No foot in fantasy football got more attention this week than Ashton Jeanty's. Per ESPN, the Las Vegas Raiders had talked about giving their banged-up running back a week off, and coach Klint Kubiak shut that down in two words Wednesday.
"He's playing," Kubiak said.
This is good news for Raiders fantasy managers, and the matchup is even better. The Buffalo Bills come to the ‘Death Star’ Sunday with an offense that scores in bunches and a defense that just gave up 454 yards to the Los Angeles Rams Monday night. In my opinion, this game has shootout written all over it, and a few Raiders should cash in.
Here is who I would start and who I would leave on the bench.
Start Brock Bowers, Tight End
I would be surprised if Bowers was sitting on anyone's bench right now, and if he is,
this is your sign to have that sorted. He has seen double-digit targets in every game since returning from his knee procedure, and he is averaging 23.7 points per game in PPR leagues over that stretch.
The Raiders line him up in the slot or out wide on 83.2% of his snaps, so he is a wide receiver in everything but name. Buffalo also lost nickel corner Taron Johnson to Las Vegas and safety Darnell Savage in the offseason, which leaves the middle of its defense thinner than usual.
The one thing to watch is his knee. Bowers was not at full throttle in Wednesday's practice, so check the final injury report before kickoff. If he plays, he belongs in your lineup.
Start Kirk Cousins, Quarterback
Cousins has thrown 12 touchdown passes in five games, tied for second in the NFL, and he carries a 100.6 passer rating into Sunday's clash. I'm not letting one bad afternoon in a New England blowout scare me off a quarterback in a perfect spot.
Buffalo has allowed 13 touchdown passes this season, and the Raiders' run game hasn't given Kubiak much reason to keep handing the ball off. Those conditions usually lead to a lot of dropbacks, and dropbacks mean fantasy points. I see Cousins as a strong QB1 this week, especially with four teams on bye.
Start Ashton Jeanty, Running Back
Not to be the bad guy here, but Jeanty has been a frustrating fantasy player this season. He is only averaging 3.3 yards per carry (he has yet to score a rushing touchdown). And reports flying around say that he is now dealing with plantar fasciitis on top of his ankle trouble.
His value comes from volume and catches. Jeanty is getting about 22 touches per game, and he has 22 receptions for 215 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He practiced fully on Wednesday, and his ankle came off the injury report. In PPR leagues, I would still trust him as an RB2 or flex, just with lower expectations than you had on draft day.
Start Matt Gay, Kicker
Kickers rarely get much love, but Gay is a smart play this week. He has made 11 of his 12 field goal attempts this season, the game is under a roof, and both offenses should move the ball. If the Raiders stall in the red zone even a couple of times, Gay gets the points.
Sit Tre Tucker, Wide Receiver
On paper, Tucker has all the makings of a sneaky play this week, with 5.6 targets per game and a team-high three catches of 20-plus air yards.
Personally, I'm just not there yet. Take away his 119-yard game against the Chargers in Week 2, and Tucker has settled in around four catches for 40 yards a week. I would rather use him as a deep-league flex than count on him in a normal league.
Sit Mike Washington Jr., Running Back
The rookie is averaging 5.0 yards per carry, which is better than Jeanty, but he got just one carry in New England. Kubiak said this week that Washington needs more chances, and the game plan could change, but I'd want to see it happen before putting him in a lineup. Keep him on your bench for now.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders Week 6 fantasy start/sit vs. Bills with Jeanty's foot in focus
