Tony Pollard (ankle) didn't practice Wednesday, and we'll continue to monitor his status heading into Week 16 at Indianapolis. We expect Pollard to play, but he's clearly not 100 percent.
Pollard was limited by the ankle injury in Week 15 against Cincinnati. He finished the game with 17 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown, but he didn't have a target.
Tyjae Spears dominated playing time in the fourth quarter against the Bengals, which was likely due to the Titans trailing 31-14 after the third quarter, and Spears finished the game with four carries for 5 yards and a touchdown and six catches for 87 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. Spears is rostered in 52 percent of leagues on CBS Sports, so you might want to add him where available in case Pollard surprises us and doesn't play against the Colts.
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Pollard scored 17.8 PPR points against Indianapolis in Week 6, and the Colts are No. 6 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Six running backs have scored at least 12.2 PPR points against Indianapolis in the past five games, so hopefully, Pollard is healthy for this matchup.
And Tennessee should have improved quarterback play in this game with Mason Rudolph taking over for Will Levis, who was benched. We just have to hope Pollard is close to 100 percent with his ankle.
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I plan to start Pollard as a No. 2 running back in all leagues if he plays. Hopefully, he'll get in a full practice by Friday, and we can start him with confidence. And if he's out then Spears becomes a great replacement option, so make sure to add him where available if he's still on waivers.
RBs to Start
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Hubbard struggled in Week 15 against Dallas with 8.9 PPR points, but I expect him to rebound in Week 16 against Arizona. Hubbard will continue to dominate touches -- he played 95 percent of the snaps against the Cowboys -- and the Cardinals have allowed a running back to score at least 11.8 PPR points in six of the past seven games. He should be considered a high-end No. 2 running back in all leagues.
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Dowdle comes into Week 16 against Tampa Bay with three games in a row with at least 112 rushing yards, and he scored at least 14.9 PPR points in each outing. He also has four games in a row with at least 19 total touches, and the Cowboys are leaning on him as a featured running back. The Buccaneers' run defense has improved in their past three games against Carolina, Las Vegas, and the Chargers, but I'll take my chances with Dowdle right now as a No. 2 running back in all leagues, given his recent level of play.
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We'll continue to monitor the status of Kenneth Walker III (calf), but if he remains out for Week 16 against Minnesota, then Charbonnet is worth starting in all leagues. It's a tough matchup since the Vikings are No. 3 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, but Charbonnet has scored at least 13.6 PPR points in all four starts he's made for Walker this season. Three running backs in the past three games have scored at least 11.1 PPR points against Minnesota, and hopefully, Geno Smith (knee) can play for Seattle in Week 16 as well.
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Taylor owes us a touchdown in Week 16. In Week 15 at Denver, Taylor broke free for what should have been a 41-yard touchdown in the third quarter, but he dropped the ball before crossing the goal line. He finished the game with 22 carries for 107 yards and one catch for 4 yards, but his 10.1 PPR points look bad compared to what could have been. He now has consecutive games with at least 100 total yards, and the Titans have allowed six running backs in their past five games to score at least 11 PPR points, with six total touchdowns over that span.
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Nick Chubb (foot) is out for the season, so Ford should be looking at a big workload at Cincinnati. He just scored 18.4 PPR points in Week 15 against Kansas City, thanks to a 62-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and Ford scored at least 15.5 PPR points in two of the first five games this season while Chubb was still out with his knee injury. This is a great matchup against the Bengals, who have allowed seven running backs to score at least 10.4 PPR points in their past five games. As long as Dorian Thompson-Robinson isn't a disaster at quarterback for the Browns, Ford should be a solid No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Etienne has rallied the past two games to be a serviceable Fantasy option for anyone who has stuck with him, scoring at least 11 PPR points in consecutive games against Tennessee and the Jets. In Week 15 against New York, Etienne played 73 percent of the snaps and finished with 14 carries for 65 yards and four catches for 20 yards on five targets. The Raiders have allowed four running backs in their past six games to score at least 14.5 PPR points, and Etienne should be considered a borderline No. 2 running back in all leagues.
