The Baltimore Ravens head into their huge matchup with the San Francisco 49ers on Christmas night coming off a huge effort on the ground in Week 15. Is it worth starting either RB Gus Edwards, RB Melvin Gordon III, or RB Justice Hill against the tough 49ers defense?
Let’s take a look at the fantasy football outlook for each player heading into Week 16.
Should You Start Gus Edwards in Fantasy This Week?
Edwards got his largest snap share (28 offensive snaps) in last week’s game that he’s had since Week 10 against the Cleveland Browns. The result was 69 scrimmage yards on 17 touches and a touchdown.
His 16 carries last week were his most in a game since Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals, and although he averaged fewer than four yards a carry (3.6), he did get in the end zone for the 11th time this season.
Whether or not you should start Edwards remains an interesting decision. On one hand, he simply isn’t getting a lot of time on the field, as he has been on the field for 50% or more of the Ravens’ offensive snaps just once in the last six games.
On the other hand, he has rushed for more than 65 yards in a game just once this season. Still, he is a productive player, thanks to his ability to find the end zone. Of his 11 touchdowns this season, 10 have come over the last eight games.
Should You Start Melvin Gordon III in Fantasy This Week?
Gordon has only seen action in two games — none of which occurred since Week 4 — but with Keaton Mitchell on the injured reserve, Gordon was signed off the practice squad this week.
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It’s logical to expect him to play and make a contribution this week, but with only 13 rush attempts on the season — albeit at 4.1 yards per carry — just how much should fantasy football managers expect from the veteran this week, especially against the league’s third-best rush defense?
Should You Start Justice Hill in Fantasy This Week?
Hill is expected to share time in the backfield with Edwards, and in limited duty, he has been productive. The back only has 71 rush attempts on the season, but he is averaging 4.4 yards a carry on the season. He also has three rushing touchdowns on those 71 attempts, although his last touchdown came in Week 5.
Given an increase in opportunities this week, it’s fair to assume some nice numbers from Hill. But again, the Ravens are facing one of the premiere defenses in the NFL, so exactly how much he is going to help a fantasy lineup is difficult to see.
Using the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say that Edwards is the player to start. His projected 7.8 points include 55 rushing yards and no receptions. Still, his projected stat line outperforms that of Hill’s 6.4 points and Gordon’s 1.4 points.
Hill is projected to finish with 32 rushing yards and two receptions for 11 yards. Gordon is projected to finish with nine rushing yards and one reception for one yard.
My ranking for these running backs aligns with the consensus. Edwards is more proven among these three this season, and his ability to get in the end zone is an attribute that should not be overlooked.
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