Andrew MillerFantasy Football

2014 Fantasy Football Daily Fix: Week 8 Running Backs

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The following values are my recommended running back plays for Week 7 at DraftKings – the best daily fantasy sports site on the Internet. Here are the scoring settings for running backs, and if you have any more questions about DraftKings or fantasy football in general ask us on Twitter @TheFantasyFix or @44AMiller.

Expensive

Matt Forte – $8,800 at New England – This matchup could hardly be better for one of the hottest backs in the league. Forte has at least 109 total yards in each of his last four games, and he’s averaging over eight catches a game. He’s also scored five times in his past three games. New England’s allowing 4.5 yards per rush. They’ve allowed four players to rush for at least 92 yards in only seven games, and opposing backs are averaging over five catches a game against the Pats. All the good things.

Andre Ellington – $6,600 vs. Philadelphia – Ellington should’ve scored twice last week, but Stepfan Taylor vultured two touchdowns from inside the 5-yard line. Even without scoring Ellington managed 160 total yards and six catches. Ellington has over 75 total yards in every game – and at least 93 total yards in each of his last three – and 25 catches in six games – including six apiece in his last two.

Reasonable

Shane Vereen – $6,200 vs. Chicago – Chicago has been stingy against running backs this year, but with Vereen’s role in the passing game – and the loss of Stevan Ridley – this is a smart play. In his first game post-Ridley, Vereen scored through the air twice, had 11 carries and five catches and totaled 114 yards. With a lack of weapons on offense, Vereen should continue to see a large amount of work.

Lamar Miller – $6,000 at Jacksonville – Miller is one of only a few clear lead-backs in the NFL, and with Knowshon Moreno injured now he should continue to shine. He’s averaged 88 yards from scrimmage in his last two games, and he’s scored at least 16 fantasy points in every game except one this year.

Cheap

Jerick McKinnon – $4,900 at Tampa Bay – This is McKinnon’s job now as he’s out-touched Matt Asiata 38 to 10 in the last two games. Tampa Bay is allowing the fourth most fantasy points per game to running backs, and McKinnon is averaging 4.76 yards per rush against in his last two games – against Detroit and Buffalo, two of the best run defenses in the league.

Darren McFadden – $4,700 at Cleveland – McFadden has scored in double-digits every game since Week 2, and he continues to see an increase in his use in the passing game. Cleveland is the fifth-easiest team to score on for running backs; they gave up 127 rushing yards to Denard Robinson this week. McFadden could have a breakout game Sunday.

Bryce Brown – $3,400 at New York Jets – We’ll have to wait until later in the week to see what the Bills plan to do without C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson, but Brown figures to see a lot of work. The Jets are a tough run defense, but they’ve allowed four touchdowns and three 100-total-yard games to running backs in the last three weeks.

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