NFL Usage Report for Week 1: The League’s Most Confusing Backfields

There’s nothing more frustrating in fantasy football than having one of your running backs stuck in a committee. As the NFL is becoming increasingly conscious of the toll massive workloads take on star backs, committees have become more popular than ever before. 

While this trend may scare off unprepared fantasy managers, it provides a golden opportunity for the individuals who can identify the players capable of emerging from a crowded group. 

In this piece I’ve outlined the top six backfield-related questions for fantasy managers to monitor entering week one. Each backfield presents cloudy situations, but if you’re able to identify where the value is in each group before your league mates, you could gain a massive edge for the rest of the season.

What’s James Cook’s Role Going to Look Like?

Every fantasy drafter wants a piece of the Bills’ high-octane offense, but identifying who to draft from this backfield is no easy task. It appears the most likely option is a three-man committee (gross), with Devin Singletary being the primary back on early downs, Zack Moss spelling him on occasion, and James Cook serving as the change-of-pace guy. 

We’ve seen Singletary and Moss play at the NFL level before, so it’s unlikely we learn a ton from watching either of them play in Week 1. Cook is a different story. His pass-catching prowess means he has the highest potential to achieve fantasy stardom, and the high draft capital the Bills spent on him means they have a role for him in mind. Given his status as a rookie, Cook’s Week 1 role may be smaller than it could be later in the season. Keeping an eye on not only what his role looks like on opening night, but how well he looks in his first taste of NFL action will tell us a lot about Cook’s potential in the second half of the season. It may take some time for the workload to increase, but if Cook pops off the screen like many think he can, he could turn into a star in the latter portion of the season.

Is Chase Edmonds The Guy in Miami?

Chase Edmonds seems to be everyone’s favorite pick in the dreaded RB Dead Zone. Many expect him to take the lead role and put up fantastic numbers in what should be a much-improved Dolphins offense. New head coach Mike McDaniel is expected to bring some of the Shanahan magic to South Beach, and if he does so successfully, Miami’s backfield should have no problem moving the ball on the ground. The question is, will all (or most) of that production go to Edmonds?

Shanahan offenses haven’t been afraid to utilize a committee approach in the past, and whether McDaniel takes a similar approach remains unknown. Through four years in the NFL, Edmonds has never logged more than 116 touches in a season, and at 5-foot-9 and 210 pounds, he’s not exactly built like a workhorse. Throw in the fact that Raheem Mostert was also brought over from San Francisco and Myles Gaskin has been serviceable during his two years in Miami, and the backfield situation isn’t as clear cut as it may appear. We should find out relatively quickly whether Edmonds has a stranglehold on this backfield, and knowing the answer to that question will help determine whether to buy or sell accordingly.

Did We Overreact to the Josh Jacobs Preseason Narrative?

2021 was the first year Josh Jacobs didn’t eclipse 1,000 rushing yards. The former first-round pick has been a solid back through three years in the league, but he hasn’t quite lived up to his lofty draft capital. Entering 2022, Jacobs is widely viewed as the best back in Vegas and the addition of Davante Adams should drastically improve the offense as a whole. However, a new coaching staff in town makes forecasting his workload a bit tricky.

Josh McDaniels was the longtime offensive coordinator in New England prior to taking the Raiders head coaching job. If McDaniels brings the committee approach the Patriots tend to employ over to Vegas (which many expect), it could spell disaster for Jacobs’ fantasy value. The major wrinkle here is Jacobs is entering a contract year, so we could see a situation where the coaching staff has no care for monitoring his workload as he likely won’t be back with the team in 2023. 

It’s rare to see McDaniels give one running back a ton of opportunity, but it’s not unheard of either. Sony Michel saw back-to-back seasons with 200-plus carries in 2018 and 2019, and LeGarrette Blount logged 299 carries in his last year with the team in 2016. The Raiders already declined Jacobs’ fifth-year option, and it shouldn’t take long for us to figure out whether he’s going to be the lead dog in 2022. If Jacobs gets the workhorse treatment right out of the gates, all the hoopla surrounding his snap counts in the preseason will wind up looking foolish.

Is the Rhamondre Stevenson Hype Warranted?

Following a 2021 season where he logged 15 rushing touchdowns, you’d think Damien Harris would be the back to own in New England. Despite Harris’ success last year, it’s been second-year back Rhamondre Stevenson getting all the attention this offseason. Reports out of Patriots camp have indicated Stevenson has been one of the team’s best players, and there’s even been talk of him locking down the valuable “Alvin Kamara role” in this offense. If this holds true, Stevenson could be in for a massive year in an offense that loves to creatively use their running backs.

The problem is, even though the Patriots backfield approach can be creative, it’s also extremely unpredictable. Even if Stevenson becomes the No. 1 back, it’s hard to envision Harris completely disappearing following his impressive 2021 campaign, and Ty Montgomery could be a nuisance on passing downs and in the two-minute drill as well. With these factors accounted for, Stevenson’s path to a workhorse role starts to look pretty murky. However, as I mentioned above in the Josh Jacobs section, it’s not unheard of for New England to utilize one primary back. It’ll be an uphill battle for Stevenson to demand that workload, but if the production on the field matches the offseason hype, it’ll be hard for Bill Belichick and Company to keep Stevenson on the sidelines.

Was Dallas Serious About Tony Pollard’s Role?

Every offseason we hear stories about how some buzzworthy running back is slated to line up in the slot and serve as an offensive coordinator’s dynamic chess piece. Then the season starts, and that player lines up in the slot like… once a game. 

This offseason, Tony Pollard is the back garnering this type of buzz, and given Pollard’s talent and Dallas’ roster construction, using him in this manner makes some sense. To start the season, the Cowboys are going to be thin at the receiver position. Michael Gallup is still recovering from an ACL tear, James Washington is on IR after suffering a foot injury in camp, and both Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson are no longer in Dallas. Simply put, the Cowboys need some pass-catching help, and Pollard has been an asset in that area of the game when given the opportunity.

With Ezekiel Elliott firmly entrenched as the No. 1 back, it’ll be hard for Pollard to see a ton of work as a traditional running back. Yet there’s an argument to be made that Pollard’s one of the three or four best skill position players in Dallas right now, so getting him on the field in a creative manner makes a ton of sense. It shouldn’t take long to figure out whether the Cowboys were blowing smoke about Pollard’s role this year, and where he lines up against Tampa Bay in Week 1 will tell us a ton about his fantasy value this season. If he can produce alongside Elliott rather than behind him, Pollard has a chance to provide fantasy value as more than just a handcuff.

Is Melvin Gordon the No. 2 or the 1B?

Everyone was excited about Javonte Williams’ sophomore campaign until the Broncos re-signed Melvin Gordon. After not getting massive money from other teams this offseason, Gordon opted to come back to the Mile High City on a modest $2.5 million contract. While this may feel like a death blow to Williams’ fantasy owners, the timing of the move and low contract value indicate Gordon may not have as large of a role in 2022.

Last year, Williams and Gordon had a dead-even split, with each back logging 203 rush attempts. While the thought of that happening again may feel intimidating for Williams truthers, there’s reason to believe the second year back will demand a larger workload this season. A new coaching staff means last year’s backfield split can get thrown out the window, and Gordon himself has even said he believes the team wants Williams to be the guy. Gordon will undoubtedly have a role in this backfield – he’s too talented not to – but whether he’s the 1B or a clear-cut No. 2 will have a massive impact on Williams’ fantasy ceiling.