Who Should I Start? Saquon Barkley or Tyler Allgeier

Friday, December 20, 11:05 PM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley aims to rebound in Week 16 against the Washington Commanders after being held to just 65 rushing yards in last week's 27-13 win over the Steelers. The game marked Barkley's second-lowest rushing total of the season, snapping his streak of four consecutive 100-yard performances. Barkley also missed part of the second quarter with an undisclosed injury but returned to and finished the game. Washington's run defense presents an opportunity for Barkley to get back on track. The Commanders rank 25th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (132.1) and have surrendered 13 rushing touchdowns this season. Barkley's ability to exploit favorable matchups makes him a strong RB1 candidate for fantasy managers looking ahead to this divisional showdown.

Saturday, December 21, 11:25 AM

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier has been the recipient of double-digit carries just four times all season and has yet to record those outings in back-to-back weeks. In Week 15, the 24-year-old carried the ball 12 times, so is he due for a return to single digits? With rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. under center on Sunday, the Falcons may need to rely on the run game more than usual. The team is favored by nine points in this game against the Giants, so they could be looking to kill the clock late as well, meaning more action for the running backs. The Falcons haven't been shy about giving goal line carries to Allgeier, so the 8:3 TD split for Bijan Robinson and Allgeier doesn't tell the whole story. Allgeier has received six carries inside the five while Robinson has received eight, so it's a near-even split. Nevertheless, fantasy managers still alive in the playoffs won't be using the BYU product as an RB1 or RB2, but one could make the case for an RB3/Flex play this week, albeit a risky one.