The List: Ranking Each Position for Week 2

RB Notes

• I know it is blasphemy to have Christian McCaffrey at RB2, let alone RB3, but this is a tough matchup against a notoriously stout Tampa Bay run defense. The Buccaneers allowed the fewest rushing yards per attempt last season and were one of the only teams to make CMC look mortal. McCaffrey turned 16 carries into 37 yards and 2 receptions into 16 yards with no touchdowns in the first meeting, and while the second meeting saw him score two touchdowns, he was limited again in the yardage column (58 total yards). He’s still a no doubt start, but temper expectations here (cue a three-touchdown game).
• With Michael Thomas nursing an injury, expect the Saints to lean heavily on Alvin Kamara, especially in the passing game. Kamara has had some double-digit reception totals in his past, and this could certainly be one of those weeks. I don’t expect the Raiders to slow him down. And with a three-touchdown game in Week 1, Ezekiel Elliott is a slam dunk play against this subpar Falcons defense.

• Jonathan Taylor gets a golden opportunity after the injury to Marlon Mack, and while Nyheim Hines is a solid PPR play as well, there are plenty of Philip Rivers dump-offs to go around. While Taylor struggled to move the ball on the ground in his debut, he answered a huge question about his passing ability, catching six passes on six targets for 67 yards and looking explosive in doing so. If he can get rolling on the ground as the Colts’ new starting running back like I think he can, while maintaining this passing game work, the sky is the limit.
• Nick Chubb and Joe Mixon both cede too many snaps, lack passing game work, and are playing for struggling offenses. They are ultra-talented on the ground, however, so expect better weeks possibly as soon as this week as they square off on Thursday night. But it doesn’t appear, at least from Week 1, that either player is on their way to challenge the elite of the elite fantasy football running backs.

• Melvin Gordon may have the backfield to himself if Phillip Lindsay’s turf toe keeps him out this week. Unfortunately, he faces a Steelers defense that just wreaked havoc on Saquon Barkley and the Giants’ running game.
• Where should Miles Sanders be ranked, and how healthy is he? I don’t know, so I’m copping out and putting him at RB25. I do know that this offense needs him, however, so unless his snaps are limited, he should jump back into a heavy workload right away. Boston Scott failed to look like more than a low-end flex option filling in for him last week.

• J.K. Dobbins out-snapped Mark Ingram Week 1, a promising sign for a rookie in his first start with no offseason. Don’t overhype him just yet, as he rushed for just 22 yards on seven carries, but his two touchdowns and goalline work were a welcome sight. Ingram will be a scary play for now, though I wouldn’t be all that surprised to see the goalline work flip back to him one of these weeks. The touchdowns are what you are chasing for now, at least until Dobbins (hopefully) wrestles more snaps away from Ingram.
• I don’t trust Malcolm Brown to hold this job for long, but we also should be looking for alternatives to Cam Akers if possible this week. Akers did receive a promising 14 carries but was clearly behind Brown. Brown can be started this week, but don’t give up on Akers just yet.