Fantasy Football Week 13 Running Back Start Sits: Benny Snell, Rashaad Penny

Fantasy Football Week 13 Running Back Start Sits: Benny Snell should have a strong Week 13, while Rashaad Penny should stay on your bench.

Week 13 of the NFL season is right around the corner, and fantasy football owners everywhere are trying to optimize their lineups. Deciding on who to start and sit isn’t easy, especially when a player like Benny Snell gets a chance to start. Let’s take a dive into all of the best start em’, sit em’ matchups of the week to put together the best possible lineup.

Wide Receiver Start/Sits
Quarterback Start/Sits

Benny Snell, Rashaad Penny Highlight Fantasy Football Week 13 Running Back Start Sits

Start: Benny Snell

James Conner expects to miss another week of action, which means it’s officially Benny Snell’s time to shine. Snell led the Steelers’ backfield last week, recording 21 carries for 98 yards and one touchdown. He managed to record this type of a workload despite Jaylen Samuels being active, which means that he should be in line for a similar workload in Week 13.

Snell probably won’t be as effective in Week 13 against the Browns as he was in Week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers still have a below-average offense, so he might not have the most scoring chances. However, any running back receiving that type of workload is going to have some fantasy value as a flex play or RB2.

Sit: Rashaad Penny

Rashaad Penny was one of our top waiver-wire pickups of the week, but it’s too early to start him. Penny saw a large role in Week 12 even before Chris Carson fumbled, so there is a chance the Seahawks are trying to incorporate their former first-round pick into the mix. However, it’s too early to make any sudden assumptions about Penny’s usage going forward.

Throughout the vast majority of the season, Penny hasn’t carried any fantasy value. The Seahawks are probably still going to use Carson as the lead back, but Penny is valuable handcuff. You need to roster Penny with the hope of starting him next week. If Penny continues to see a role in the running game or if Carson fumbles again, you can put Penny in your lineup for Week 14. For now, however, you’re better off leaving him on your bench.

Start: Jonathan Williams

Marlon Mack is going to miss another week, which means Jonathan Williams will once again be in charge of the Indianapolis Colts backfield. The journeyman runner took complete control of the backfield in Week 12 despite Jordan Wilkins being healthy, and you can expect that trend to continue in Week 13. Indianapolis has one of the better offensive lines in the league and should continue to open holes for Williams.

Sit: Carlos Hyde

Carlos Hyde has been a solid fantasy football option all season long, but it’s hard to imagine that success continuing in Week 13. Hyde and the Houston Texans face off against Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. New England’s defense is ridiculously good and should be able to close any and all running lanes for Hyde. Outside of Lamar Jackson and the seemingly-unstoppable Baltimore Ravens, nobody has managed to have any sort of success against this defense. You’re better off leaving Hyde on the bench and finding someone else in Week 13.

Start: Kenyan Drake

David Johnson, Chase Edmonds, and Kenyan Drake should all be healthy for Arizona’s Week 13 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Typically, you want to stay away from three-headed backfields, but Kenyan Drake should still be a viable fantasy play. The Arizona Cardinals gave up a draft pick for half a season of Drake, and they wouldn’t have done that if they didn’t plan on using him. Drake has played remarkably well during his short time in Arizona and should remain the lead back.

If I had to guess on the depth chart, it would be Drake, Edmonds, Johnson. David Johnson simply looks old and slow and is clearly frustrated with the organization. Chase Edmonds is better than Johnson at this point in time and could steal a few touches from Drake. However, this probably won’t be an even three-way split, so you can start Drake with confidence.

Sit: Brian Hill

This has been a rough few weeks for the Brian Hill truthers out there. The preseason superstar finally got his chance to shine and did absolutely nothing with the opportunity. During his three games as the primary ball carrier, Hill recorded just 105 yards on 44 attempts at a 2.39 yards-per-carry clip. Devonta Freeman should return to the field in Week 13, and there is no reason to believe Hill did anything to earn touches over Freeman. Quite frankly, Brian Hill isn’t worth roster unless you play in an extremely deep league.