With four weeks of NFL games in the rearview, the running back position is already getting difficult for fantasy football managers to feel good about. With various injuries and now four teams on a bye, many are going to be forced to get out of their comfort level and dig deep.
There isn’t a safe fantasy football start option in Week 5 as you venture down these depth charts, but if you’re in a bind, one is better than the other.
Should You Start Tyler Allgeier or Alexander Mattison in Week 5?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, PFN’s consensus rankings say that Alexander Mattison is the player to start. His projected 8.6 PPR points are enough to top Tyler Allgeier (8.0) in this specific spot.
Allgeier’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
The next time this season in which Allgeier gets 10 carries in a game this season it will be his first. The role he owns behind Bijan Robinson isn’t one that allows for fantasy relevance, though that hasn’t stopped Allgeier from impressing in the few opportunities he does receive.
During Atlanta’s 2-2 start, Allgeier has a carry gaining at least 12 yards in each of them, averaging 6.1 yards per carry through September.
Robinson popped up on the injury report earlier this week with a bulky hamstring, but as long as he is active (something he suggested would be the case yesterday), Allgeier isn’t to be trusted at a high level in anything but the deepest of leagues.
In the event that Robinson is a late scratch, Allgeier would be the easy decision in this question and vault into my RB2 tier.
Mattison’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
Mattison has been effective when given the opportunity, but he’s still a backup in an offense that struggles weekly.
Simply facts@AlexMattison22 is not one of the 111, but he is one of the 5 pic.twitter.com/48yQwLuwAr
— Kyle Soppe (@KyleSoppePFN) September 29, 2024
Mattison isn’t a player that needs to be rostered in most leagues — the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. When it comes to these two running backs, both rely on an injury to flirt with fantasy-starter status.
That said, not both are created equal.
We’ve seen Mattison struggle when given the lead role, and while Allgeier wasn’t a star when he was trusted with the bell-cow label as a rookie, he’s pretty clearly the superior option between these handcuffs when it comes to a roster stash.
Talent is one thing, but the situation is another. Not only is Allgeier a part of the better offense, but he gets an ideal run out to end the season. Could he be a top-15 fantasy running back during the postseason if Robinson were to go down?
- Week 15 at Las Vegas Raiders
- Week 16 vs. New York Giants
- Week 17 at Washington Commanders
If we can pencil in Allgeier for a role of at least 15 touches, double-digit fantasy points is a very reasonable expectation, and come December, that’s lineup-worthy.
Mattison isn’t a waste of a roster spot, given his success in a limited role this season and his proximity to the starting gig. Yet, Allgeier’s résumé and offensive environment make him the option to consider as you build out the back end of your roster.
All stats are from TruMedia unless otherwise stated.