The Philadelphia Eagles did not look their best in Week 1 but still managed to squeak out a win. They now face a softer defense in Week 2. Rashaad Penny was a healthy inactive last week. But with Kenneth Gainwell out tonight, he’s going to play. Can fantasy football managers trust Penny in lineups?
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Should I Start or Sit Rashaad Penny in Fantasy This Week?
This is a very tricky situation. The last thing fantasy managers want to do is take a chance on Penny, only to see him play behind Boston Scott and put up about three fantasy points. That will only result in you kicking yourself for three days, wondering why you rolled the dice on a Thursday.
The initial reaction from most is probably that Penny didn’t play last week, so he’s clearly fourth on the depth chart. To be fair, that’s true. If all four backs are healthy, we know Penny is last, and he’s the one getting left out.
However, all four backs are not healthy. Gainwell is out. The hierarchy can shift based on who is active, especially because a big reason Scott likely plays over Penny is because Scott plays special teams.
The Eagles have shown a willingness to use Scott more when necessary. But they clearly don’t want to do so. We know this because Scott has been with the team since 2018, and they’ve constantly been shuffling through running backs to play over him.
Last week, Swift played just 29% of the snaps, compared to 62% for Gainwell. He had one carry for three yards and caught one of his two targets for no gain. The Eagles showed no interest in giving Swift the ball.
We’ve seen situations like this play out in the past, where a starter goes down, and the feature back the following week is someone who wasn’t even active the previous week, even though the previous week’s backups are still healthy.
It is not that much of a stretch to believe the Eagles will insert Penny into the lead runner role, with Swift and Scott mixing in on passing downs.
Fantasy Outlook for Penny vs. the Vikings
I do not have a crystal ball. The Eagles entered Week 1 with the most volatile RB situation in fantasy. As quickly as we got answers, they were taken away from us due to Gainwell’s rib injury. Today, we are right back at square one.
If you do start Penny tonight, understand the risks. You truly are playing with fire. He could easily be third on the depth chart, one spot higher than he was last week when he was inactive. Penny could handle 3-5 carries behind Swift and Scott, and be useless for fantasy.
MORE: 2023 RB Fantasy Football Rankings
With that said, I can’t shake this feeling that Penny is going to be the guy tonight. I don’t think the Eagles like Swift very much. And I don’t think they want to give him more than a couple of touches a game.
When the Eagles take the field for their first offensive snap tonight, I think it’s going to be Penny out there. I tentatively expect him to lead the team in carries, plus operate as the goal line back (although there’s a chance that goes to Scott).
You can see where we have all three Eagles backs ranked in our PFN Consensus Week 2 Rankings. In my personal rankings, I ticked Swift up to 31 and put Penny right behind him.
I kept Swift ahead of Penny because of the situation last week. But I’m here telling you now it comes with no conviction.
When push comes to shove, I think discretion is the better part of valor tonight. There will probably be an Eagles back worth starting. I just don’t know who it will be.
Given that it’s only Week 2, fantasy managers are not dealing with bye weeks, and shouldn’t be ravaged by injuries. If I absolutely had to start an Eagles back tonight, it would be Penny. However, the best course of action is likely to start none of them.