2YPX9D5 East Rutherford, United States. 01st Dec, 2024. New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) canA?t make the catch in the end zone against the Seattle Seahawks during a NFL game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Duncan Williams/CSM/Sipa USA (Credit Image: © Duncan Williams/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA) Credit: Sipa US/Alamy Live News
• Rico Dowdle’s stock keeps rising: Dowdle achieved his first two 100-yard rushing games over the past two weeks, and a third could be right around the corner.
• Garrett Wilson is a safe start: The league leader in targets has a favorable Week 15 matchup. The only question is if he will have a good game or an excellent game.
• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!
Estimated Reading Time: 22 minutes
This start/sit article is getting a makeover for the final few weeks of the 2024 fantasy football season.
The New Format: I have asked fantasy managers on the PFF Discord and Bluesky which players they are least sure about this week, and I compiled that list and ranked them against each other. If you have multiple players mentioned, you should start the player ranked highest. At the bottom of each position are some players you should start over all of the featured players, as well as some players you should sit in favor of the featured players.
If a player isn’t mentioned, that means they are very close to those with blurbs, and factors like injuries on the opposing defenses or weather could influence the rankings. Situations involving injuries are also generally avoided because there is some grey area early in the week and things typically become clearer closer to kickoff. As always, check our weekly fantasy rankings for the most up-to-date information to help you make all start-sit decisions.
Why It’s Changing: There are fantasy leagues of all shapes and sizes. At 9:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, I answer start/sit questions on the PFF Discord and often find myself telling some people to start players and others to sit those same players based on the circumstances. The players to start in a 10-team league on a squad with strong depth at running back can be very different from a 12-team squad with a weakness at running back. Very few players can be universally started and universally sat, but it doesn’t help anyone to say, “Start Saquon Barkley,” for example.
Dowdle became the Cowboys’ clear lead back weeks ago, and his role has continued to grow.
Dowdle started the season rotating by drive with Ezekiel Elliott, while Hunter Luepke played in clear passing situations. Since Week 10, when Dowdle returned after missing a game, Elliott’s playing time has nosedived. Instead of rotating by drive like in the first nine weeks of the season, Elliott enters the game only when Dowdle needs a break. As the weeks went on, Dowdle needed less time off.
This helped Dowdle achieve his first 100-career rushing game in Week 13 and his second one on Monday Night Football in Week 14. It was also a positive week for Dowdle’s playing time. Luepke didn’t dominate third-down snaps for the first time since Week 2. Dowdle took some of those plays, including runs on third-and-3 and third-and-24. It’s possible he saw more snaps because the Cowboys just wanted to run the ball, but he also ran a route on a third-and-5. Dowdle was also on the field in the last minute of the game while the Cowboys attempted a comeback.
Dowdle will continue that momentum against the Carolina Panthers, the team that has allowed the most fantasy points to running backs. Four of the past five runners to face the Panthers have gained at least 100 yards, with two 150-yard performances against them. Dowdle is a high-end RB2, right at the border of a low-end RB1.
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