The season sure flew by. In most leagues, it's the first round of the fantasy football playoffs, and the start-sit decisions this week could be the difference between a Pittsburgh Steelers-type exit or a championship run. Let's look at Patrick Taylor Jr. with Isaac Guerendo dealing with injury, Kendre Miller, and the Seattle Seahawks backfield ahead of Week 15 start-sit options.
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RBs Patrick Taylor Jr. and Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers backfield was once highly sought after, even before Christian McCaffrey landed there. Elijah Mitchell was once their leading rusher (injured in the offseason). Jordan Mason filled in well with McCaffrey out (Mason is now on IR). Guerendo even filled in well for Mason in Week 14 (Guerendo is now questionable for Thursday). Whatever is in the water in San Francisco, it's not helping their running backs. For Week 15 start-sit decisions, there are two different courses of action for the backfield. Either Guerendo is active with limited or no practices, or he is not, and it's Patrick Taylor Jr. and Israel Abanikanda.
Recommendation if Isaac Guerendo is active...
If he's active, he's likely the back worth playing. He's listed as the RB24 on our consensus rankings for good reason. Guerendo has the size, speed, and skillset to thrive in a Shanahan system. Taylor would fill in on passing downs and give Guerendo a breather, but Taylor won't have any fantasy relevance. Start Guerendo with cautious optimism this week.
Recommendation if Isaac Guerendo is inactive...
With Guerendo out, this backfield gets messy quickly. Patrick Taylor Jr. is a slow special teams specialist who was fifth on the depth chart in May. For Week 15 start-sit decisions, managers are more likely to look to Israel Abanikanda than Patrick Taylor Jr. with Guerendo out. Shanahan doesn't sound like he wants to lean on Abanikanda, but if one player is going to break off a long touchdown on only a handful of carries, it's Abanikanda, not Taylor.
RB Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints
After another quick stint on IR, Kendre Miller worked back into the action in Week 14. For desperate teams making Week 15 start-sit decisions, Miller's 11 opportunities last week may jump out. Don't be fooled; he was rarely utilized for the offense as a whole. His matchup against the New York Giants last week was enticing, and he still only scrounged together 3.2 PPR points. He was still the third back in snaps and is a handcuff as teams head into the fantasy football playoffs at best.
Recommendation: Sit
RBs Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks
Walker is one of the few running backs around the NFL that managers have been able to start with mild confidence. He hasn't seen less than 12 opportunities in a game yet this year and has been efficient on his touches each game. With his status still up in the air, managers need branch plans when making Week 15 start-sit decisions.
Recommendation if Ken Walker III is active...
Start him. Week 15 start-sit decisions aren't the time to mess around, and Green Bay has a bottom-ten defense in rushing yards allowed this season. On the flip side, Charbonnet goes from a must-start to a desperation flex for start-sit options. He hasn't had much success with Walker active, and chasing his RB1 overall week in Week 14 is a dangerous game.
Recommendation if Ken Walker III is inactive...
With Walker out, Charbonnet moves to RB1 territory again. Zach Charbonnet has been a top-ten running back every time Walker misses time, and I expect more of the game this week. There's a reason the Seahawks spent premium draft capital on him: he's a talented back. It's just unfortunate for fantasy managers he's relegated to a supercharged handcuff rather than starting for another team in the league.
Final Thoughts
As teams move into the fantasy playoffs, remember these key playoff tips:
- Stash handcuff running backs (or quarterbacks in superflex leagues).
- Look two weeks ahead if streaming defenses; don't get sniped.
- Use matchups as a tie-breaker, not to bench your studs.
The fantasy playoffs will be chaotic, but be sure to use the weekly rankings to stay a step ahead of your league mates. See how Patrick Taylor Jr., Isaac Guerendo, and others move throughout the week as we get more information.