Week 12 Running Back Carries & Targets: Fostering Fantasy Championships

RB Carries/Targets | WR Targets

 

This week was probably the definition of a “bad” week for Arian Foster.  He still managed 89 total yards, had 7 catches, and scored a touchdown.  I don’t think it’s any secret that teams are going to really stack the box to stop him.  With a couple of tough games against Atlanta and Cincy coming up, Foster will be fine as he should have no trouble seeing 30+ touches.  For the fantasy playoffs, is there anything more dreamy than matchups against Carolina and Indianapolis in weeks 15 and 16?

 

Beast Mode

• If you benched Roy Helu this week, you weren’t alone.  The rookie racked up 30 total touches for 162 yards and a touchdown.  We now have Mike Shanahan’s word that Helu will be the feature back going forward, which is likely to lead to a breakout performance from Evan Royster next week.  Kidding aside, Helu shapes up as a decent RB2 play if Shanny isn’t yanking our chain.
• Beanie Wells’ first game against the hapless Rams: 10 carries for 20 yards.  Coming off of 3 straight miserable performances, Beanie went absolutely nuts by racking up 228 rushing yards on 27 carries to go along with a touchdown.  Still, it’s tough for me to like him as anything more than a flex play going forward.  He’ll see the Cowboys, 49ers, and Bengals in 3 of the next 4 weeks.
• Once again, there’s not much you can say for Chris Johnson other than start him and hope for the best.  His 190 rushing yards were his highest since 2009, and he has a string of matchups against lackluster run defenses: @BUF, NOR, @IND.  The bad news is that he probably has caused you to miss the playoffs in the first place.
• Coming off of a negative point week, I still advised getting McGahee into your lineup.  The Broncos continue to pound the rock, and that won’t change going forward.  McGahee is decent looking RB2 in my eyes.
• Ryan Mathews’ 137 rushing yards were a career high, and the 22 carries were the 3^rd most of his career.  Still, I don’t view Mathews as anything more than a high-end flex play.  He hasn’t found the endzone since week 3.
• Mark Ingram had a coming out party, but I’m guessing the only people that started him are the ones sitting at 2-10, playing spoiler against bubble playoff teams.  Picking  the winner in the Saints’ 3-headed backfield is going to be impossible each week.
• Deangelo Williams two touchdown game came against the Colts.  Don’t buy it going forward.

 

Least Mode

• I won’t pick on Kevin Smith since he got hurt.  He’s still got a shot to contribute going forward, and could play as soon as this week.  He was off to another big start with 8 fantasy points early in the second quarter.
• If you tried to get cute with Ben Tate, this just wasn’t the week.  Tate saw only 5 touches to Foster’s 31 carries and targets.  There’s still a lot to like about him in weeks 15 and 16, as it was noted earlier that the Texans will see Carolina and Indy.
• In Starks’ absence, Ryan Grant put up a dismal total of 40 yards on 9 touches.  He’s not even worth a roster spot in my opinion.
• Joseph Addai lost out to Donald Brown in a dream matchup, seeing only 7 carries and a single target.  In a Colts’ offense that is just plain dreadful, he can’t be recommended as starting material going forward.
• The Chiefs backfield tandem of Thomas Jones, Dexter McCluster, and Jackie Battle is about as laughable as it gets.  The 3 combined for 31 carries for 85 yards…a pathetic 2.74 yards per carry.

