Who Should I Start? James Conner or Javonte Williams

Friday, December 20, 11:55 PM

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner is a must-start RB1 in Week 16 when the Cardinals face the Carolina Panthers on the road. Conner will look to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards for a second straight season, entering this game with 973 yards. He has been a workhorse all year, posting ten games with 20 or more touches. The Cardinals have no margin for error if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive, and the offense has relied on Conner to carry the load. Since signing his contract extension, Conner has put together back-to-back games with 90 or more rushing yards. The vibes are high with Conner and the Cardinals' rushing attack, and fantasy managers should trust him in this matchup.

Friday, December 20, 12:27 AM

Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams certainly had a bigger role in the offense with Jaleel McLaughlin (quadriceps) out in the Thursday night loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers, but not in the way that many would have predicted. Williams took a back seat to rookie Audric Estime on the ground in the 34-27 loss with only four carries for 24 yards (6.0 yards per tote), but he surprisingly led the team in targets (11), securing a team-high and season-high seven catches for 29 yards through the air. Rookie QB Bo Nix was content to check it down most of the night, with Williams benefitting. The 24-year-old came into Thursday's game with a disappointing 3.5 yard-per-carry average on the ground, although he was much more efficient on limited touches against LA. It's unlikely he'll be this involved in the passing game again, but if McLaughlin misses another game, Williams will have RB3/flex appeal in a plus matchup against Cincinnati in Week 17.