7) Kyren Williams vs. Buccaneers
The Bucs are very good against the run, but fantasy running backs have been piling up points against them as pass catchers. Overall, Tampa is ranked 25th in DVOA against the running back position. Williams has had his moments as a pass catcher this year and has the ability to contribute as a receiver if Sean McVay decides that’s how he wants to attack the Bucs. I think McVay is a smart dude, and that’s exactly what the Rams will do. I’m expecting a game similar to the Thursday night game, week 5, against the 49ers where Williams had over 60 yards both on the ground and through the air.
8) Rico Dowdle vs. 49ers
He’s officially an RB1 for the rest of the season. The days of sharing touches with Chuba Hubbard or Trevor Etienne are long gone, and Carolina has had themselves a true “bell cow” back since Week 5 (minus one minor blip against Buffalo). If you have Dowdle, he will be a fixture in your lineup going forward, albeit with a bit of a tough late-season schedule. This matchup against San Francisco represents one of the softer ones left for Dowdle and the Panthers, so fire him up. Carolina has a late (Week 14) bye but has a nice matchup against the Saints in Week 15 for the fantasy playoffs. After that, they finish with a couple of tough games against Tampa and Seattle, but we’ll worry about those games when we get to them.
