Who Should I Start? Dameon Pierce or Emari Demercado

Saturday, October 18, 5:33 PM

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce played a season-high 16 snaps and had seven carries for 21 yards in his team's last game before the bye week. However, it was his first game being active since Week 1, and all his work came in the fourth quarter of their blowout win over the Ravens. With Nick Chubb getting early-down work and Woody Marks as a promising prospect for passing downs, Pierce will likely have no role except in mop-up duty or an occasional one-off carry. He is the No. 69-ranked RB in RotoBaller's rankings for Week 7 and is not expected to be a fantasy factor going forward, barring injury to Chubb or Marks.

Tuesday, November 11, 5:13 PM

Despite increased involvement in the Arizona Cardinals' backfield of late, running back Emari Demercado is listed as the No. 2 RB behind Bam Knight heading into the team's Week 11 divisional clash with the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday. Knight made the start in Sunday's blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks and led the backfield with 10 carries before leaving late in the game with an ankle injury. Knight's ankle injury doesn't seem to be serious enough to keep him from playing this weekend, which makes the 26-year-old Demercado less attractive as a potential DFS sleeper against San Fran. Trying to predict Arizona's backfield since Trey Benson's knee injury has been a headache for fantasy managers, although as long as he stays healthy, Knight appears to be the guy in more of a committee approach. Dermercado had a season-high 14 carries for 79 yards on Nov. 3 against the Cowboys, but he handled only eight touches in Week 10, going for 67 scrimmage yards. It's hard to recommend any Cardinals RB in fantasy as anything more than a desperation RB3/flex until Benson returns from IR.