The 2023 NFL season is flying by in front of our eyes. We have five weeks in the books and 13 more to go. Meanwhile, bye weeks have started, making setting your fantasy football lineup more difficult.
This week, fantasy players could have a difficult decision between Chuba Hubbard and D’Onta Foreman. Neither running back has been a weekly fantasy starter this season. Yet, both should have a role this week. So, which one should you start in Week 6?
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Chuba Hubbard Fantasy Outlook this Week
Last year, Hubbard split the backfield work with Foreman. The young running back was the RB50, averaging 5.8 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. However, Hubbard’s chances at fantasy football stardom ended when the Carolina Panthers signed Miles Sanders in the offseason.
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Yet, the former Oklahoma State star has been a solid depth piece for fantasy players this year. He is the RB43, averaging 5.4 fantasy points per game. Furthermore, his role has grown over the past few weeks. After totaling only 12 rushing attempts over the first three weeks, Hubbard has 25 over the past two games, including a season-high 14 two weeks ago against the Minnesota Vikings.
More importantly, he will have a featured workload against the Miami Dolphins. Sanders will miss his first game this year because of a shoulder injury. While Raheem Blackshear and Laviska Shenault Jr. will get some rushing work in this game, Hubbard should see the bulk of the work on Sunday.
D’Onta Foreman Fantasy Outlook this Week
Ironically, Foreman and Hubbard were in the same backfield last season. However, the former Longhorn was the more impressive running back. After the Panthers traded away Christian McCaffrey, Foreman was the RB19, averaging 11.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game over the final 11 games.
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After spending one year in Carolina, the veteran running back joined the Chicago Bears this offseason after they lost David Montgomery in free agency. Unfortunately, Foreman has played sparingly this year. He had five rushing attempts for 16 yards and two receptions for eight receiving yards in Week 1. However, the former Longhorn has been a healthy scratch every other game this season.
Unfortunately, Khalil Herbert suffered a high ankle sprain in the Week 5 win over the Washington Commanders. He will miss at least the next four games after the Bears placed him on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Roschon Johnson suffered a concussion last week and won’t play in Week 6. Therefore, Foreman will get a chance to shine as the featured running back for Chicago.
Which Running Back Should You Start?
Neither running back has an excellent fantasy-friendly matchup on paper. Hubbard takes on the Dolphins. They have held running backs to only 67.3 rushing yards and 14 half-point PPR fantasy points per game over the past three weeks, giving up only one rushing score.
Meanwhile, Foreman faces the Vikings. They have held running backs to only 14.5 fantasy points per game, the ninth-fewest in the league. Furthermore, Minnesota has given up more than 66 rushing yards to running backs only once this season. That game was in Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles and their outstanding offensive line.
While both running backs have a featured workload this week, neither has an excellent fantasy-friendly matchup. However, fantasy players should start Hubbard over Foreman. The former Oklahoma State star has the more appealing matchup against Miami. More importantly, the Panthers will use him in the passing game. Meanwhile, the Bears could lean on Darrynton Evans in obvious passing situations this week.