With the Arizona Cardinals long since eliminated from the NFC playoff picture, should we expect more or less from running back James Conner against the Seattle Seahawks this weekend? Or is it time to give Michael Carter more reps in the season finale?
Here is the fantasy football outlook for both players heading into Week 18.
Should You Start James Conner in Fantasy This Week?
Somewhat quietly — as a result of injuries and the Cardinals’ struggles this season — Conner has had an excellent season at running back. Conner is averaging 74.2 rushing yards per game, which is near his single-season career high (74.8 in 2018 with the Pittsburgh Steelers). He also needs 110 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season for the first time in his career.
Conner is already third in the league in yards per carry (4.9) and is coming off a season-high 128 rushing yards last week vs. the Eagles. The veteran RB has averaged at least 4.0 yards a carry in 11 of his 12 games this season.
And Conner has displayed his all-around skills, with at least 100 scrimmage yards in three of his last four games.
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Conner, who did not play in the first meeting with Seattle, has also been a touchdown machine of late. He has scored at least one touchdown in four consecutive games, and he has six total touchdowns in that span.
Facing Seattle — one of the league’s worst rush defenses — should only help Conner’s chances to reach 1,000 for the season. Seattle ranks 30th in both rush yards per game allowed (134.1) and rush touchdowns allowed (23).
Should You Start Michael Carter in Fantasy This Week?
Carter was on the field for only 13 offensive snaps last week, but he still tied his season high for touches in a game with eight vs. the Philadelphia Eagles. The result was a season-high 61 rushing yards (on seven carries), and he added his first touchdown of the season via a six-yard scoring grab.
And while it is certainly possible to see more of Carter on the field this week, he still has not been on the field for 20 or more snaps since Week 12.
Using Pro Football Network’s Start/Sit Optimizer, our Consensus Rankings say that Conner is the player to start. His projected 12.3 points include 41 rushing yards, along with three receptions for 22 yards. His projected stat line easily outperforms that of Carter (3.3 points).
Carter is projected to finish with nine rushing yards and one reception for nine yards.
My ranking for the two running backs aligns with the consensus. Conner’s pursuit of 1,000 rushing yards should keep him in the lineup enough to be the more productive of these two backs on Sunday.
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