Perhaps there was a good reason the Baltimore Ravens kept giving 30-year-old running back Mark Ingram II double-digit touches each week while exciting rookie J.K. Dobbins waited for his turn to shine. But it was tough to figure out, especially for curious fantasy managers. After all, while Ingram struggled with production and health, Dobbins entered Week 8 averaging 6.2 yards per rush, while also playing a role in the passing game. And Dobbins sure looked like a potential star who simply needed more volume.
Volume came in Sunday's 28-24 loss to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, as Dobbins filled in for an injured Ingram and turned 16 touches into 121 yards. The second-round draft pick from Ohio State ran with purpose and efficiency, hitting the holes with speed and quickness, while also relishing in his chances to break tackles and run over defenders. Ingram certainly hasn't been playing this way in 2020. And as the Ravens prepare for Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts, likely sans Ingram again, expect Dobbins -- who is still available in more than 50% of ESPN standard leagues -- to perform well.
Baltimore's underwhelming passing game remains a concern and certainly one reason for the loss to the Steelers, as quarterback Lamar Jackson struggled again with accuracy, served up a pair of interceptions and fumbled three times, losing two. The running game, however, looked better than at any point this season, with Dobbins and bulky Gus Edwards combining for 200 rushing yards on their 31 carries. The best Ingram rushing output this season has featured 57 yards versus the Cincinnati Bengals, and, as with Edwards, Ingram is little threat in the passing game. Dobbins, of course, is.
Rookie running backs tend to break hearts. And perhaps coach John Harbaugh, despite so much evidence to the contrary, will go back to Ingram when health permits or keep a three-headed timeshare. That would be a mistake. It was clear as early as Week 1 that Dobbins, who eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards a season ago at Ohio State, warranted a larger workload. He scored two touchdowns the opening week and then broke off a 44-yard run in Week 2. But his usage remained oddly low, at barely 20 snaps per game, until Ingram suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 6. Even when Ingram recovers, it makes little sense for the veteran, who excelled last season, to serve as more than a short-yardage option.
Speaking of rookie running backs, the Colts boast a solid one in Jonathan Taylor, chosen 14 selections prior to Dobbins. Taylor, however, posted the worst statistical outing of his first season in Week 8, turning 13 touches into a mere 31 scrimmage yards and 5.1 PPR points. Taylor entered play averaging 14.5 PPR points per week, and he was No. 15 in the NFL in rushing attempts. One rough game in which backup Jordan Wilkins emerged with 20.3 PPR points really should not alter that for the Ravens matchup. Fantasy managers should look for Taylor to return to his normal workload, ceding receptions to Nyheim Hines, but little else.
Jacksonville's new quarterback: The Jacksonville Jaguars could be without starter Gardner Minshew II for a while after the announcement this week -- during their bye -- he had been playing with a fracture and damaged ligaments in his right thumb. Veteran Mike Glennon and rookie Jake Luton are the other quarterbacks on the roster, and they will compete in practice this week for the honor of starting in Week 9 versus the Houston Texans. Does it matter for fantasy purposes or is rookie running back James Robinson the only player on the team worth relying on in fantasy? Do not give up on this passing offense yet.
Nobody is saying Luton, the sixth-round selection from Oregon State, will dominate the Texans and become a fantasy star. But it does seem likely the rebuilding Jaguars would want to see him play over Glennon, a 30-year old journeyman who is 6-16 as a starter in his career, having thrown passes for four teams prior to joining Jacksonville. Luton, standing at 6-foot-6 and relying on a strong, accurate arm that helped him throw for 28 touchdowns versus three interceptions his final college season, was one of the organization's training camp surprises. And the Minshew injury creates an obvious opportunity to give Luton experience. DJ Chark Jr. leads an intriguing, young wide receiver corps. Those fantasy managers in multi-quarterback formats who roster every starting quarterback should act quickly.
Tampa Bay's newcomer: This section of the weekly column generally features injured players on the mend, and there is no shortage of options for Week 9, including Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones, Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson and New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster such an option in wide receiver Chris Godwin, who fractured the index finger in his left hand and underwent surgery this past week; but he could play in Week 9 on Sunday night versus the Saints. Then again, the Buccaneers, who play their Week 8 game on Monday night, feature a rather notable player making his season debut.
Antonio Brown used to be the top wide receiver in fantasy football, and he entered the 2019 season with a streak of six consecutive seasons of more than 100 catches and 1,200 receiving yards, all while averaging double-digit touchdowns. Of course, things went terribly wrong for him in 2019, as he never did catch a pass for the Oakland Raiders, and he played in only one game for the New England Patriots. His suspension for off-field transgressions now over, Brown can play in Week 9, though he did not place as a top-25 wide receiver in the most recent end-of-season rankings. Fantasy football managers made Brown the most added player upon his signing with Tampa Bay, and it will be intriguing to see if he is active in myriad leagues in Week 9. Godwin's health could be a key factor.
Monday madness: The last time the Patriots missed the playoffs was all the way back in 2008, while quarterback Cam Newton was playing in college. But with a four-game losing streak entering Monday of Week 9 against the New York Jets, the team is in some trouble. Yes, a matchup with the winless Jets should be a panacea for any opponent, but it will be interesting to see how New England's offense looks. Newton has retained fantasy value due to six rushing touchdowns, but he has reached 175 passing yards in only one of six games and has thrown two touchdown passes versus seven interceptions. Will fantasy managers be eager to put him in starting lineups, even against the Jets?
Perhaps the Patriots can stroll past the Jets by running the football, leaning on second-year breakout Damien Harris, who boasts two 100-yard rushing games over the past month. But it would be nice to see the team's passing game thrive too. Julian Edelman and N'Keal Harry missed Sunday's 24-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills, and Newton targeted Jakobi Meyers on 10 of his 25 pass attempts. Meyers could be a worthy flex option in deeper formats, and we shall see if James White returns to fantasy relevancy after catching three passes in the past two contests.