With the injury bug hitting around the NFL, it was not too surprising to see a top running back go down. Saquon Barkley was injured in the Philadelphia Eagles’ matchup against the Tennessee Titans, putting his availability in question against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football.
The Denver Broncos are also dealing with running back injuries, with J.K. Dobbins and R.J. Harvey injured, leaving rookie Jonah Coleman to lead the backfield in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs if neither player can play.
There were also some players who flat-out disappointed fantasy owners. Bijan Robinson only had 72 rushing yards coupled with nine receiving yards and did not score a touchdown, falling well under his projection for the week and costing some fantasy managers
their week. Jeremiyah Love, the highest drafted rookie in fantasy this year, only had 29 rushing yards against Seattle. Travis Etienne also had a lackluster performance for the Saints in their win against the Ravens.
Going into the third week of the season, here are the top starts and sits at running back.
Start - Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans
I said this in Week 1, and it did not work out, but it could this week. Pollard is the top running back; they just have not been able to run the ball. But that could change against the New York Giants, who struggled against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday.
There will be more pressure on New York’s defense after their starting quarterback, Jaxson Dart, went down with a severe knee injury. Tennessee was more functional as an offense last week and should be able to build on that against the Giants. Furthermore, Pollard should be able to take advantage of this defense and at least have a decent day; at the very least, Pollard has a solid floor in this game.
Start - Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
He is someone who I advocated for last week. While Hubbard did not put up another 20+ point performance, he managed to have a solid day in fantasy with his receiving touchdown. Hubbard should have a better game against the Pittsburgh Steelers because the Atlanta Falcons have done well against the run so far this year, while the Browns have not.
Even though Cleveland has not given up a touchdown to a running back, they have given up the seventh-most rushing yards of any team, making this a favorable matchup. If you have Hubbard, he can be counted on to give up a solid game in Week 3.
Start - Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears
I qualify this by saying you should only start Monangai in a deep league; otherwise, in an eight- or 10-team league, it's not a smart start. However, if you are in a position where you need someone to put in your flex in a deeper league, Monangai offers high upside.
Philadelphia’s defense is not terrible this year, but Chicago shredded them in the run game last season. Both D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai had over 100 yards in that game and will most likely try to do that again with their quarterback uncertainties.
Sit - Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals
As a Jeremiyah Love fantasy owner myself, I am concerned about his production through the first two weeks of the season. In the season opener, the only reason he had a good fantasy day was because of the rushing touchdown. He has not gotten very involved in the passing game, and Tyler Allgeier had more carries than him in the opener.
The opener against the Chargers better reflects how this Cardinals offense is likely to operate because they cannot seem to function against division opponents like the Seattle Seahawks, which is also concerning for his production against the San Francisco 49ers next week. If you have someone else to put in, it would be best to keep Love on the bench this week.
Sit - Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos
He is one of the most popular pickups among running backs, and for good reason - he is probably the starter. However, he is a rookie who did little in Denver’s win against the Jaguars. Coleman averaged 3.9 yards per carry and also had a decent day in fantasy because of his touchdown. Meanwhile, he is about to face a Los Angeles Rams defense that has not given up a rushing touchdown so far in the first two weeks of the season. Even if both Dobbins and Harvey are out, Coleman is not someone who should venture into the starting lineup.
Sit - Tank Bigsby, Philadelphia Eagles
When Barkley went down against the Titans, Philadelphia turned to Bigsby, who finished the day with 33 rushing yards and a touchdown. If you are a desperate fantasy owner and thinking about starting Bigsby, do not do it. Philadelphia is facing the Bears on Monday, who had a bad run defense last season.
However, through the first two weeks, they have not been as bad against the run. Also, Bigsby averaged just 2.5 yards per carry against Tennessee and has no receiving upside. There are most likely other running backs available on the waiver wire who will have a better performance than Bigsby.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Fantasy Football Start'em, Sit'em Week 3: RB Edition
