The 2019 NFL season has officially begun. Week One had many surprises, not least of which was the running backs. Some veterans disappointed and some rookies stood out. Of course, Week One is always hard for fantasy owners. It’s a new season, so how do we know what will happen? However, Week Two is also interesting because there still isn’t much to go off of yet. This week, I am going with a rookie for the start of the week. Josh Jacobs had a pretty successful NFL debut Sunday, and should have another good outing this week.
Josh Jacobs, Sony Michel, and Running Back Week Two Start/Sits
Josh Jacobs
Jacobs accounted for half of the Oakland Raiders‘ points in their 24-16 victory over the Denver Broncos on Monday night. The 2019 first round pick had quite a successful first game. He rushed for 85 yards on 23 carries with two touchdowns, as well as one reception for 28 yards. Though he averaged under four yards a carry at 3.7, he managed to gain 113 yards from scrimmage. According to ESPN Stats and Info, he’s the first rookie to debut with over 100 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns. He scored 23.8 points in half-PPR leagues. This Sunday, Jacobs faces a Kansas City Chiefs defense that allowed 5.1 yards per carry in Week One. He should be a pretty safe start for week two.
Marlon Mack
Last week, I had Marlon Mack as a candidate for the bench. That was obviously a big mistake. Through Week One, Mack is the leading rusher in the NFL. Sure it’s just one week, but it was a great start for a back whose team is still reeling from the sudden retirement of Andrew Luck. Mack rushed for 174 yards on 25 carries with a touchdown. That’s good for almost 50 yards more than the closest back. Mack faces a Tennessee Titans defense that allowed 5.1 yards per carry last week. It’s a divisional match up for Mack and the Indianapolis Colts. While Mack may not average seven yards per carry this week, there’s a lot of upside in this match up.
Duke Johnson or Carlos Hyde
If you have either Duke Johnson or Carlos Hyde, they are both worthy of a flex start this week. That’s right. Both Johnson and Hyde are teammates on the Houston Texans this year and each appears to have the potential for fantasy relevance. Johnson is more valuable, especially in PPR leagues, as he rushed nine times for 57 yards along with four receptions good for 33 yards. Hyde had more rushing yards than Johnson with 83 yards on 10 carries. He had just one reception for two yards. Johnson posted 11 fantasy points in half-PPR leagues, while Hyde posted nine points. Hyde could see this as a revenge game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played in eight games for the Jags in 2018 after being traded half way through the season.
Running Backs to Sit
Sony Michel
Sony Michel had a promising rookie season for the New England Patriots. In 13 games, he has 209 rushing attempts for 931 yards and six touchdowns. Though he missed three games, he was less than a hundred yards short of a 1,000-yard season. Unfortunately for Michel, there’s somewhat of a committee for the Pats backfield. Furthermore, Michel had a very disappointing start to the season. He only gained 14 yards on 15 carries. Both Rex Burkhead and James White had better performances. It’s hard to imagine Michel doing worse in Week Two. Regardless, Michel should be on your bench until he proves he can be the standout back in Foxboro. The Pats face off against the tanking Miami Dolphins this week, but it would still be a risky start.
Joe Mixon
Joe Mixon had a forgettable debut for the 2019 season. He had just six carries for 10 yards. It is important to mention that Mixon left the game early due to an ankle sprain. Mixon is listed as questionable at this time, but could still play Sunday. Given his performance before the sprain and questionable status Mixon looks to be more of a liability for Week Two. The one bright side is his team plays the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers allowed 121 total rushing yards in week one. You may want to add Mixon’s back up, Giovani Bernard if he’s available in your league.
Royce Freeman
Royce Freeman had a decent start to the season on Monday night. He gained 56 yards on 10 carries along with one reception for five yards. His performance netted 6.6 points in half-PPR leagues. Depending on the depth of your league, this would be a viable flex by production. But Freeman not only shares touches with Phillip Lindsay, but he also has an unfavorable match up this weekend. The Denver Broncos will play the Chicago Bears strong defense on Sunday. The Bears allowed just 47 total rushing yards in week one. If Freeman was more involved in the passing game a start could make more sense, but that’s not the case.