 

Rank	Player	CAR	REC	CAR+TGTS
1	Arian Foster, HOU	22	7	9
2	Roy Helu, WAS	23	7	7
3	Michael Bush, OAK	24	4	4
4	Beanie Wells, ARI	27	0	0
4	Marshawn Lynch, SEA	24	1	3
6	Demarco Murray, DAL	22	4	4
6	Cedric Benson, CIN	21	4	5
8	Chris Johnson, TEN	23	1	2
9	Ray Rice, BAL	21	3	3
10	Willis McGahee, DEN	23	0	0
10	Ryan Mathews, SD	22	1	1
10	LeGarrette Blount, TB	20	3	3
13	C.J. Spiller, BUF	19	3	3
13	Matt Forte, CHI	12	6	10
15	Peyton Hillis, CLE	19	2	2
16	Michael Turner, ATL	19	1	1
16	Steven Jackson, STL	17	3	3
16	Toby Gerhart, MIN	17	2	3
16	Reggie Bush, MIA	16	3	4
20	Rashard Mendenhall, PIT	17	2	2
21	Shonn Greene, NYJ	13	3	4
21	LeSean McCoy, PHI	10	4	7
21	Maurice Morris , DET	7	9	10
24	Frank Gore, SF	14	1	2
24	Mark Ingram, NO	13	2	3
26	DeAngelo Williams, CAR	15	0	0
26	Donald Brown, IND	14	1	1
26	Mike Tolbert, SD	11	3	4
29	BenJarvus Green-Ellis, NE	14	0	0
29	Thomas Jones, KC	13	1	1
29	Jonathan Stewart, CAR	10	3	4
29	Javon Ringer, TEN	9	4	5
29	D.J. Ware, NYG	5	8	9
34	Brandon Jacobs, NYG	13	0	0
34	Darren Sproles, NO	8	2	5
36	Dexter McCluster, KC	9	2	2
36	Pierre Thomas, NO	8	3	3
38	Marion Barber, CHI	10	0	0
38	Jackie Battle , KC	9	0	1
38	Kevin Smith , DET	7	3	3
41	Ricky Williams, BAL	7	1	2
41	Ryan Grant, GB	6	3	3
41	Marcel Reece , OAK	2	5	7
44	Joseph Addai, IND	7	0	1
44	Jacquizz Rodgers, ATL	0	3	8
46	Shane Vereen, NE	7	0	0
46	Daniel Thomas, MIA	6	1	1
46	Joe McKnight, NYJ	4	3	3
49	Jerious Norwood, STL	5	0	1
49	John Kuhn , GB	5	1	1
49	Bernard Scott, CIN	4	2	2
49	Keiland Williams , DET	2	4	4
53	Ben Tate, HOU	5	0	0
53	James Starks, GB	4	0	1
53	Kendall Hunter, SF	4	1	1
53	Chris Ogbonnaya, CLE	3	1	2
53	Isaac Redman, PIT	3	2	2
53	Mewelde Moore , PIT	2	3	3
59	Danny Woodhead, NE	4	0	0
59	Lance Ball , DEN	4	0	0
59	Leon Washington , SEA	4	0	0
59	Stevan Ridley, NE	4	0	0
59	Jason Snelling, ATL	3	1	1
59	Chester Taylor , ARI	2	2	2
59	Kregg Lumpkin, TB	1	3	3
66	Alfonso Smith, ARI	3	0	0
66	Larod Stephens-Howling, ARI	2	1	1
66	Brandon Saine, GB	2	1	1
66	Ahmard Hall , TEN	1	1	2
70	Da'Rel Scott, NYG	2	0	0
70	John Conner , NYJ	2	0	0
70	Curtis Brinkley, SD	1	1	1
70	Justin Forsett, SEA	1	1	1
70	Vonta Leach, BAL	1	1	1
70	Anthony Sherman, ARI	0	1	2
70	Charles Clay, MIA	0	1	2
70	Darrel Young , WAS	0	2	2
78	Brian Leonard , CIN	1	0	0
78	Evan Royster, WAS	1	0	0
78	Jacob Hester , SD	1	0	0
78	Rock Cartwright , OAK	1	0	0
78	Spencer Larsen, DEN	1	0	0
78	Felix Jones, DAL	0	1	1
78	Henry Hynoski, NYG	0	1	1
78	Michael Robinson , SEA	0	1	1
78	Mike Sellers , WAS	0	1	1
78	Ryan Mahafee, IND	0	1	1