Who Should I Start? DJ Giddens or Phil Mafah

Friday, October 17, 8:21 PM

Indianapolis Colts running back DJ Giddens was quiet in a Week 6 win over the Arizona Cardinals as he did not receive a touch while playing just two snaps on offense. The Colts surprisingly turned to Ameer Abdullah in the game as he notched two touches behind workhorse Jonathan Taylor. Giddens will look to get back in the stat sheet in a Week 7 road matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Colts are one of the few teams that lean heavily on just one running back in Taylor, which doesn't leave much work for his backups. That being said, Giddens is still worth keeping an eye on as a handcuff option in case Taylor is forced to miss time at any point, although that could change if he plays behind Abdullah again in Week 7.

Sunday, August 31, 4:05 PM

Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Phil Mafah (shoulder) has been placed on injured reserve, sidelining him for at least the first four games of the regular season with a shoulder injury suffered in the preseason finale. The seventh-round pick out of Clemson showed flashes in the preseason with 15 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown, good for a solid 3.9 yards per carry. Standing six-foot and weighing 234 pounds, Mafah's big-bodied, between-the-tackles style was impressive in his final college season, rushing for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns. His placement on IR is a setback, but with the Cowboys' current running back situation, a potential revolving door of Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, and Jaydon Blue, Mafah remains a potential contributor later in the season. He is worth a roster spot in deeper dynasty leagues. Still, his fantasy value will stay uncertain until he returns to full health and the backfield situation becomes clearer throughout the season.