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Keep an eye on Roschon Johnson (concussion) to see if he's able to return in Week 16, but I still like Swift as a low-end No. 2 running back in the majority of leagues, even if Johnson is active. Swift only scored 9.4 PPR points in Week 13 at Detroit, and he's been held to 9.9 PPR points or less in four games in a row. But the Lions are beat up on defense, especially at linebacker and along the defensive line, and four running backs in the past two games have scored at least 10.9 PPR points against Detroit. I'm not expecting a huge game from Swift, but this matchup no longer appears daunting, given all the injuries for the Lions on defense.
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I like Mattison and Ameer Abdullah as flex options in Week 16 with Sincere McCormick (ankle) out. In his first 10 games this season, Mattison scored at least 9.9 PPR points six times, including four outings with at least 13.4 PPR points. And Abdullah has scored at least 10.7 PPR points in three of his past five games, including two games over that span with at least five catches. Jacksonville is No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs and No. 5 in most receptions allowed to the position. This could be a game where both Raiders running backs are productive, with Mattison getting the slight edge over Abdullah if Aidan O'Connell (knee) returns at quarterback for Las Vegas.
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Warren scored 10.8 PPR points in Week 11 against Baltimore with nine carries for 41 yards and four catches for 27 yards on four targets. He comes into Week 16 having scored at least 9.2 PPR points in five of his past six games, and he has three games over that span with at least three receptions. The Ravens are tied for seventh with the most receptions allowed to running backs this season, and Warren should once again be a valuable weapon for Russell Wilson out of the backfield in Week 16.
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The Falcons are 8.5-point favorites in Week 16 against the Giants, and there should be some chances for Allgeier to help Bijan Robinson kill the clock in a victory. Allgeier has at least nine total touches in three games in a row, and he scored 12.3 PPR points in Week 14 at Minnesota when he scored a touchdown. The Giants are No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and six running backs in their past five games have scored at least 11.7 PPR points. Allgeier can be used as a flex option in deeper leagues in Week 16.
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RBs to Sit
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Pacheco has not made the impact Fantasy managers were hoping for when he returned from his broken leg in Week 13. In three games, Pacheco has scored 8.1 PPR points or less, and he has just four catches for 26 yards on six targets, along with no touchdowns. He continues to share playing time with Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine, and now Patrick Mahomes (ankle) is not 100 percent. This week, Pacheco is facing a Texans defense that is No. 4 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and Pacheco should only be considered a flex option at best in the majority of leagues.
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Harris had a disappointing game in Week 15 at Philadelphia with six carries for 14 yards and one catch for 7 yards on one target for 3.1 PPR points. He should perform better in Week 16 against the Ravens, and he had 13.3 PPR points against Baltimore in Week 11. But Harris only has one catch in his past two games, and he scored 7.4 PPR points or less in two of his past four outings. The Ravens are No. 8 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and Harris will likely need a touchdown to save his Fantasy production in Week 16. He's a flex option at best in most formats.
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The Bills are No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, but I would only consider Stevenson a flex option at best in the majority of leagues. He hasn't scored a touchdown in his past five games, and he scored 8.7 PPR points or less in three outings over that span. He continues to share touches with Antonio Gibson, and this game could get out of hand for the Patriots quickly with how well Josh Allen is playing for Buffalo. It's risky to trust Stevenson in the Fantasy semifinals in most leagues.
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The positive for Williams is Jaleel McLaughlin (quadriceps) is out for Thursday's game at the Chargers. The negative is Williams will still share touches with Audric Estime, and this isn't an easy matchup. The Chargers are No. 7 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and they have allowed just five total touchdowns to running backs all season. Williams had six carries for 23 yards and three catches for 13 yards on six targets in Week 6 against the Chargers, and it's tough to trust Williams at this point in the season, even with McLaughlin not playing.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Hall played a season-low 48 percent of the snaps in Week 15 at Jacksonville, and he needed a late touchdown to save his Fantasy production. He finished the game with nine carries for 30 yards and the touchdown and two catches for 21 yards on two targets. He's dealing with a knee injury that he's playing through, but he doesn't seem to be 100 percent. Isaiah Davis will continue to share touches with Hall, especially if Braelon Allen (back) is out in Week 16, and the Rams should be able to keep Hall in check if snap share remains low. I still consider him a No. 2 running back in all leagues, but he's a risky starting option, especially if he continues to miss practice leading up to Sunday's game.
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