Fantasy Football Week 8 Running Back Start Em Sit Em: Quinshon Judkins, Tony Pollard, Rachaad White
Welcome to Week 8! Just a quick mental health check-in here. How’s everybody doing?
My team name in my home league, currently, is “Waste of Space” and, I must say, it feels pretty darn accurate.
There’s nothing more debilitating than dropping an all-time horrific week against your rival, and now you’re stuck scrambling just to survive.
This is who I’m currently reading and getting my fantasy advice from, ladies and gentlemen! You are correct. I’ve had multiple teams go for at or above 200 points.
When I’ve had explosive weeks, I’ve always squared up against the top scorer on the week. Variance is infuriating and weighs heavily on the psyche.
I humorously compare it to the undertaking Frodo and Sam went on after the failure of the Fellowship of the Ring.
A burden that twists every rational thought in your head and grows increasingly heavy with every step, every shortcoming. And yet, optimism remained.
“In the end it’s only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass.” — Samwise Gamgee
Nailing those start/sit questions is essential, especially for running backs!
Week 6 features a slew of RB starts that might require a little extra fortitude to submit. It’s paramount to appropriately gauge floors, upside, and exploitable matchups.
As always, remember this is just a game. There’s no need to target NFL players on social media for lackluster fantasy performances (ok, maybe sometimes).
Fire up The Wolf’s Week 8 Rankings and LET’S GO!
WEEK 8 RUNNING BACK START ‘EM – START OF THE WEEK
QUINSHON JUDKINS VS. PITTSBURGH STEELERS
In Week 7, Judkins reminded fantasy managers how good he is, turning 18 touches into 104 yards and a pair of scores.
Nothing like a good 23.4-point outing against the Titans to cleanse the ol’ palate, am I right?
After the Week 7 eruption, head coach Todd Monken dropped a gem of a quote.
“It’s hard to look explosive when there’s nowhere to run.”
The last time Judkins rewarded fantasy managers’ faith was against the Steelers in Week 4, when he took 17 carries and six catches for 96 yards and a score.
With Dylan Sampson healthy and back in the mix, Judkins’ receiving chops are obviously limited. However, the Steelers have looked vulnerable vs. the position.
Running backs have scored at least 11 points in five of seven against the Steel Curtain this season.
Judkins has seen at least 17 touches in five straight games, and there’s little reason to believe that changes against a team he recently carved up.
RACHAAD WHITE VS. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Since Week 4, the Eagles have allowed the 10th most fantasy points to running backs, according to Fantasy Points Data.
In three of his last four games, White has scored at least 11 fantasy points and is being handed the keys to the backfield with Jacory Croskey-Merritt out with a groin injury.
The Eagles have allowed double-digit points to running backs the last five weeks, including three going for nearly 20 fantasy points.
While the Eagles do clamp down a bit on pass-catching backs, White’s bread-and-butter, he’s been surprisingly steady on the ground thus far.
He’s been league average in yards before contact, expected points added, and rushing yards over expectation per attempt.
With Philly surrendering a staggering 18.1 fantasy points per game to opposing backs on the ground alone, White is in line for another strong outing.
BLAKE CORUM VS. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Over the last three weeks, Corum has turned nearly 40 touches into 230+ yards and three touchdowns. All while Kyren Williams has seen more than 40 touches, 264 yards, and a pair of scores.
In other words, there’s plenty of meat on the bone for both of them!
With the Rams heavy favorites vs. the Chargers, it’s likely Corum will see a healthy dose of action.
In his last three games, Corum has put up at least 14 points and has scored a touchdown each of the last three outings.
The Chargers are a bottom-10 defense against the running back, who have yet to hold a feature back under 10 points this season.
Through Week 7, Corum ranks third in the league in total expected points added at the position, just behind Kenneth Walker and Christian McCaffrey.
There’s little reason to believe Corum and Williams won’t both feast this week.
Other RB starts: Chase Brown vs. TEN, Jordan Mason vs. DET, Jonah Coleman vs. KC
WEEK 8 RUNNING BACK SITS – SIT OF THE WEEK
JK DOBBINS VS. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Do you trust Dobbins? Is the backfield Coleman’s? Is Sean Payton trustworthy?
If you answered these with no, yes, maybe, this section is for you.
After scoring a touchdown in three straight weeks, you’d think Dobbins was locked in as a fantasy asset, right?
Well… his opportunities were just ripped to shreds by the return of Coleman. He played just 21% of snaps and managed only 23 yards.
Oh, and let’s not forget, an absolutely legendary temper tantrum to boot.
This season, he’d averaged fewer than 50 total yards entering Week 7. Even with volume, that was not trustworthy.
That’s a TD-reliant running back who is, now, in an ugly three-man backfield, at best.
Kansas City has kept running backs under lock and key, limiting them to the fifth-fewest yards in the league.
Dobbins is only a desperation flex at this point.
TONY POLLARD VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS
Who saw last week coming? I’m glad I didn’t face him anywhere, or I would have been very sad.
Not one. Not two. Three touchdowns for Pollard, who had scored only one the rest of the season.
A daunting Week 8 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals’ rush defense has fantasy managers questioning whether or not to trust Pollard.
The jungle cats have allowed the third-fewest points to the position this season and just held Derrick Henry to fewer than 6 PPR points last week.
With rumors growing louder that Pollard could be on the move out of Tennessee, it’s possible the Titans give Pollard a break and protect their asset.
With all of these factors piling up, I think it’s wise to bench Pollard if you can.
TREVEYON HENDERSON VS. MIAMI DOLPHINS
It might be time to have an uncomfortable conversation about Henderson.
The electric back out of Ohio State is walking the tightrope between bench stash and drop candidate.
Still, there’s nothing to suggest he is worth playing this week other than the mathematical possibility he rips off a huge play for a score.
With a favorable game script against the Miami Dolphins, you’d think Henderson would be in a position to get fed and produce late game, if nothing else.
His well-established vision problems and poor between-the-tackle running dating back to his college days have carried over into the NFL.
Rhamondre Stevenson and Corey Kiner are more likely to tote the rock at this point.
He’s scored fewer than five points in five straight games, and there’s little evidence to suggest this pattern changes.
If bench spots are tight… maybe even send a message and give Henderson that sweet, salubrious “hate cut” and be done with it.
Other RB sits: Aaron Jones vs. DET, Omarion Hampton vs. LAR (does it matter?!), Emanuel Wilson vs. CHI
