Arizona Cardinals - Fantasy News

Week 2 Fantasy: Top 5 RB Sleepers

by Matt Zylbert

9/13/17

NFL

Arizona Cardinals

1. Andre Ellington

While most fantasy owners will be vying for the services of Kerwynn Williams after David Johnson went down with a dislocated wrist, the better value just might end up being Andre Ellington, especially early on as Arizona's new running game begins to unfold.

It wasn't long ago that Ellington was a hot fantasy commodity, recording over 300 carries across his first two years in the league, in which he averaged 4.1 yards per attempt. He was just as dangerous as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, hauling in 85 balls on more than 120 targets, and that will make him extra useful in PPR formats. He'll have the perfect opportunity to make an impact right away, as a date with Indianapolis looms. Considering how the Colts just yielded 46 points to the Rams, Arizona looks poised to put up a crooked number on the scoreboard.

2. Tarik Cohen

He was a fourth-round draft pick this past April and entered the NFL with lukewarm expectations at best, but Tarik Cohen showed in his professional debut that perhaps he's capable of making a lasting impact for fantasy teams.

Opposite the defending NFC champions in Week 1, Cohen not only accumulated more rushing yards (66) than teammate Jordan Howard (52) on almost a third of the carries, but he also logged eight catches on a whopping 12 targets, turning that into 47 receiving yards and a touchdown. With a quarterback like Mike Glennon that relies a lot on dink-and-dunk passing, Cohen should continue to see consistent work in the passing game, especially this weekend in a game that they figure to trail often at Tampa Bay.

3. Alvin Kamara

Take a guess as to which Saints running back led the team in snaps in the season-opening loss Monday night in Minnesota. No, it wasn't longtime starter Mark Ingram or future Hall-of-Famer Adrian Peterson. It was rookie Alvin Kamara, who played 31 snaps, which may have been dictated by how the game played out, as New Orleans trailed for most of it.

With the Saints' next game coming against a very angry and hungry Patriots squad, how can you expect a different outcome? That means Kamara should once again be heavily involved, and with it likely being a high-scoring affair, the potential will be there for the third-round pick to post some useful numbers. When New England faced a third-round pick in its Week 1 opener—Kareem Hunt—well, you know what happened.

4. Javorius "Buck" Allen

While most people have been flocking to Terrance West in an attempt to own Baltimore's rushing attack for fantasy purposes, Javorius Allen might be the back to employ, considering he played more snaps (33 to 27) in Week 1 and actually registered two more carries as well.

Either way, with Danny Woodhead being sidelined for an extended period due to his hamstring injury, Allen will be thrust into a bigger role no matter what. West isn't known at all for his pass-catching ability, so expect that responsibility to be mainly bestowed upon the former USC product, in addition to his work on the ground. Owners' taste buds should be tempted as the Ravens are set to take on the lowly Browns next.

5. Mike Tolbert

When looking at the identity of the Buffalo Bills, it's easy to see why they're a run-first team, being headlined by the presence of star running back LeSean McCoy. And that identity was on full display under new head coach Sean McDermott in the team's Week 1 victory over the Jets, as McCoy and backup running back Mike Tolbert ran the ball a combined 34 times.

Although this is still McCoy’s backfield, it looks like Tolbert should continue to be a regular part of it after he gave the club 12 quality rushing attempts en route to 42 yards and a score. The former Philadelphia Eagle has had injury issues in the past, so look for Tolbert continue to spell him here and there, while also potentially stealing some more touchdowns in goal-line situations as well. He did plenty of that while in Carolina, who happens to be Buffalo's next opponent. In a grind-it-out affair, Tolbert should see more significant touches.