Week 13 was a huge one for fantasy running backs with five runners totaling over 20 fantasy points, two of whom broke the 30-point mark. Rams' rookie Tre Mason scored three total touchdowns and collected 164 yards from scrimmage against the Raiders and stands as the highest scoring back in fantasy this week. Right behind him was Le'Veon Bell who racked up 254 yards from scrimmage and a rushing touchdown while C.J. Anderson rushed for over 160 yards for the second straight week. There's not much to complain about here for fantasy owners looking for a big performance from their featured backs to boost them into the playoffs.
And now for the all of the frustrating goodness of this week's Committee Meetings.
Colts:
If you needed some kind of affirmation that Daniel "Boom" Herron has officially taken over Indianapolis' backfield, Week 13 was excellent proof.
Herron rushed the ball just eight times in a blowout win against the Redskins. But on those eight attempts he collected 88 yards and a touchdown, including one 49-yard touchdown sprint in which he embarrassed members of Washington's secondary and outran several of them with ease. And Washington's run defense is among the top five in the league with just 13.30 fantasy points per game allowed to opposing running backs this season. That makes Herron's performance even more impressive.
Meanwhile, Trent Richardson received the exact same amount of carries as Herron, eight, and totaled 12 rushing yards. Just 12. Andrew Luck actually out-produced Richardson with 20 yards on four rush attempts.
Go pick up Herron as he's only owned in 4.8 percent of NFL.com leagues and could be a savior for your team in the fantasy playoffs.
Buccaneers:
From this day forth Week 13 of the 2014 season will be known as Doug Martin's return to fantasy relevance! Well, sort of. It really depends on how you define 'relevance.'
Martin rushed for a season high 58 yards (crazy right!?) and a touchdown on 18 carries. That's a whopping 3.2 yards per carry if you're keeping track at home. So while Martin led the Bucs' backfield and came away with 12.10 fantasy points, it was by no means an effort worth bragging about. But if you were in a pinch and had to use him against the Bengals, it worked out.
The other members of Tampa Bay's running back committee, Bobby Rainey and Charles Sims, combined for 17 yards on six rush attempts but got a bit more done in the passing game. Rainey had two receptions for 41 yards while Sims had four grabs for 49 yards which actually tied him with wideout Mike Evans for the team lead in receiving yards on the day.
Do yourself a favor and avoid these guys in the fantasy playoffs. They won't be helping you much, especially not in a matchup against the Lions in Week 14.
Browns:
Another edition of Committee Meetings, another update on the Browns' running backs, Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West.
Cleveland tried its hardest to "Feed the Crow" but he ate like a bird against Buffalo, which has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs. Crowell totaled an abysmal 29 yards on 17 carries which averages out to 1.7 yards per rush. It was his lowest yards per carry in a game this season where he's toted the rock 10 or more times. Just last week he had 88 yards and two touchdowns, albeit versus Atlanta's Swiss cheese run defense.
West out-rushed Crowell on 10 fewer carries with 32 yards on seven attempts including one desperation 18-yard dash with 24 seconds left in the game. But West lost a costly fumble that was recovered by the Bills for a touchdown when the game was still close in the middle of the third quarter -- an error that Browns' coach Mike Pettine was not pleased with.
Crowell is still the clear lead back in Cleveland and West's ball security issues have done nothing but solidify the fact that Crow is the guy fantasy owners will want to deploy in the fantasy playoffs. The Browns face the Colts, Bengals and Panthers over the next three weeks and all three defenses are in the bottom 10 in the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to running backs.
Patriots:
Hey Bill Belichick, look over here! It's a gathering of fantasy owners who have a Patriots' running back on their roster, and they're all waiving white flags! We give up, you win, game over. You got what you wanted, coach. We won't be dealing with any running back on your team anymore because if we do, you'll make us pay the price as you always have. Lesson learned.
Needless to say #Belitricks struck again in Week 13 as Brandon Bolden was the third assorted back in three weeks to score a touchdown for the Patriots.
Bolden had just three carries for 17 yards in the game, but was the only New England back to score. Last week it was LeGarrette Blount who scored twice, and the week before it was the deep sleeper (pun intended)Jonas Gray with four touchdowns.
If there's one takeaway here, it's that Blount still seems like the Patriots' lead back since he carried the ball 10 times for 58 yards and led New England in rushing attempts for the second straight game. Shane Vereen had three carries for six yards and Gray toted the ball just once for four yards. Blount seems like the only back worth considering in fantasy, but no New England runner is a recommended play for the fantasy playoffs because you just never know with #Belitricks.
Matt Franciscovich is an associate fantasy editor at NFL.com. Follow him on Twitter _**@mfranciscovich**_.
