in rushing yards allowed, 29th in explosive run rate, 31st in yards per carry, and 30th in missed tackles per rush, just to name a few stats.
Cincinnati will also be without star QB Joe Burrow. While this doesn’t directly impact Warren, it does mean that Pittsburgh should be able to keep this game close, allowing Warren to get touches throughout the game.
Throughout the 2023 season, it has seemed that Warren needed just one big game to fully surpass Harris. We’ll see if this is the case on Sunday. Even if there is still a fairly even split, Warren should see about 15 touches against an objectively terrible rush defense. Get Warren in your lineup this week and expect a productive day.
