Who Should I Start? Ameer Abdullah or Antonio Gibson

Saturday, December 21, 2:55 AM

The Las Vegas Raiders will take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16 in what is an easy matchup for running backs in fantasy. Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah will probably split volume with RB Alexander Mattison (neck), and Abdullah presents the more interesting option in fantasy football, since he seems to have more pass-catching upside. The 31-year old rushed three times for just eight yards in Week 15, but caught all seven of his targets for 58 yards and a touchdown. JAX has one of the league's most porous defenses. These factors make the 10th-year pro an intriguing option in deeper PPR leagues as an RB3/FLEX, but starting anyone from this backfield in fantasy football carries plenty of risk.

Friday, December 20, 11:58 PM

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson doesn't receive enough volume to make him a household name in fantasy football, but his efficiency does put him on the radar in deeper leagues. The 26-year-old is averaging 6.8 yards per carry on 14 rushing attempts over the last two weeks, adding a touchdown along the way. He also caught two passes for 15 yards in last Sunday's loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The bad news for Gibson is that he faces the Buffalo Bills this week. Buffalo has been stingy against running backs on the ground, and while they're softer against pass-catching running backs, we expect Rhamondre Stevenson to command more targets than Gibson. The good news is that Gibson's efficiency has earned him additional opportunities lately, good enough to tally 20.6 fantasy points (PPR) over his last two contests. The Memphis product ranks as a mid-to-high RB4 ahead of Sunday's battle in Buffalo.