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USATSI

At the beginning of the week I wrote that Zonovan Knight and Benny Snell were the top waiver adds, but both of those situations could be ugly. A day later, Jaylen Warren announced he'd been cleared to return and the Steelers' running back situation became instantly less clear.

We're leaning towards Warren for a variety of reasons. The biggest is that the team was making a bigger effort to get him involved before his hamstring injury; he saw a season-high 12 touches in Week 10 against the Saints, and that was with Najee Harris healthy. Snell, in that same game, did not receive a touch. 

  • Week 13 Previews: QB | RB | WR | TE

While we can't be too sure of usage with a duo we haven't seen together, I'm projecting 11 carries apiece for Warren and Snell, with Warren dominating passing downs. Against a Falcons defense that has surrendered the fifth-most PPR Fantasy points to running backs over the past five weeks, that makes Warren a borderline top-20 running back and Snell a touchdown-dependent flex.

Of course this is all dependent on Najee Harris missing Week 13. Keep your eyes on the injury reports before starting any Steelers.

Now let's get to the rest of the Week 13 RB Preview:

Week 13 RB Preview
RB Preview
Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play in Week 13 at this time. Here's what it means:

ARI Arizona • #22
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.
It could be a trio of backs replacing Carter if he can't go.
PIT Pittsburgh • #22
Age: 26 • Experience: 4 yrs.
Jaylen Warren and Benny Snell are the most likely backs to lead the Steelers' backfield.
SF San Francisco • #25
Age: 26 • Experience: 4 yrs.
Either Tyrion Davis-Price or Jordan Mason should handle secondary duties behind Christian McCaffrey.
RB Preview
Numbers to know
  • 7 -- Touches inside the 10-yard line for Isiah Pacheco in Week 12. He only scored once, but had 22 rush attempts in an encouraging performance. 
  • 29.7 -- The Texans surrender the most PPR Fantasy points per game to opposing running backs.
  • 22.04 -- PPR Fantasy points per game for Josh Jacobs in 2022, second only to Austin Ekeler at running back. 
  • 23 -- Touches for Rachaad White in the absence of Leonard Fournette. White caught all nine of his targets, too. 
  • 103 -- Scrimmage yards for Zonovan Knight, who led the Jets with 14 carries after Michael Carter went down with an injury.
  • 16 -- Carries for Gus Edwards in his return from injury. Justice Hill and Kenyan Drake combined for just three carries.
  • 15 -- Dameon Pierce has one more rushing yard than carries in the past two weeks.
RB Preview
Matchups that matter
Matchups that Matter
Projections powered by Sportsline
NYG N.Y. Giants • #26
Age: 27 • Experience: 6 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ NE BUF -5 O/U 43.5
OPP VS RB
1st
PROJ PTS
10.6
RB RNK
29th
YTD Stats
RUYDS
552
REC
31
REYDS
226
TD
4
FPTS/G
11.7
BUF Buffalo • #28
Age: 34 • Experience: 11 year
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ BAL BAL -8 O/U 38.5
OPP VS RB
7th
PROJ PTS
9.4
RB RNK
25th
YTD Stats
RUYDS
358
REC
13
REYDS
70
TD
4
FPTS/G
11.4
LAC L.A. Chargers • #4
Age: 29 • Experience: 7 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs DEN BAL -8 O/U 38.5
OPP VS RB
10th
PROJ PTS
10
RB RNK
22nd
YTD Stats
RUYDS
183
REC
0
REYDS
0
TD
3
FPTS/G
11.4
WAS Washington • #8
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ NYG WAS -2.5 O/U 40.5
OPP VS RB
14th
PROJ PTS
9.7
RB RNK
27th
YTD Stats
RUYDS
467
REC
6
REYDS
27
TD
3
FPTS/G
9.3
MIA Miami • #23
Age: 28 • Experience: 7 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ SF SF -4 O/U 46.5
OPP VS RB
2nd
PROJ PTS
11.6
RB RNK
18th
YTD Stats
RUYDS
677
REC
16
REYDS
149
TD
5
FPTS/G
11.3
NO New Orleans • #41
Age: 29 • Experience: 8 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ TB TB -3.5 O/U 40
OPP VS RB
3rd
PROJ PTS
15.3
RB RNK
17th
YTD Stats
RUYDS
524
REC
49
REYDS
422
TD
3
FPTS/G
15.4
RB Preview
Waiver Wire Targets
Week 13 Adds (RB Preview)
PIT Pittsburgh • #30
Age: 26 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ ATL PIT -1 O/U 42
OPP VS RB
23rd
RB RNK
26th
ROSTERED
50%
YTD Stats
RUYDS
190
REC
16
REYDS
137
TD
0
FPTS/G
4.9
Warren has been by far the most efficient Steelers' running back, averaging 5 yards per carry and 8.6 yards per catch. If he maintains anything close to that with a starter's workload, he has top-15 upside.
DET Detroit • #24
Age: 26 • Experience: 5 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ ATL PIT -1 O/U 42
OPP VS RB
23rd
RB RNK
33rd
ROSTERED
50%
YTD Stats
RUYDS
62
REC
1
REYDS
6
TD
1
FPTS/G
1.3
As long as Najee Harris is out, I would still expect double-digit carries for Snell and he could be the short-yardage back against a Falcons defense that has allowed 13 touchdowns to running backs this season.
LV Las Vegas • #3
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs LAC LAC -1.5 O/U 50.5
OPP VS RB
26th
RB RNK
NR
ROSTERED
16%
YTD Stats
RUYDS
47
REC
0
REYDS
0
TD
0
FPTS/G
0.6
If Josh Jacobs' calf doesn't heal, White could be in line for 15 touches against a Chargers defense that has allowed 5.6 yards per carry to running backs this season. White would be a high-end flex in that scenario.
Stashes (RB Preview)
LAC L.A. Chargers • #27
Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs DEN BAL -8 O/U 38.5
OPP VS RB
10th
RB RNK
NR
ROSTERED
67%
YTD Stats
RUYDS
123
REC
6
REYDS
39
TD
2
FPTS/G
8.6
Dobbins is returning to practice this week and is the top stash at running back right now. If he can get back to 100% before the Fantasy playoffs, he'd have league-winning upside against the Browns, Falcons, and Steelers down the stretch. Just don't expect any help getting you to the playoffs.
RB Preview
DFS Plays
Top DFS Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
GB Green Bay • #8
Age: 26 • Experience: 6 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs LAC LAC -2 O/U 50.5
OPP VS RB
26th
PROJ PTS
21.2
RB RNK
1st
YTD Stats
RUYDS
1159
REC
40
REYDS
325
TD
9
FPTS/G
22
Assuming he's able to go, Jacobs is the clear top value on both sites. Coming off a 300-yard game he's still not the highest-priced running back on the slate even though he's up against a Chargers defense that allows 5.64 yards per carry on the season to running backs.
Contrarian DFS Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
DET Detroit • #5
Age: 27 • Experience: 6 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs GB GB -4 O/U 43.5
OPP VS RB
28th
PROJ PTS
11.6
RB RNK
16th
YTD Stats
RUYDS
580
REC
21
REYDS
238
TD
3
FPTS/G
10.8
Montgomery plays for a terrible offense and he's an underdog again in Week 13. I understand why he's contrarian, but he totaled 136 yards against this defense back in Week 2 and that's when he was sharing with Khalil Herbert. He has RB1 overall upside this week and neither his price nor his roster rate will reflect that.
RB Preview
Heath's Projections