Zac Stacy spent time on the bench Monday Night. Is he still the Rams RB to own?
If you watched Monday Night Football last night, you may have been wondering where Zac Stacy was the whole second half. As you kept watching, he reappeared during the last series (garbage time) and picked up a few yards on a reception that may have actually saved your fantasy week.
The bigger question moving forward though is which running back is the one to own in St. Louis? We asked our experts this exact question after Zac Stacy only played 6 snaps in the second half and 26-of-76 snaps for the game. Based on those facts, have a look below to see who our experts feel is worth owning moving forward as well as where they rank those players in our weekly waiver wire rankings.
Q1. If you could own 1 Rams running back moving forward, who would it be and what do you make of their rest of season outlook?
TRE MASON (RB, STL)
“It’s shocking how long it’s taken him to finally get on the field, but now that he has it’s beyond clear he’s without a doubt the most talented runner the Rams have. Cunningham may have the better immediate role, but he’s not an impressive talent or crushing it in this committee attack. Mason is the preferred hold.”
– Kevin Roberts (Breaking Football)
TRE MASON (RB, STL)
“It’s worth remembering that Daryl Richardson opened the 2013 season as the Rams’ RB1, only to be replaced by a rookie, Stacy, after just a few games. Monday night’s game seemed to portend a similar changing of the guard, with the rookie, Mason, getting a test run in advance of a more substantial role. This is a messy situation, and a tough stretch of schedule further complicates mattters, but Mason seems to have the best chance to emerge from the mire as a blue-chip fantasy asset.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (The Football Girl)
BENNY CUNNINGHAM (RB, STL)
“The Rams running back situation is a tough one to figure out. It has the look of a true RBBC moving forward as each back brings a little something different to the table. If I had to choose what back I wanted to own it would be Benny Cunningham as he is a decent runner with very good skills in the passing game. Tre Mason is not ready to be used every down, especially in the passing game, but should steal early down carries going forward.”
– Dennis Esser (Coach Esser)
Q2. Where would you slot Benny Cunningham and Tre Mason in this week’s waiver wire rankings?
“Neither can match the top-end potential of Crowell, who’d probably be a top-10 RB if Tate went down with another injury. But Mason should be slotted in second on waiver wish lists, just ahead of Brandon Bolden. Cunningham rates lower for me, just behind Bolden and Storm Johnson. It’s not hard to picture Mason as a workhorse, but it would take a childlike imagination to envision Cunningham as anything more than a complementary RB.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (The Football Girl)
“Cunningham has the better role and value right now. If you need a guy off the waiver wire for the next 1-3 weeks, he’s the pick of the two. I’d take him right after Storm Johnson (about #7) off the waiver wire, provided I didn’t badly need WR or TE help first. Mason is right behind him, but carries much more upside for later in the year. The short-term fix is Cunningham, but if you have time to wait, add Mason.”
– Kevin Roberts (Breaking Football)
“I would rather have Benny Cunningham over Brandon Bolden at this point because Cunningham has guaranteed usage with some decent PPR upside. I do not slot them over Isaiah Crowell. Tre Mason is a purely a deep standard league target for me as he will more than likely not contribute much on passing downs. The Rams running back situation is definitely a better option than chasing Jaguars on the waiver wire.”
– Dennis Esser (Coach Esser)
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Thanks to Pat, Kevin and Dennis for giving us their rapid reaction on the St. Louis Rams running back situation. If you’re looking for additional insight into setting your rosters, be sure to check out our Rest-of Season rankings and Week 7 rankings. We also have additional Waiver Wire advice available.
