Who Should I Start? Bijan Robinson or Emari Demercado

Friday, November 14, 7:49 PM

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson has had at least 86 yards from scrimmage in eight of nine games he's played so far this season and is averaging almost five catches per contest, but he has been stuck on four touchdowns (two rushing, two receiving) since last finding paydirt in Week 7. Week 11 brings a home matchup against the Panthers, a defense that is middle of the pack this year in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, but that has allowed 157 yards rushing per game over the last three weeks, which is the fourth-highest total in the league. The 23-year-old tallied 72 rush yards and 39 receiving yards the last time these teams squared off in Week 3, and he appears set for a similar workload on Sunday. The third-year pro projects as a top-three running back this week in a game that the Falcons have an implied total of over three touchdowns (22.5), and is as reliable as they come with his high fantasy floor.

Saturday, November 15, 11:11 AM

Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado continues to operate out of a backfield committee, but he still has appeal as an RB3/flex in most fantasy leagues. Demercado and Bam Knight have been the primary options out of the backfield in Arizona, while Michael Carter also gets occasionally involved. While Knight has typically handled more volume, Demercado has looked better in most games, including last week when he had four carries, 64 rushing yards, three catches, and 40 receiving yards. He's averaging 10.8 fantasy points (PPR) in every game where he has played at least one-third of the offensive snaps. He also owns an impressive average of 8.96 YPC, which is similar to his 9.29 YPC from last year. Fantasy managers should deploy Demercado as an RB3/flex, but they should also be aware that he has a low floor if he handles a smaller workload than usual.