Phillip Lindsay’s fantasy outlook in Week 4 is uncertain. After it looked encouraging this week that Lindsay would suit up against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football, Lindsay is listed as questionable on the Broncos injury report. This potential absence raises a lot of questions for Lindsay. If he does suit up in Week 4 against the Jets, should he be a player that starts in fantasy football leagues? And if he does not suit up, how should fantasy GMs approach Lindsay for the rest of the 2020 season?
What is the fantasy outlook for Phillip Lindsay in Week 4?
Lindsay had practiced this week, but with 10 days between this game and their Week 5 clash, the Broncos may decide it is prudent to keep Lindsay on the sidelines. That is especially the case given the concerns the San Francisco 49ers had with the MetLife Stadium turf.
However, with Melvin Gordon having returned less than stellar numbers (58 yards per game), and the Broncos sitting at 0-3, they could still decide they need the spark Lindsay provides. However, it is likely that even if he is active, Lindsay will be on a pitch count in this matchup. Sure he could break off a big run, or score a touchdown, but the risk is that we see little of Lindsay and he puts up a dud for fantasy football lineups. Therefore, even if he is active, it is best to sit Lindsay in Week 4.
How should we approach this situation for the rest of the 2020 fantasy season?
This one is tougher because Lindsay’s role is not well defined. Before suffering the injury in Week 1, Lindsay had eight touches, seven carries, and one reception, in the first half. 16 touches per game would be a fairly solid return for Lindsay, given that he ranked in the top 20 at the position with a similar number of touches in 2019.
In Lindsay’s absence, Gordon has dominated the carries, seeing 42 of the 66 total team carries. He has even dominated the RB targets, seeing 12 of the 16 for the RB position. In Week 1, Lindsay was on pace to out touch Gordon, who ended with 15 carries and three targets. If we see Lindsay return to that role he has the potential to be a very useful contributor for fantasy football teams.
Should we expect consistency from Lindsay when he returns?
Consistency is a big concern for Lindsay. After finishing 12th in Pro Football Network’s Consistency Score in his rookie season, he finished outside the top 20 in 2019. Now with even more competition from both Gordon and Royce Freeman for touches, that consistency could be even harder to come by.
In these time share situations, we often see teams choosing to roll with the back that is hot. Therefore, if Gordon rips off some big plays early, we could see Lindsay’s role marginalized in the offense in some games. On the other hand, in other games, he could rip off a big performance.
However, with no knowledge of when these games come, those big games could be wasted on your bench. Therefore, given the uncertainty regarding his role, and the potential he re-aggravates his turf toe injury, it could be worth trying to move Lindsay if he finds success in the next couple of weeks.