Ball is reaping the benefits, while Hillman is in the doghouse
The Denver Broncos rotation of 3 running backs has finally yielded a weakest link, resulting in the deactivation of Ronnie Hillman. Now officially 2nd to Knowshon Moreno, rookie Montee Ball now has the opportunity to play up to the potential of his draft position.
Don’t be mistaken, Moreno is undoubtedly the most valuable Bronco running back, but the Broncos are determined to make sure he isn’t overused. It’s unlikely that Ball will come close to matching Moreno’s numbers, but he is unquestionably the change-of-pace back for the time being.
As head coach John Fox plans to rest Moreno more moving forward, Ball gains the fortunate chance to insert himself into an already insuppressible offense.
Ball had 11 carries for 37 yards and a touchdown during the Broncos Week 8 win over the Washington Redskins. This was only 3 fewer attempts than Moreno to go along with a slightly better average yardage per carry. Most notably, Ball was given the bulk of the red zone rushes.
Ball’s increased role in the offense has surely boosted his fantasy stock. In their effort to preserve Moreno, the Broncos may unleash a considerable talent in Ball.
Week 7 presents a prime opportunity for Randle to establish himself in Dallas
It’s getting to that point in the season where every move or non-move can have a real impact on your playoff standing going forward. We’re now basically at the halfway mark in terms of determining who will be in contention the last few weeks of the fantasy football year. Maybe your campaign isn’t going the way you had envisioned when you first drafted.
However, Fantasy Buzzer has already pointed out that there is no reason to give up on your season, even if you have a record like 2-4 or even 1-5. This is especially true because just getting a seat at the table, is more than enough to take home the trophy at the end.
As we pointed out last week, the volatility of the running back position has been torturous to most fantasy owners this year. There have been few players to count on week in and week out, and trying to determine which fringe back is going to have a good game during a given week is an exercise in futility.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t moves to be made, though. As always, be careful to not overextend your reach on transactions. Don’t make moves just to make moves. But if you have a bench slot being occupied by a player that has little to no potential to help you out down the line, or heaven forbid an extra kicker or an extra defense/special teams, let them go and look to add someone that can help you before others in your league do the same.
Last week we gave you Andre Ellington of the Cardinals and Montee Ball from the Broncos. Ellington paid immediate dividends with a TD against the 49ers, and although he had a tough game on Thursday against Seattle, he’s proven to the coaching staff that he is deserving of more touches.
Ball got a few carries against the Jaguars, who kept the game much closer than many predicted. There wasn’t any time for garbage yards or scores, but the Broncos will have some blowouts in future weeks. If you have Ball, have faith he’ll come through for you at some point.
Moving on from Ellington and Ball, here are a couple running backs to consider for this week.
Joseph Randle (DAL)
DeMarco Murray claims that he will play this Sunday against Philadelphia; I have my doubts. Even if he does, he will most likely be limited, and Murray’s backup to this point, Lance Dunbar, is also hindered by a hamstring problem. We should find out quickly what Randle is worth against the porous Eagles defense.
Philadelphia ranks last in total yards and are 16th against the run. If Randle can provide some level of production, it should give Jason Garrett more confidence to play him while the other running backs are hurt. Randle only has 11 carries for 17 yards so far this season, but Murray has a history of fragility and Dunbar is by no means entrenched as the second option.
Zac Stacy (STL)
Stacy may not be as much of a sleeper as he was a few weeks ago, but there are certain to be owners in many leagues that aren’t aware of his presence. Daryl Richardson remains the top statistical rusher for the Rams, but only by a slight margin. During the past two weeks, Stacy has clearly been the preferred choice with 14 and 18 carries during his last two games.
Richardson has not provided what Jeff Fisher and his staff were envisioning before the season began. Fisher has always been a coach that operates with an old school mentality. He values tough runners and good defense. As soon as Stacy starts putting up touchdowns, he become a viable flex option going forward.
Touring the Capitol 