Welcome to Week 3 of the 2022 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. From this point forward, we're splitting the topics into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
- For Real or Fool's Gold
- Tackling the Subscriber Contest
- Running Back Tandems (see below)
- Panic or Relax
Let's roll.
Running Back Tandems
Matt Waldman: The following RB tandems are performing as fantasy starters in most leagues. The numbers in parenthesis are each player's PPR value after three weeks:
- DAndre Swift (3)/Jamaal Williams (25)
- Nick Chubb (1)/Kareem Hunt (10)
- Aaron Jones (4)/A.J. Dillon (14)
- Michael Carter (5)/Breece Hall (18)
Answering the following.
- Which current fantasy tandem has the lowest chance of remaining a tandem (non-injury related) and why is one option a much better fantasy pick than the other?
- Which back has the most fantasy upside if injury strikes the other?
- Pick two tandems where if you had one of them, you would start them in the same lineup weekly.
- Which tandem is the least predictable to determine the best performer of the two backs weekly?
Where do you stand with these rock-toting duos?
Jeff Haseley: Carter and Hall have the lowest chance of remaining a tandem. I think it is only a matter of time before Breece Hall takes over the Jets backfield as the primary running back.
Phil Alexander: I'll also guess Michael Carter and Hall, only because they have less history than the other tandems. We learned exactly how the Lions, Browns, and Packers want to deploy their running backs over the last year-plus. The Jets' sample size is too small.
As for the second question, Chubb is the best runner in the league. It's not particularly close, especially if Chubb were to have the backfield to himself when Deshaun Watson returns for the fantasy playoffs.
Haseley: I'll agree the Browns' tandem, particularly Hunt, has the most to gain in this situation. If Chubb is lost for multiple games, Hunt's value takes a giant leap. More so than if Hunt is lost and Chubb reaps the benefits. We saw this last year, and it wasn't that much of a difference maker for Chubb.
Chubb and Hunt are also the tandem you can start on a weekly basis. Hunt has stand-alone value as it is, arguably the most value of any of the secondary complementary running back pieces in this question or not. Having both on your weekly roster virtually guarantees some production from one of the best rushing offenses in the league.
Alexander: While it would never feel great to look at, starting all four tandems is defensible in 12-team leagues, given the state of the running back position. If forced to choose, I'd take the firmly established Green Bay and Cleveland duos. Do we agree that the Jets have the least predictable tandem, Jeff?
Haseley: Yes, only because we aren't sure when Hall is going to vault himself to the top of the Jets' rushing depth chart. Any given week, we could see good production from both players. Once there is clarity on who will emerge as the lead back, this will be a difficult tandem to project.
Waldman: Adam, where do you stand on this?
