Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
It’s incredibly frustrating for fantasy owners when they have to deal with running back carousels and timeshares. The committee approach is very popular in real football nowadays, but very much despised in the virtual version.
Take the New Orleans Saints, for example. How are we to know whether Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram or Darren Sproles will be on the field at any given time? The game plan switches so often that it’s become almost impossible to predict, but logic dictates that the team will almost certainly go with the running back whose strengths most appropriately match up with their opponent’s weaknesses if possible.
If that is indeed the case, it’s Sproles’ turn this week against the Dallas Cowboys.
Sproles has been wildly inconsistent this year, falling in and out of the picture with no warning. He got knocked out of last week’s game against the New York Jets with a concussion, but practiced without any problems this week and has been cleared to play against America’s team. Although it’s become incredibly hard to trust him, the matchup is certainly right.
The care-bear welcome mat that Dallas calls its defense is giving up atrocious yardage to anyone who wants it, and they’re allowing roughly seven receptions per game to running backs. Sproles’ specialty is catching passes out of the backfield, so he has “big game” written all over him this week.
Drew Brees is going to shred Dallas on Sunday night and even though there are a lot of mouths to feed, there’s an excellent chance that everyone on that offense will go home full. Roll the dice on Sproles and watch the little guy do some big things.
Dan Freeman is a Fantasy football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanFreeman88.
