Sean Tucker, Ray Davis, Kimani Vidal, and Tyrone Tracy Jr. have all recently burst into the forefront of fantasy GM's minds as running backs to know. Should they be coveted?
Welcome to Week 7 of the 2024 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:
- Risers/Fallers, Top 10 Fantasy WRs
- Real or Fool's Gold, RB Edition (see below)
- Potential Record Breakers
- Subscriber Contest October Check-In
Let's roll.
For Real/Fool's Gold: RB Edition
Matt Waldman: Consider these four RBs who've burst onto the fantasy scene.
Which RBs will remain starters in three-RB lineups this year? Which ones are fool's gold?
Sam Wagman: In three-RB lineups, we should see Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Kimani Vidal retain roles, with Tracy having the best chance here. In two weeks without Devin Singletary, Tracy has rushed 35 times for 179 yards while adding 7 catches for 58 yards.
These are very solid numbers for a converted wide receiver who was regarded as a solid dart throw on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, but he wasn't expected to see a meaningful role this season. Singletary hasn't been explosive by any means, so the Giants should keep Tracy in the mix. I think it's a 60-40 split moving forward with Tracy on the low side, potentially getting more work as the season goes along.
I see Vidal as the most likely to gain a recurring role. With his first career touch being a 38-yard receiving touchdown on a wheel route, it's hard to see the Chargers putting the genie back in the bottle, as this reminds me of the way Austin Ekeler broke onto the scene with a touchdown on one of his first career touches as well. However, JK Dobbins has the run game role on lock and it's difficult to see how Vidal would cut into it.
As for Davis and Tucker, it's difficult to see how Davis will see more than a change of pace role if Cook returns soon. He looked great against the Jets, but Cook has looked terrific this season and carries the three-down role as well. In the Bills' run-heavy scheme, Davis may have carved out 5-7 touches per game, but when Cook returns, it's hard to see more.
As for Tucker, he is the RB3 still behind Rachaad White and Bucky Irving. I expect Todd Bowles' comments might not come to fruition as much as people think.
Jason Wood: If, by three-RB lineups, you mean fantasy leagues with two RB slots and a flex, then all four of these players are risky bets. I don't see any of them as locks to finish in the top 30 at their position, and they all need a significant injury to the starters to have consistent weekly fantasy value.
Sean Tucker is getting a lot of attention after a huge Week 6, but there's no question he's still third on the depth chart for a pass-happy team. The game script was unusually favorable for the former Syracuse star, but Bucky Irving is the real story in the Buccaneers' backfield.
Ray Davis will split time with Ty Johnson if James Cook misses more time, and Kimani Vidal needed Gus Edwards to go on IR just to get on the active roster. That said, I do think all three of these guys could become fantasy-relevant if the starters go down.
Tyrone Tracy Jr.. is the one to be excited about. He's a converted wide receiver, and most draft analysts saw him as an ideal third-down, pass-catching complement to a two-down workhorse. Landing with the Giants changed that narrative, but over the last two weeks, we've seen that he's a versatile talent capable of putting up big fantasy numbers, even when the rest of the offense struggles. The Giants won't relegate Devin Singletary to backup status without giving him another shot at the starting job once he returns from injury, but Tracy's talent might be undeniable.
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