Who Should I Start? Brian Robinson Jr. or James Cook

Saturday, October 11, 5:50 AM

San Francisco 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr. has been unable to produce much of anything in the team's Christian McCaffrey-powered offense. Injuries to starters Brock Purdy (toe), Ricky Pearsall (knee), Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs), and George Kittle (hamstring) have led to McCaffrey seeing snap shares north of 85% in each of the last three weeks. Even with the 49ers piling as much on McCaffrey's plate as he can handle, very little is being asked of Robinson in the way of relieving the star. Robinson has a snap share of 13% going back to Week 3, and has handled 12 carries in the same span with zero targets. Robinson can't be started in fantasy lineups but is worth a bench stash. If the 49ers' injury bug comes for McCaffrey, Robinson will take over as the team's feature back.

Saturday, October 11, 1:46 PM

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook will face one of his toughest challenges of the season when he takes on Atlanta's sixth-ranked run defense on Monday night. The Falcons have excelled at controlling time of possession and limiting offensive opportunities, though they've allowed a 44.7% scoring rate on drives, leaving the door open for Cook to find the end zone. The third-year back is averaging 107.8 scrimmage yards and one touchdown per game, but he's coming off a sluggish performance against New England's opportunistic defense. While Cook's volume and role in Buffalo's high-powered offense keep him in RB1 territory, fantasy managers should temper expectations--his Week 6 success will likely hinge on finding pay dirt against a disciplined Falcons front.