Start em or sit em? Fantasy football start or sit decisions can be excruciating. While it feels great to make the right call and cruise to fantasy glory, it hurts just as much when you have someone erupt while on your bench. You can use our Who Should I Start? tool to gauge advice from fantasy football experts as you make your lineup decisions. And you can also sync your fantasy football league for free using our My Playbook tool for custom advice, rankings and analysis.
Let’s take a look at a few polarizing players and what fantasy football expert Derek Brown advises. And you can find all of DBro’s fantasy football outlook in this week’s fantasy football primer.
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Fantasy Football Start’em, Sit’em Lineup Advice: Running Backs
Last year, J.K. Dobbins had a nice bounce-back season as the RB18 in fantasy points per game with 227 touches and 1,058 total yards. Among 46 qualifying backs, he ranked 17th in explosive run rate, but he was outside the top 25 backs in missed tackles forced per attempt and yards after contact per attempt. Dobbins should be the third down/pass protection back while also taking some of the rushing load off of R.J. Harvey. Last year, in Weeks 10-18, Tennessee allowed the second-most rushing yards per game and seventh-most yards after contact per attempt while having the 14th-lowest stuff rate. They surrendered the third-highest yards per carry to gap runs (5.22) during that stretch and the ninth-highest gap rushing success rate. Last year, 59% of Dobbins’ runs were with gap design, and he had 4.95 yards per carry. Tennessee did add Cody Barton and Xavier Woods this offseason to upgrade their defense overall and their run defense, so they could be improved against gap runs. We’ll have to see in Week 1, but I would be surprised if Sean Payton didn’t try to test it.
Austin Ekeler was a nice surprise when on the field last year. He dealt with two concussions in 2024, which forced him to miss five games, but when active, he was the RB29 in fantasy points per game. He had some elevated usage in weeks where Brian Robinson Jr. was limited or out, so I think we can project some regression in 2025 if Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez can stay healthy. Also, the addition of Deebo Samuel could cut into Ekeler’s short-area passing game usage. Last year, Ekeler was 11th in target share and third in yards per route run among backs. He’s a viable PPR flex this week if you’re in a pinch. Last year, the Giants allowed the 11th-most receiving yards and the seventh-highest yards per reception to running backs.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. took over as the Giants’ starting back in Week 5 last season and never looked back as the RB22 in fantasy points per game. Well, he did have some bumps in the road with fumbles. Tracy Jr. finished with the 23rd-most touches among running backs last year, but he was tied for the third-most fumbles at the position. Tracy Jr. was explosive with his touches last year, ranking 16th in explosive run rate and 20th in missed tackles forced per attempt. Tracy Jr. will get the first crack at retaining his workhorse job after Cam Skattebo was sidelined in the preseason and during camp with a hamstring injury. Tracy Jr. will have to deal with a run defense that last year, in Weeks 10-18, allowed the third-lowest rushing success rate, the fourth-lowest explosive run rate, and the sixth-lowest yards after contact per attempt.
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