Teams are pounding the ball on the ground vs. the Chargers. They’ve faced a league-high 26.8 RB carries per game.
And teams are having success running on the Chargers. They rank dead last in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA and have coughed up 4.9 yards per carry to RBs.
No surprise, then, that the Chargers have allowed the 9th most DK points to RBs. Expect a busy and productive outing from Cook on Sunday.
Harris has tallied 22+ carries in 4 straight and 22+ opportunities (carries + targets) in 6 straight. He’s averaging 23.3 DK points over that 6-game stretch.
Now he draws a Lions squad that sits 25th in Football Outsiders’ run defense rankings, 32nd in Football Outsiders’ RB coverage rankings and 31st in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs.
RBs Nick Chubb, Demetric Felton and John Kelly are all out for Sunday’s game on the COVID list. That leaves only Johnson and Brian Hill, who was signed earlier this week, in Cleveland’s backfield.
So Johnson should get the vast majority of the RB touches vs. a Patriots defense that ranks a middling 17th in Football Outsiders’ run defense DVOA and 22nd in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs. We saw Johnson in a lead role back in Week 7, when he ripped off 146 yards and a score on 22 carries vs. the Broncos. He ranked 2nd among RBs in Pro Football Focus’ rushing grades that week.
Also consider: James Conner ($6,300), Mark Ingram ($4,500)