Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Running Backs Fantasy Football Week 15: Peak Miles Sanders
Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Josh Allen, Austin Ekeler or Tyreek Hill. Instead, I'll look at the players you have questions about who could exceed or fail to meet expectations at each position. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the 2022 NFL season.
Fabs Top 10 Running Backs
1. Christian McCaffrey at Seahawks (TNF)
2. Austin Ekeler vs. Titans
3. Derrick Henry at Chargers
4. Josh Jacobs vs. Patriots
5. Jonathan Taylor at Vikings (Sat.)
6. Dalvin Cook vs. Colts (Sat.)
7. Tony Pollard at Jaguars
8. Joe Mixon at Buccaneers
9. Miles Sanders at Bears
10. Rhamondre Stevenson at Raiders
Week 15 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS & TEAM DEFENSES
Week 15 Start ‘Em: Running Backs
Start of the Week
Miles Sanders at Bears (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Sanders can be a tough player to trust, but he’s scored 28-plus points in two of his last three games after scoring fewer than six the previous two games. He’s in a good spot this week, as the Eagles face a Bears defense that’s allowed 16 total touchdowns and the fourth-most fantasy points to running backs. Sanders should be in a positive game script, too.
SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Sanders over 68.5 rushing yards (-120)
Start ‘Em
Ezekiel Elliott at Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Tony Pollard is getting a lot of love in the fantasy world (and well deserved), but have you seen Elliott's numbers lately? He has scored 15-plus points in six straight games, scoring a combined eight times in those contests. He's firmly on the RB2/flex radar against the Jaguars, who have allowed 13-plus points to nine backs, including six who have posted over 20 points.
J.K. Dobbins at Browns (Sat. 1 p.m. ET, NFL Network): Dobbins made what can be called a triumphant return to action last week, rushing for 120 yards, one score and posting 18 fantasy points. He also saw 28.3% of the touch share, so there were no major limitations. The Ravens will have to lean on their backs with issues at quarterback, and the Browns have allowed the third-most points to the position.
SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Dobbins over 48.5 rushing yards (-118)
Zonovan Knight vs. Lions (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Knight has been a fantasy godsend, scoring 13-plus points in three straight games out of nowhere. He's seen a solid 37% touch share in the last two weeks, and I like him as a flex, even against a tough Lions run defense. Detroit doesn't give up a ton of yardage to runners, but seven players at the position have scored 12.9 or more points against them.
Isiah Pacheco at Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Pacheco isn’t putting up gangbusters totals, but he’s given fantasy fans low to mid double digits in each of his last four games. Next up is a date with the Texans, who have given up the most fantasy points to running backs this season. That makes Pacheco a borderline No. 2 back or flex. The same can be said of Jerick McKinnon, who blew up in Week 14.
More Starts
• David Montgomery vs. Eagles (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• James Conner at Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Jerick McKinnon at Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
DFS Bargains
• Rachaad White vs. Bengals ($5,400)
• Zonovan Knight vs. Lions ($5,300)
• Jerick McKinnon at Texans ($5,200)
Week 15 Sit ‘Em: Running Backs
Sit of the Week
D’Andre Swift at Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Lions backfield is driving me insane. One week after Swift was the lead man, Detroit returned to Jamaal Williams and held Swift to a 15.8% touch share. That makes it tough for me to trust him in a tough matchup in New York. The Jets' defense has allowed just eight total touchdowns to running backs, not to mention a mere 85.5 rushing yards a game.
Sit ‘Em
Leonard Fournette vs. Bengals (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Fournette was listed as a sit 'em last week, and he barely broke the 10-point mark in a blowout loss to the 49ers. The Buccaneers' offense is broken, and Fournette continues to lose work to Rachaad White, making both running backs risky flex options against the Bengals. In fact, Lenny has averaged just 12.8 touches in his last six games of the season.
Najee Harris at Panthers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Harris continues to post mediocre totals, scoring 13 points on just 33 rushing yards and one touchdown in last week’s loss to the Ravens. He’ll be an uninspiring flex starter this week, as the Panthers have been sneaky tough on runners lately. In fact, their defense has allowed no touchdowns and the second-fewest points to the position since Week 11.
Cordarrelle Patterson at Saints (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Patterson is fresh off a bye, but he's no more trustworthy from a fantasy perspective against the Saints. He hasn't seen more than 14 touches in six straight games, during which time he's averaged just 9.9 fantasy points, and Tyler Allgeier has often looked like the better back. The Saints are middle of the road against runners, but usage is a concern for Patterson.
SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Patterson under 51.5 rushing yards (-125)
Devin Singletary vs. Dolphins (Sat. 8:15 p.m. ET, NFL Network): Singletary had a huge line in his last game against Miami, scoring a season-high 24.1 points. However, a lot has changed since then, as he's now in a committee with James Cook and has yet to see more than a 30% touch share in all but one of his last six games. The Dolphins aren't great against backs, but I'd beware Singletary.
More Sits
• Raheem Mostert at Bills (8:15 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
• A.J. Dillon vs. Rams (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Kareem Hunt vs. Ravens (Sat. 4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Mostert under 49.5 rushing yards (-125)
DFS Fades
• Joe Mixon at Buccaneers ($7,200)
• Alvin Kamara vs. Falcons ($6,800)
• Cordarrelle Patterson at Saints ($5,900)
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business to help you win a fantasy championship!
