Roundtable Week 3: Replacement RB Strategy

Photo: Douglas DeFelice, USA Today Sports

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Welcome to Week 3 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:

• For Real, Fool's Gold
• The Footballguys' Subscriber Contest
• Week 1 vs. Week 2
• Replacement RB Strategy (see below)

Let's roll.

Replacement RB Strategy

Matt Waldman: The following RBs were recently on the open market, are currently on the open market, or are being offered on the open market.

• Jonathan Taylor is still on the Colts' IR and wants a trade.
• Cam Akers was traded to the Vikings this week.
• Leonard Fournette - Meeting with several teams.
• Kareem Hunt is back in Cleveland after the Nick Chubb injury.

Answering the following.

• Which player can fit with most teams as a fantasy contributor?
• Which player has the greatest upside this year?
• Which player has the greatest upside long-term?

Go.

Jeff Haseley: I would have to think the best answer for all of these is Jonathan Taylor. When he's healthy, he is the best in that group, in my opinion.

Daniel Harms: I agree.

Dan Hindery: The answer to each of the first three questions is the same: Taylor. That Indianapolis offense should be fun and high-scoring as long as Richardson stays healthy. Whenever Taylor returns, you have to be excited about starting him in your fantasy lineup. He’s clearly the top talent amongst this group, both short and long-term.

There were reports that teams were willing to offer at least a Day 2 pick for Taylor. I didn’t think the Rams could get more than a conditional Day 3 pick for Cam Akers. It seems like a situation where a team might be willing to take a flyer and try to figure out what is going on with him, but his trade value is not in the same vicinity as Taylor’s.

Phil Alexander: Taylor is the easy answer. Hunt and Fournette couldn't crack an opening-day roster, and Akers hasn't shown much outside of a productive three-game stretch to close out last season. Taylor is only four months older than Akers, is more proven, and has one fewer catastrophic leg injury.