Who Should I Start? TreVeyon Henderson or Ashton Jeanty

Saturday, October 4, 10:24 AM

New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson has not yet emerged as the team's lead back, and therefore, he's tough to trust as a fantasy starter heading into Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills. Henderson is the future lead back in New England, but through the first four games of his career, the backfield has belonged to Rhamondre Stevenson. During that span, Henderson has a modest 36.6 percent snap share, 97 rushing yards, 87 receiving yards, and one touchdown. He's averaging just 3.7 yards per carry but still works his way onto the field thanks to his draft capital, his pass-blocking skills, and Stevenson's fumbling issues. With that said, Stevenson projects as the lead running back once again in Week 5, leaving Henderson in the backup role and therefore largely dependent on finding the end zone. The Bills have allowed the ninth-most rushing yards, fourth-most rushing touchdowns, and 13th-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season, leaving Henderson as a low-end RB3/flex who can be benched in leagues with 10 or fewer teams.

Monday, October 6, 3:17 PM

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll had some good words to say about rookie first-round running back Ashton Jeanty after his first five games in the league. "I think Ashton is handling everything beautifully," Carroll said. The 21-year-old Boise State product was a disappointment for fantasy managers who took him early in drafts through the first three weeks, but then he showcased his game-changing playmaking skills in Week 4 against the Chicago Bears when he ran for 138 yards and a touchdown on a season-high 21 carries. He has two rushing TDs and has also added two receiving scores, but he only has 12 receptions through five weeks. In the Week 5 blowout loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Jeanty had single-game career highs in targets, catches, and receiving yards. It hasn't been perfect early on in the Raiders' struggling offense, but Jeanty's explosiveness is evident, making him a must-start RB1 every week. He could easily bust out again in Week 6 versus the one-win Titans.