NFL Week 8 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: Kimani Vidal Vs. Rhamondre Stevenson
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Injuries to running backs throughout the NFL will cause questions for fantasy football owners in Week 8. In the AFC, Rhamondre Stevenson and Kimani Vidal could force decisions at the running back position in fantasy this week.
Stevenson and the New England Patriots will square off against the Cleveland Browns in Week 8, looking to extend their win streak to five games following a 1-2 start to the season. On the other hand, Vidal and the Los Angeles Chargers will look to rebound from a Week 7 loss at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts entering a matchup versus the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football.
Both backs have faced their share of struggles to start the season, but who offers the more favorable case to start between the two?
The Case For Rhamondre Stevenson
Amid a string of lackluster performances, Stevenson has managed several notable performances throughout New England’s 5-2 start to the season. In Week 7, he managed one of his top performances of the season, racking up 16.8 fantasy points among PPR leagues, marking his second-highest total of the season. Despite his share of inconsistency, Stevenson has sustained notable volume in the Patriots’ backfield, which projects to continue versus the Browns in Week 8.
The Case Against Stevenson
New England’s matchup versus Cleveland presents a tough individual matchup for Stevenson and the Patriots’ rushing attack. Amid a lowly 2-5 start, the Browns boast one of the best defensive units in the NFL. Through seven games, Cleveland has allowed the fewest yards of any defense in the league, boasting the NFL’s fourth-ranked rushing defense, which could hurt Stevenson’s case to start in Week 8.
The Case For Kimani Vidal
After recording just four carries through the Chargers’ first five games of the season, injuries paved the way to Vidal’s role as the starter in the team’s backfield. In Week 6, he broke out with 124 yards on 18 carries, with a touchdown through the air. His 22.8 points among PPR leagues helped him to an RB9 finish for the week, offering encouraging production for fantasy owners lucky enough to snag him off waivers.
The Case Against Vidal
Matched up against a quality defense in Week 7, Vidal faced his struggles in limited action, as Los Angeles leaned heavily on its passing game while operating with a deficit for the majority of Sunday’s loss. Inconsistent volume and production from Week 7 to his stellar Week 6 showing have raised concerns among fantasy owners entering the new week.
The Final Verdict
Vidal offers higher upside in Week 8, given a more favorable matchup than that of Stevenson, but his floor remains relatively unknown. His Week 7 performance has cast doubt from fantasy owners, but I’m confident he can manage a bounce-back effort. While Stevenson has managed several noticeable performances, he’s also struggled with fumbles for much of the season, which could be detrimental for a fantasy lineup. With that in mind, I’m going to roll with Vidal over Stevenson for Week 8.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.