Who Should I Start? Emari Demercado or Kimani Vidal

Saturday, December 20, 4:26 PM

Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado is expected to handle an increased workload against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16, but his fantasy outlook remains murky. He is on track to operate as the backup to Michael Carter this week after Zonovan Knight (ankle) was placed on injured reserve. While Demercado was viewed as Arizona's passing-down specialist at points earlier this season, it's unclear whether that remains his role given how well Carter has performed in the passing game lately. Carter has 19 catches over his last five games, whereas Demercado has just 10 catches through parts of 10 games this year. Rather than being a true passing-down specialist, it seems more likely that the 26-year-old will fall into a change-of-pace role, allowing the Cardinals to manage Carter's workload and keep him fresh. Demercado has shown impressive burst in the past, and his 8.3 yards per carry over the last two seasons indicates that he's capable of breaking off big plays. His fantasy value in Week 16 likely hinges on whether he's able to break off any big runs or catches against the Falcons. In other words, he'll need high efficiency to overcome a backup's workload. He currently ranks as the RB51 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for Week 16.

Friday, December 19, 9:05 PM

Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal led the backfield, playing 63% of snaps and handling 100% of the two-minute offense last week against the Kansas City Chiefs. While he struggled with efficiency, averaging just 2.8 yards per carry, he remains the team's primary receiving and pass-blocking option. This week, Vidal faces a Dallas Cowboys defense that has allowed 19 rushing touchdowns, tied for second-most in the NFL. Unfortunately, Dallas defensive end Quinnen Williams (concussion) is off the injury report and will look to shut down lanes for the run-heavy Chargers. Rookie Omarion Hampton's efficiency continues to threaten Vidal's effectiveness on early downs, limiting his upside. Fantasy managers should view Vidal as a low-end RB3 who needs to secure red-zone touches or PPR volume to be a reliable starter. He is a risky FLEX play this week.