Week 13 lineup calls: Running backs
Lineup calls: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | D/ST
The year of the late-round and undrafted running back continued in Week 12.
Adrian Peterson racked up 70 total yards and a touchdown before leaving with a hamstring injury. Chris Johnson saw only seven carries (five yards) in a shutout loss to Houston. Frank Gore raced out to a big start against Arizona, but left with a season-ending hip injury.
Meanwhile, Arian Foster and Peyton Hillis dominated the non-fight or tirade headlines. Mike Tolbert, a rising star and fantasy favorite in San Diego, scored in a laugher over the Colts.
Who will be the hero of Week 13? Will their effort lead to a playoff spot to bolster your holiday cheer?
Top Running Backs
(Other than Chris Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Arian Foster, Ahmad Bradshaw, Peyton Hillis, Adrian Peterson, Michael Turner, Steven Jackson, Rashard Mendenhall, Ray Rice, Jamaal Charles and LeSean McCoy)
Matt Forte at Detroit
The Bears are running the football. Matt Forte rumbled for a 61-yard gain against the Eagles early and finished the game with 117 yards on 14 carries. Forte added two receptions for 22 yards. Since the Bears’ Week 8 bye, Forte has averaged 18.5 carries and 83 rushing yards per game. He averaged only 12.9 carries through the Bears’ first seven games.
Forte amassed 201 total yards on 24 touches with two touchdowns and a lost fumble in the Bears’ controversial Week 1 win over Detroit. He did most of his damage in the passing game. Forte achieves balance, and piles up touches and yards this week.
Mike Tolbert vs. Oakland
You can’t stop Tolbert once he gets rolling. I’m stealing the comic book moniker and starting to call him “Juggernaut.” Tolbert has scored in seven of the Chargers’ past eight games (once against Oakland). He’s averaging 4.4 yards per carry and will keep the chains moving against the 28th-ranked Raiders run defense (133.7 yards per game).
Brandon Jacobs vs. Washington
With the receiving corps decimated by injuries, the Giants turned to the ground game and dominated with a two-man wrecking crew. Jacobs amassed 87 yards on 14 carries while assuming the lead role over Ahmad Bradshaw (who stole the goal-line work). Look for more of the same against the 26th-ranked Washington run defense to open things up for Mario Manningham downfield.
Felix Jones at Indianapolis
In three games as the lead back in Dallas, Jones has done a phenomenal job as a runner/receiver. He’s averaged 111 total yards and 17 touches during this period. The Colts rank 29th in run defense (136 yards allowed per game), and you’ll certainly see him active on the edge.
LaDainian Tomlinson at New England
Tomlinson’s Week 12 production marked his lowest output since Week 6. He had averaged 102.5 total yards in his previous four games. Tomlinson earned 102 total yards in the first AFC East showdown against the Patriots. Take the high touch count.
Brandon Jackson vs. San Francisco
The Packers’ struggles on the ground are now legendary, as Aaron Rodgers has been the team’s best threat in the running game. Still, Jackson had been a solid overall contributor to the team as a runner/receiver before getting shut down by the Falcons in Week 12. I don’t expect big numbers on the ground (obviously) against the eighth-ranked San Francisco run defense. However, he’ll be active on the edges and rates a low-end RB2 play.
Thomas Jones vs. Denver
Jones was held without a touchdown for the fourth time in five weeks by the Seahawks, but he did rush for 68 yards on 20 carries. He has carried the ball at least 19 times in five of the Chiefs’ past seven games. Don’t expect a repeat in line with his first tilt with the Broncos (four carries for three yards). The Chiefs roll it up with the Jamaal Charles-Jones duo this week.
Knowshon Moreno at Kansas City
Moreno had a fumble that drew the ire of Denver fans and analysts, but he still put up a strong game for fantasy owners in Week 12. He’s scored in three consecutive weeks since the Broncos’ Week 9 bye while averaging 131 total yards per game.
Moreno amassed 156 total yards with a receiving touchdown in the first meeting with Kansas City.
Fred Jackson at Minnesota
Jackson started the season slowly, but he’s been a dominant fantasy force since being integrated in the passing game. He raced for a 65-yard touchdown reception against the Steelers and amassed nearly 200 total yards.
The Vikings are a top-five defense in terms of yardage (92.7 rushing yards allowed per game), but Jackson’s involvement in the passing game prompts his inclusion here. Jackson has racked up 19 receptions in the past four weeks.
Toby Gerhart vs. Buffalo
Gerhart took over for the injured Adrian Peterson and bowled over the Redskins on Sunday. The rookie tailback rushed for 76 yards on 22 carries (he’d carried the ball 24 times in the first 10 games) and scored his first NFL touchdown.
Peterson’s status for Week 13 is unknown following Wednesday’s practice and it appears that we’re headed for a game-time decision. Regardless of his availability, I expect to see a huge helping of Gerhart this weekend against the Bills. Buffalo has allowed four runners to top 200 yards this season, and we watched Rashard Mendenhall run wild in Week 12.
Sleepers
Tashard Choice at Indianapolis
Marion Barber is sidelined by a calf injury, thereby opening an opportunity for Choice to finally put up a few more touches. He’s clearly the second chair to Felix Jones (see above), but could shine if Jason Garrett opens things up to get him involved for 8-10 touches.
Donald Brown vs. Dallas
Brown was active in the passing game on Sunday against San Diego, producing five receptions for 47 yards while adding 24 rushing yards. He’s on the radar for another start this week against Dallas and showed more than he had in previous weeks. Owners in deeper leagues need to check the updates on Mike Hart, who is expected to be available for this game.
Pierre Thomas at Cincinnati
According to reports from New Orleans, Thomas is close to returning to the field this week against the Bengals (monitor this into the weekend). The Saints backfield is getting healthy right now, so carries are being split in 100 directions. However, look for Thomas to assume a large role immediately if cleared. Following such a lengthy absence, he’s not available unless ready for a sizable workload.
Flops
Darren McFadden at San Diego
McFadden has all but disappeared on the ground in the past two weeks. We anticipated that he might struggle against the Steelers, but he was absolutely invisible in Week 13 against Miami. McFadden did catch seven passes for 63 yards out of the backfield. I’m just concerned that there’s something amiss in Raider-land, and a date with the dominant San Diego defense doesn’t help matters at all.
LeGarrette Blount vs. Atlanta
Blount was held scoreless for the third time in four games, and was altogether shut down in Week 12 by the Ravens (55 yards on 13 carries). He’s no more likely to find running room this weekend against the sixth-ranked Atlanta run defense (93.7 rushing yards allowed per game). Atlanta limited him to 46 yards on 13 carries in Week 9.
Cedric Benson vs. New Orleans
Following a one-week surge against the Bills, the Jets dragged Benson back to fantasy hell on Thanksgiving (41 yards on 18 carries). He’s rushed for more than 70 yards only four times this season. The Saints allow nearly 109 yards per game, but the defense is getting healthy right now while Cincinnati sinks.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis vs. New York Jets
Green-Ellis has been dominant in four of the past five weeks and an absolute terror in the red zone. He’s in a tough spot here against the fourth-ranked New York Jets run defense in that marquee Monday game. Green-Ellis warrants consideration for a late-RB2 play for the possible goal-line work, but temper your expectations. He rushed for 19 yards on 10 carries in the first meeting.