Thursday Night Fantasy Football: Is Alex Collins Worth Starting With Chris Carson Out?
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks are down a key body in the backfield when they take on the Los Angeles Rams for Thursday Night Football.
Leading rusher Chris Carson will miss the Week 5 tilt with a neck injury. He didn't practice all week.
Alex Collins is next up in the pecking order. With kickoff just around the corner, our fantasy experts weighed in as to how he should be treated in fantasy leagues.
"Collins is a low-end RB2 this week," The Action Network's Samantha Previte said. "The game should be high scoring and the Rams are subpar against the run. Collins was RB16 in half PPR last week while Carson was still on the field.
"I'm starting Collins over guys like Leonard Fournette (TB), Josh Jacobs (LV), Chuba Hubbard (RB), Mike Davis (ATL), Miles Sanders (PHI) Latavius Murray (BAL), Melvin Gordon (DEN) and Trey Sermon (SF)."
"Collins is my RB19," added The Action Network's Chris Raybon "He has 13 carries to Travis Homer’s two, though Homer has played 40 pass snaps to Collins’ 24. The Rams like to play two safeties deep and invite the run, ranking 22nd in run-defense DVOA but 17th against the pass, so Collins should have opportunities.
The only reason he’s not a smash play is because if the Seahawks get behind against this high-powered Rams offense, he could end up plastered to the bench in favor of passing-down back Homer (and DeeJay Dallas, whom the team also likes in the passing game)."
"Collins is up to RB25 for me," said The Action Network's Sean Koerner. "He should see the majority of carries (projected for 13), with Deejay Dallas seeing a few as a change-of-pace back. Travis Homer should have a slight edge in pass-catching duties, so I'm only projecting Collins for 2.0 receptions tonight. Russell Wilson hasn't been targeting RBs as much this year."
Carson, who has more than four times as many carries as the next-leading rusher on the roster this season, registered just 30 yards on 13 carries in last week's win over the 49ers.
Collins, meanwhile, relieved him and took 10 hand-offs for 44 yards and one score, with another two catches for 34 yards through the air.
The veteran running back had only toted the rock three times prior to Week 5. He saw the Rams last year across three appearances, collecting a season-high 11 carries for 43 yards and one of his two touchdowns.
The Seahawks are 2.5-point underdogs at DraftKings, while the total of 53.5 marks the second-highest among Week 5 games.
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