Who Should I Start? Alexander Mattison or Zach Charbonnet

Wednesday, November 20, 3:40 PM

Las Vegas Raiders running backs Alexander Mattison (ankle) and Zamir White (quadriceps) will not practice on Wednesday, according to head coach Antonio Pierce. Both running backs were injured in the Week 11 loss to the Miami Dolphins last Sunday and are now in danger of missing the divisional clash this Sunday against the visiting Denver Broncos. They still have two more days to get back on the practice field, but this situation is worth watching and will make Ameer Abdullah worth a deep-league waiver-wire pickup if you are in dire straights at the RB position with six teams on bye in Week 12. Due to the struggles of White in 2024, Mattison has become Vegas' lead back. The 26-year-old had five carries for 19 yards and caught all three of his targets for 50 yards against Miami before his injury. Whoever is the "starter" for Vegas this weekend will have limited fantasy upside against a stout defense.

Saturday, November 16, 1:15 PM

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet is coming off his bye week and will continue to serve as the backup to Kenneth Walker III for a big divisional game in Week 11 on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. In the Week 9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Charbonnet saw only two rushing attempts for eight yards and caught two of his three targets for 25 yards. The 49ers defense hasn't been as strong as recent seasons and they have allowed the 13th-most half-PPR points per game to RBs this year, but as long as Walker is healthy in Seattle's backfield, Charbonnet is only going to be provided with scraps. The 23-year-old is a great handcuff for those that have Walker rostered, but there's little standalone fantasy value to speak of. In the first meeting against San Fran on Oct. 10, Charbonnet had five carries for 20 yards and caught his only target for a 15-yard gain.