Who Should I Start? James Conner or J.K. Dobbins

Saturday, September 30, 1:36 AM

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner faces tough sledding this week against the San Francisco 49ers. Last week against the Dallas Cowboys, Conner carried the ball 18 times for 98 yards and a touchdown. Even though Conner is currently fourth best in the league in explosive run rate, San Francisco is an elite run defense. They have yielded the seventh-lowest explosive run rate, the sixth-lowest missed tackles allowed rate, and the fourth-lowest yards after contact per attempt. With Arizona also having a weak offensive line, the possibility exists the 49ers will stack the box against Conner and force quarterback Joshua Dobbs to beat them. Even though Conner has been solid at the RB position so far, he's at best an RB2 for this week's matchup.

Monday, September 11, 4:49 PM

Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins (Achilles) is expected to undergo surgery on Friday for his torn Achilles, according to a source. Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers recovered in less than six months from a torn Achilles two years ago, and Dobbins is aiming for a similar timeline with his recovery. In any event, fantasy managers in redraft leagues can safely drop Dobbins after just one week of the 2023 season. The 24-year-old will enter free agency next March, but he'll have to prove his health before any other teams take a chance on the injury-prone running back. With Dobbins now out of the picture, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill will share Baltimore's backfield, with veteran Melvin Gordon III expected to join the roster from the practice squad.