Who Should I Start? Patrick Taylor or Kenneth Gainwell

Friday, December 20, 10:01 PM

San Francisco 49ers running back Patrick Taylor Jr. is expected to draw his first career start filling in for the ruled-out rookie Isaac Guerendo (foot, hamstring) in Miami on Sunday. With Guerendo healthy enough to play, the undrafted 26-year-old Taylor Jr. received neither touch nor target in last week's loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The last time Taylor was involved was in Week 14 versus Chicago when he took seven carries for 25 yards, one touchdown, and one unfulfilled target. On the surface, Taylor Jr. may seem like a must-start since head coach Kyle Shanahan always rides his lead back heavily, but it's appropriate to temper expectations. If one includes Elijah Mitchell -- who was ruled out for the year in the preseason -- San Francisco is down to their fifth-string running back whose career YPC (3.9) is significantly below all four backs ahead of him. As a result, Shanahan may be compelled to use some combination of Taylor Jr., Israel Abanikanda, and Ke'Shawn Vaughn. Taylor Jr. is also less likely than his injured teammates to produce as a receiver. Miami's D is ranked 14th in running back half-PPR points against. The talent and usage questions place Taylor Jr. firmly in RB3/FLEX territory, even in a decent matchup.

Saturday, December 21, 2:34 PM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell should not be started in any formats this weekend when he faces the Washington Commanders. Throughout the season, Gainwell has continued to be deployed as the clear No.2 option behind Saquon Barkley. However, with Saquon Barkley operating in a workhorse role, Gainwell has averaged just 4.5 attempts per game over the past eight weeks. While he has had limited opportunities he has posted a solid 4.7 yards per carry during this span and found the back of the end zone once. While Barkley will dominate the touches throughout the game, if the Eagles begin have a significant lead, they may opt to let Gainwell close out the afternoon to protect Barkley for the postseason. Given his minimal role on the offense, fantasy managers should continue to view him as a pure handcuff that holds very little standalone value.