Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em (2018): Running Back Edition: Week 13: Tarik Cohen, Lamar Miller, Kenan Drake & More

by Eric Stashin (aka The Rotoprofessor)

Trying to decide who you should start or sit this week? Let’s take a look at a few potential decisions owners have and try to sort through them:

Tarik Cohen – Chicago Bears
at New York Giants

Josh Adams helped to expose the Giants’ defense in the second half in Week 12, ultimately finishing the day with 22 carries for 84 yards and 1 TD.  With Mitchell Trubisky banged up and out once again, you would think that Chicago will follow that blueprint and pound the football with Cohen and Jordan Howard being featured in the offense.  The question is who is the better play in that situation?  If it’s a run first offense that would favor Howard, as even though he’s coming off a disappointing day he still out-carried Cohen on Thanksgiving:

• Tarik Cohen – 3 carries for 14 yards
• Jordan Howard – 7 carries for 13 yards

Howard is averaging 3.3 yards/carry on the season, but look for him to play a bigger role this week.  Cohen is a better play in PPR formats, though overall the Giants have allowed 363 receiving yards to opposing running backs (seventh fewest in the league).  That relegates Cohen to a FLEX option, at best.

Verdict – Sit ‘Em (lower-end FLEX in PPR formats)

Kenyan Drake – Miami Dolphins
vs. Buffalo

Drake is coming off a nice day, contributing both running and catching the football in Ryan Tannehill’s return to the lineup:

• Rushing – 8 carries for 32 yards and 1 TD
• Receiving – 5 catches for 64 yards and 1 TD

The problem is he continues to operate behind Frank Gore (14 carries for 67 yards) in the running game.  However Drake has been the TD option, with 4 rushing TD and 3 receiving TD (Gore has 1 TD, and none running the football).  Taking on a Buffalo defense that’s allowed 15 TD total, including at least 1 rushing TD in each of it’s past five games (7 TD total over that span), and with his carries seemingly growing (8 carries in back-to-back games) it seems like Drake’s time may finally be coming.

Verdict – Start ‘Em (solid RB2 in all formats)

LeSean McCoy – Buffalo Bills
at Miami

The Dolphins have allowed the sixth most points per week to opposing running backs this season, though they’ve been better in recent weeks (17th over the past four weeks).  That means the matchup may not be quite as easy as we’d envision, and McCoy has simply been bad overall this season:

• Rushing – 128 carries for 426 yards (3.3 yards/carry)
• Receiving – 25 catches for 198 yards

The bulk of the receiving yardage came in one game (6 receptions for 82 yards, but that came with Derek Anderson at QB).  He’s also rushed for 2 TD and both came in one game (against the New York Jets).  The name is going to grab your attention, but his struggles and the matchup keeps him limited to more of a FLEX play.

Verdict – Sit ‘Em (better suited as FLEX play)

Lamar Miller – Houston Texans
vs. Cleveland

Miller is coming off a monster day (12 carries for 162 yards and 1 TD) and he’s now rushed for 100+ yards in three of his past five games (86+ in four of the five).  That’s promising, but the Browns have had bigger struggles against running backs who catch the football (616 receiving yards).  That’s especially true in recent weeks:

• First 8 Weeks – 947 yards (4.6 YPC) and 10 TD
• Last 4 Weeks – 257 yards (5.2 YPC) and 2 TD

Of course the numbers are deceiving, since opponents have run the football just 49 times over the past four weeks.  With the 12 TD overall and the strong numbers of late, Miller should be seen as a viable RB2 in all formats as long as the workload is there (12+ carries in all but one game this season).

Verdict – Start ‘Em (viable RB2)

Dion Lewis – Tennessee Titans
at New York Jets

Just when you thought Lewis was emerging as the clear leader in the backfield he takes 7 carries for 8 yards on Monday night against Houston.  That continues a four-week struggle running the football and a decrease in chances:

• at Dallas – 19 carries for 62 yards (3.3 YPC)
• vs. New England – 20 carries for 57 yards (2.9 YPC)
• at Indianapolis – 10 carries for 24 yards (2.4 YPC)
• at Houston – 7 carries for 8 yards (1.1 YPC)

While Derrick Henry has had fewer carries overall of late, he’s been far more productive (including 8 carries for 30 yards in Week 12).  The Jets haven’t been great against opposing running backs and we want to believe in Lewis, but there’s a good chance that he at least splits carries with Henry (and could be just the passing down back).  Consider him a viable FLEX in PPR formats, but nothing more.

Verdict – Sit ‘Em (PPR FLEX option only)

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Make sure to check out all of our Week 13 rankings: