Who Should I Start? Audric Estimé or Will Shipley

Saturday, January 3, 12:14 PM

New Orleans Saints running back Audric Estime delivered the best game of his career in last week's win over the Tennessee Titans, handling 14 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown while adding one catch (one target) for four yards. The Saints leaned more into the second-year back in Week 17 after giving tight end Taysom Hill 16 touches in the final home game of the season in Week 16. Estime broke off a 32-yard touchdown to essentially ice the game for the Saints, and he figures to be a key part of the offense in the season finale against the Falcons, with multiple starters ruled out, including Alvin Kamara (knee). The Falcons rank in the middle of the pack in PPR points per game allowed to running backs this season, but they concede the seventh-most yards per carry (4.6). Estime should be in line for around 15 touches, making him a viable flex option in Week 18.

Friday, November 21, 11:34 PM

Philadelphia Eagles Will Shipley has been relegated mostly to special teams touches and the occasional carry behind Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby as the team's RB3. The Eagles acquired Bigsby ahead of Week 7, and he's mostly served as the primary backup to Barkley. Since then, Bigsby and Shipley have each played 14.5% of the offensive snaps, but Bigsby has 17 carries to Shipley's seven during that span. The 2024 fourth-round pick entered the season as the No. 2 back for the Eagles, then missed Weeks 2 and 3 due to a rib injury, and has now fallen out of favor with the team, going out and trading for another back to have another capable option behind Barkley. Shipley still has some appeal as a handcuff if Barkley were to go down, but it would likely be a timeshare with Bigsby.