Roundtable Week 8: Rams and Cardinals Backfields

Photo: Michael Chow, 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 (see below)
• Every Week/Bye Week/Fluke Week
• Quit/Don't Quit
• Either/Or: The RB Edition

Let's roll.

Rams and Cardinals backfields

Matt Waldman: Consider these runners who may contribute significantly this weekend.

• Royce Freeman
• Myles Gaskin
• Darrell Henderson Jr.
• Zach Evans
• Emari Demercado
• Keaontay Ingram
• Damien Williams

Answer the following:

• Pick the two you'd start in re-draft if you had to choose from this list.
• Pick the two you'd stash on a dynasty roster if you had the room/luxury.
• Any recommendations on how you'd approach these or other murky backfields in the future?

Go . . .

Jason Wood: I'm glad you asked me this today and not a week ago Matt, because I was convinced we were embarking on the Zach Evans breakout campaign. The rookie saw his first action of the season in Week 6 after Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers got hurt, leaving the Rams' roster with no alternatives but to start Evans in Week 7.

However, over the course of the week, the Rams added Darrell Henderson and promoted Royce Freeman. They dominated the snaps (57% and 43%, respectively), while Evans didn't see the field. While we can't rule out Evans' long-term future, this weekend's outcome was damning.

So the two I'd start in redraft are Henderson and Emari Demercado, based on their usage and the fact that the intended starters are both on injured reserve, guaranteeing key roles for a few weeks. Henderson had the most touches, snaps, and fantasy points for the Rams, and he's a known commodity.

Demercado is less certain to contribute but got far more work than the other Cardinals' backs. If Kyler Murray returns soon, there's at least a chance the running lanes will widen, and Demercado can have a solid few weeks before James Conner returns.

I don't love any of these players as dynasty stashes, but when in doubt, bet on youth for your deep dynasty benches. By default, that leaves me opting for Zach Evans and Emari Demercado as my holds.

In a re-draft or win-now situation, you have to separate the team situation into those with a system and a supporting cast (e.g., offensive line) that will allow third or fourth-string players to produce fantasy-relevant output versus offenses where a lesser-talented tailback is just going to flounder. I wouldn't have categorized the Rams as an "all systems go" unit in the preseason based on the roster rebuild, but at this point, with the success we've seen from Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell, Kyren Williams, and Darrell Henderson, I would say you can comfortably assume Sean McVay will scheme players to marginally valuable productivity.

In Arizona's case, we haven't seen the same kind of production when starters go down. While each situation is its own, I would recommend that fantasy managers look at team rankings before making waiver pickups to determine which offenses are elite and, thus, more likely capable of sustaining despite backup talent entering the lineup.