It’s the fantasy football playoffs, and week fifteen means the semifinals. It’s literally do-or-die for your fantasy squad this week. With that in mind, you likely have a good idea about what your roster is at this point and if you need a hail mary out of a position. If you have the guts to still be streaming, congrats. If you’re a Melvin Gordon or Matt Forte owner and are doing it out of necessity, condolences. Just like the rest of the year, here are three running backs available in more than 50% of leagues, with one available in fewer than 10% to try to help you out this weekend.
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NOTE: Kenneth Farrow is 54% owned and is barely outside this threshold. He takes on the Raiders this week who allow the sixth-most fantasy points to running backs. He takes priority here. He may still be available after he slipped through the cracks following Melvin Gordon’s injury.
Kenneth Dixon versus Philadelphia (49% owned)
Dixon is finally wresting control away from Terrance West and has posted three-straight weeks of at least seven fantasy points (and until last week, it was without a touchdown, which can boost a bad week). This week the Ravens take on a Philadelphia defense that is middle-of-the-pack against the running back, but who yielded a touchdown to Chris Thompson, who plays a similar role to Dixon, last week. Just like Joe Flacco in the quarterbacks article, Dixon should take advantage of the somewhat messy road Eagles defense.
Mike Gillislee versus Cleveland (25% owned)
Gillislee makes his return to the sleepers list, and a 25% ownership is absurd. Literally every LeSean McCoy owner should put Gillislee on their bench to protect their interests. Even in a backup role, Gillislee has the potential to punch it in at any time (don’t forget his 44-yard TD run against the 49ers), and he has scored six touchdowns in his last eight games. That type of potential doesn’t belong on the wire in three-of-four fantasy leagues. That’s doubly the case in week fifteen, since he takes on the second-worst defense against running backs this week.
Dwayne Washington at Giants (9% owned)
Washington has been in-and-out of the Lions’ lineup this season with injury and an obsession with giving Zach Zenner touches, but this week he will have plenty of opportunity to produce. The Lions will be without: Theo Riddick, Zach Zenner (perhaps, he is still in the concussion protocol) and without the ring finger on Matthew Stafford’s passing hand. That means that the Lions will have almost no choice but to go with Washington this weekend. The Giants aren’t a good matchup, but Washington should get the volume to justify his usage if you’re exceptionally desperate.