Two-Headed RB Monster in Detroit 🦁

This is the first edition of our weekend newsletter, featuring a roundup of the most fantasy relevant news to break over the past 24 hours. We’ll be posting these on Saturdays and Sundays, and returning to the full newsletter every week as usual - Monday thru Friday.

• Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet returned to practice on Thursday, which is great news

  • This report comes as a real surprise following ominous reports of the rookie RB missing an “indefinite” amount of time as a result of a shoulder injury. With Charbonnet back like he never left and Kenneth Walker slated to easily be ready to go heading into Week 1, it appears the affair the fantasy community had with Kenny McIntosh as a potential sleeper was nothing but a one night stand. Walker still figures to draw the most work of any running back in Seattle’s backfield, but Charbonnet will likely challenge him on a weekly basis for total opportunity. Fantasy players can proceed as originally scheduled before any injury reports were made about trouble in the backfield.

• RBs David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs to be “co-starters” in Lions backfield for 2023

  • This report coming out of camp confirms the sentiment that we’ve been preaching since Gibbs was drafted 12th overall: the work will be split among the two RBs in Detroit, with Montgomery likely handling the early down role and Gibbs featuring as the passing down back. Both backs have the chance to be fantasy-relevant on a weekly basis, with the Lions sporting one of the top offensive lines in the NFL and an arsenal of weapons that’s brimming with talent. With no clear No.2 behind Amon-Ra St. Brown in the passing game, Gibbs could very well cash in as the second target in the offense. Montgomery is an efficient rusher, as well, and could see his value buoyed by touchdown production.

• Cardinals sign RB Marlon Mack

  • One of those “nothing to see here” signings. It’s hard to imagine Marlon Mack stealing a significant amount of work from James Conner, seeing as he’s jumped around a few NFL rosters and been injured over the course of the past two years. He’s been able to do some damage in the receiving game, but the last time he was making noise in the preseason was in Houston last year – and he was cut from the Texans after failing to climb past a then-rookie Dameon Pierce on the depth chart.

• Alvin Kamara officially suspended 3 games by NFL

  • This news has been brewing for a while, and the timeline is now set in stone for Kamara’s suspension. The door is now wide open for Kendre Miller to cement himself a long-term role in the Saints offense, which shouldn’t be difficult considering he’s the best pass-catching running back the Saints can put on the field in Week 1. Jamaal Williams might compete for volume on early downs, but the odds of him moonlighting as a stand-in pass catcher with Kendre Miller available are slim to none. The highest upside in the Saints backfield clearly rests in Miller’s hands, not Williams.