Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Alexander Mattison

Sunday, January 12, 11:28 PM

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler tallied 27 yards on eight attempts during their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday evening. Ekeler also brought in three of his four targets for 26 yards. While Brian Robinson Jr. was deployed as the top option early on, Ekeler saw his role increase during the final quarter. On the final offensive drive of the game, Ekeler played the hero as he brought in a 19-yard reception, which set up Zane Gonzalez's game-winning field goal. Given Robinson's struggles in this game, fantasy managers should expect Ekeler to have an even more significant role in next weekend's game against the high-flying Detroit Lions. Ekeler should carry high upside in a projected high-scoring affair next weekend, given his skills as a pass catcher.

Sunday, January 5, 10:03 PM

Las Vegas Raiders running back Alexander Mattison rushed for 20 yards on six carries during Sunday's Week 18 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. He also caught four of his five targets for an additional 11 yards through the air. It appeared that Mattison was headed for an increased workload on Sunday with Ameer Abdullah (foot) sidelined, but instead, the Raiders somewhat abandoned the rushing attack. Vegas' running backs combined for just eight carries, and quarterback Aidan O'Connell added four rushes of his own. Mattison may have salvaged his performance in PPR leagues, but for the most part, his showing on Sunday left a lot to be desired. The 26-year-old will hit free agency in a few months, leaving the Raiders with some combination of Sincere McCormick, Zamir White, Dylan Laube, and Chris Collier. Las Vegas has numerous holes on both sides of the ball, but don't be surprised if they look to improve their backfield with draft picks, free agency spending, or both.