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Antone Smith Fantasy Football Week 7 Projection

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By @vinnylanni

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Whenever Antone Smith has the ball in his hands, watch out. The Atlanta Falcons‘ speedy running back has be a nightmare for opposing defenses this season. With a crazy 9.7 yards a carry, Smith has proven to put up a ton of production when he is on the field. The problem for Smith, and his fantasy owners, is that he doesn’t see the field very often.

Right now, Smith has five touchdowns on the season and has 346 yards of total offense. He is putting up a ton of fantasy points for owners who have him, but the Falcons are yet to fully trust him and give him a bulk of the carries. Steven Jackson is still the team’s No. 1 running back on the depth chart, and right now Smith sees most of his work in long-yard situations and on third down. With scarce opportunities, Smith’s upside is limited despite his solid numbers of late.

As a fantasy owner it is hard to play Smith strictly based on his playing time. Sure, he has produced some big plays, but it’s pretty much big play or bust for Smith. Take away a few of his long-plays for touchdowns and Smith is nothing more than a risky flex play in standard 12-team leagues.

I’m a big fan of Smith and I think that he has some untapped potential, but he’s pretty much what Devin Hester is to the Falcons’ passing game. Smith is worth rostering based on his upside alone, but he’s only worth a start for owners who are willing to roll the dice. In Week 7, Smith goes against a tough Baltimore Ravens‘ defense that is ranked No. 8 against the run, so his big plays will be even harder to come by. I recommend keeping Smith on the bench against the Ravens or until he sees consistent play on offense.

Antone Smith Week 7 projection: 5 carries, 30 yards and 2 catches for 10 yards.

Vinny Lanni is a New York Jets writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter or add him to your network on Google.

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