Start or Sit Marlon Mack, Chris Carson, or Damien Williams?
It’s the fantasy football finals, and you are completely unsure of your roster, despite it getting you all the way here! Don’t act like you aren’t. If you were certain, you wouldn’t be reading this. This final chapter of our weekly start or sit features highlights three players with good matchups and three with bad matchups at each position. We hope to give you some sort of scapegoat when you make the wrong decisions this weekend. After all, you only make the correct calls in your fantasy football start or sit decisions. Every other time was some goon on the internet letting you down.
Start or Sit Marlon Mack versus the New York Giants
Marlon Mack had been on a bad, bad downward trend prior to last weekend. He had turned his last 22 carries into just 60 yards, salvaging a week fourteen game against Houston with a rushing touchdown. Then, whatever was ailing him broke free, and he turned 27 carries into 139 yards and two scores as the Colts ran all over the strong Cowboys defense. To give you a good idea as to how unusual that was against the Dallas defense, it was over 25% higher than the second-biggest game they allowed this season (20.20 to Dion Lewis in week nine). This week, the potent Colts offense gets a prime matchup against a Giants defense that can’t stop a runny nose right now, let alone a running back. Derrick Henry, Tarik Cohen, Josh Adams, Peyton Barber, and Matt Breida have all smashed them in their last six games. Marlon Mack and the Indianapolis Colts are likely to roll the Giants hard this weekend, and that means lots of touches for him against an awful defense. If you’re trying to decide to start or sit Marlon Mack, he is a strong start this weekend in your fantasy football finals.
Start or Sit Chris Carson versus Kansas City
The Seattle passing game is a mess, and while the Ravens run more often than they do, nobody runs for more yards than the Seahawks. Over his last two games, Carson has gotten the vast majority of these carries, notching 22 in both contests. He’s turned that into 90+ yards and a score in both contests, which means he’s officially rolling. This week he gets a Chiefs defense that recently got Eric Berry back, but that will make a defense that has allowed 21 running backs a double-digit fantasy day against them in their fifteen games. That includes four games in the three weeks since their bye. Chris Carson is a good RB2 start for those wondering if they should start or sit him this week against the Chiefs.
Start or Sit Damien Williams at Seattle
Damien Williams has 28 touches over the last two weeks, getting twelve with Spencer Ware, and sixteen without him. Ware’s week sixteen status is up in the air, but those workloads indicate that it won’t make a huge difference for Williams. It’s also encouraging to Williams owners that he had two touchdowns both with and without Spencer Ware for the full game. Let’s assume, however, that Williams gets the start. We’ve already established that he’s productive when he gets touches, though that probably has more to do with the offense than the player. This week, he gets a Seahawks team that has gotten spanked by eight different running backs in their last eight weeks. If Spencer Ware plays, he is a shakier play, but if Ware doesn’t, I am a fan of Williams this week against the Seahawks. They’re officially a neutral defense, but opposing running backs have had days against them lately. If you’re trying to decide if you should start or sit Damien Williams this week, he is a soft start if you are in a pinch.
These guys are all good fantasy football options this week, but for those of you trying to decide between them, I would start them in this order:
- Marlon Mack
- Chris Carson
- Damien Williams
Looking for more week sixteen start or sit advice? Check out our additional pieces below!
Start or Sit Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield, or Josh Allen?
Start or Sit Cam Newton, Jared Goff, or Tom Brady?
Start or Sit Matt Breida, Smallwood, or Peyton Barber?
Start or Sit Dante Pettis, Robby Anderson, or Josh Gordon?
Start or Sit Jarvis Landry, Chris Hogan, or Antonio Callaway?
Start or Sit Blake Jarwin, Chris Herndon, or David Njoku?
Start or Sit Jimmy Graham, Vance McDonald, or Austin Hooper?
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