Roundtable Week 8: Either/Or the RB Edition

Photo: Joe Nicholson, USA Today Sports

Welcome to Week 8 of the 2023 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.

This week's roundtable features these four topics:

• Rams and Cardinals Backfields
• Every Week/Bye Week/Fluke Week
• Quit/Don't Quit
• Either/Or: The RB Edition (see below)

Let's roll.

Either/Or: The RB Edition

Matt Waldman: Which player would you rather have for the rest of the season?

• Ken Walker III or Austin Ekeler?
• Tony Pollard or James Cook?
• Derrick Henry or Josh Jacobs?

Make your sentiments known.

Joey Wright: This is not an indictment on Ken Walker’s stellar 2023 season, but a healthy Austin Ekeler is arguably outside of Christian McCaffrey, the best running back in football. I do think Ekeler's poor performance in Week 7 was a product of both a typical first-game back lull and a difficult division matchup. The schedule ahead is a bit more optimistic. Better things are coming for Ekeler managers.

Waldman: I will add that Ekeler suffered a low-ankle sprain to the same ankle he just rehabbed from a high-ankle sprain, so while I'm with you on Ekeler's talent, I'm inclined to stick with Walker, who is producing and held off a more compelling backfield mate in Zach Charbonnet in the process.

Wright: I see you, Waldman. Still, low-ankle sprains aren't usually troublesome, so I'm buying into the idea that Ekeler's injury won't be an issue.

As for Tony Pollard or James Cook, I prefer Pollard for the rest of the season to Cook. I presumed the Cowboys would treat Pollard as they did Demarco Murray in 2014 and constantly feed him the ball. Instead, we’ve seen Dallas manage Pollard’s workload, involving Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn week to week. It is a move that could prove to be profitable for Pollard’s stat line as the Cowboys push toward a playoff spot.

If Derrick Henry remains with the Tennessee Titans, I would prefer Josh Jacobs for the rest of the season. The Raiders offense has run through three lanes this year: Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and Josh Jacobs. Even with Jacobs's poor rushing performance, there isn’t much competition or sign of his workload changing. Jacobs is on pace to exceed his career highs in receptions and receiving yards, which is a nice indicator for PPR leagues. Henry is still the lead back in Tennessee, but the trade rumors, coupled with the arrival of Tyjae Spears, have me less enthusiastic about him than I do about Jacobs.