With the news that New England Patriots‘ leading rusher Rhamondre Stevenson will reportedly miss a few weeks with an ankle injury, there is uncertainty over who will handle the bulk of the running back duties. We’ll break down the fantasy football outlooks for Ezekiel Elliott, JaMycal Hasty, Kevin Harris, and Ty Montgomery for Thursday’s game vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Should You Start Ezekiel Elliott, JaMycal Hasty, Kevin Harris, or Ty Montgomery This Week?
In Pro Football Network’s Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say that Elliott is the player to start. His projected 8.5 points include 38 rushing yards, one reception, and six receiving yards.
Zeke’s projected stat line outperforms the consensus projection of Montgomery (4.1), while Hasty and Harris aren’t listed, presumably because of their inactive status after Week 13.
My ranking for these running backs aligns with the consensus. After getting limited work backing up Stevenson, this is Elliott’s time to stand out.
Fantasy Outlook for Elliott This Week
Following Stevenson’s early exit last week, Elliott got the bulk of the work in the backfield the rest of the game, and though his rushing numbers were hardly impressive — 52 rushing yards, 3.1 yards per carry — there was a glimpse of what to possibly expect this week.
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Elliott caught four passes for 40 yards, giving him 92 scrimmage yards. And while the Steelers’ defense figures to pose much more of a challenge than the Los Angeles Chargers did, the conditions from last week weren’t exactly ideal. So, it’s not unreasonable to expect even better numbers from Zeke this week, both running and receiving.
Fantasy Outlook for Montgomery This Week
Montgomery had just two carries for the season prior to last week, but he was given a chance to carry the ball in Week 13, albeit just one carry and two yards. But if Elliott is going to be the starter for the Patriots now, others will need to be ready to either give him a breather or take over if he’s ineffective.
This is a lost season for the Patriots, so don’t dismiss the possibility of Bill Belichick designing something special for Montgomery. That said, there’s not much reason to use him in your fantasy lineup this week.
The PFN Start/Sit Optimizer projects Montgomery to finish with zero rushing yards and one reception for six receiving yards.
Fantasy Outlook for Hasty This Week
Hasty, who was claimed off waivers last month, has yet to carry the ball this season. However, he’s one of a few options the Patriots have to handle the No. 2 RB duties behind Elliott.
His last carry game in Week 17 for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season, so even if he is put in the No. 2 role, there’s no reason to expect more than a few carries for Hasty. He perhaps could be used as a third-down back in passing situations — he does have 50 career receptions in 39 career games.
Because of his current inactive status, the Start/Sit Optimizer doesn’t have any projections yet for Hasty in Week 14.
Fantasy Outlook for Harris This Week
Harris is an option to potentially come off the practice squad and handle backup duties. He hasn’t seen any time on the field in a game this season. Last season, he carried the ball 18 times for 52 yards.
Much like Hasty, if he were to be activated for this game, it’s difficult to imagine more than a couple of carries from Harris on Thursday. Because of his current inactive status, the Start/Sit Optimizer doesn’t have any projections yet for Harris in Week 14.
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