New England Patriots - Fantasy News

Who to Start: Jay Ajayi or Dion Lewis?

by Mike Rose

1/31/18

NFL

New England Patriots

Dion Lewis

Super Bowl LII is set to take place on Sunday when the New England Patriots will represent the AFC yet again while the Philadelphia Eagles, who knocked out the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons, represent the NFC.

Two playmakers to keep an eye on in this matchup are prolific running backs Jay Ajayi of the Eagles and Dion Lewis of the Patriots. They will go toe to toe on opposite sides of the field and are projected to tally double-digit Dober Fantasy Points in the Big Game.

Ajayi is projected to reach 11.0 DFP while Lewis is expected to rack up a point and a half more at 12.5.

Fantasy Matchup: Jay Ajayi (11.0 PFP) vs. Dion Lewis (12.5 PFP)

Ajayi’s season has been quite the rollercoaster. He started off where his career began in Miami and didn’t record a touchdown through the first seven weeks. Then he was traded to Philadelphia in Week 8, where he logged his first and only rushing score of the year. Ajayi averaged only 8.94 Dober Fantasy Points during the regular season, which is just short of three points less than Lewis and enters this matchup as a 1.5-point underdog.

He ran for 873 yards and a touchdown while adding 24 receptions for 158 yards and a score through the air during the regular season. He averaged 4.2 yards per carry and 6.6 yards per catch. During the first two games of the playoffs, he carried the ball a combined 33 times for 132 yards but has yet to record a touchdown. He added six combined receptions for 70 yards and also lost a fumble along the way (on his first carry against Atlanta).

Despite the less than impressive numbers, Ajayi could benefit from facing the weak Patriots defense he’ll face in the Super Bowl. New England ranked No. 12 against running backs during the regular season as it allowed 23.5 fantasy points per contest. The Pats also ranked No. 10 in rushing yards allowed (118.1) and No. 5 in points allowed per game (18.5). Due to the inept New England run-stopping unit, I like Ajayi’s matchup.

Meanwhile, Lewis has had a great season for the Pats. He played all 16 regular season games while racking up 896 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He also added 32 receptions for 214 yards and three scores through the air. This dynamic running back can do it all, and he put forth a pair of solid performances in the postseason.

Against Tennessee, he had 141 all-purpose yards and was a bit less effective versus Jacksonville accumulating only 66 all-purpose yards. That doesn’t come as a surprise as the Jaguars had the No. 1 overall defense this season. Lewis could have difficulty moving the ball on the ground against Philly, however, as the Eagles rank No. 1 in rushing yards allowed (79.2) and No. 4 in points allowed (18.4) per game. The Pats will need to use Lewis as a receiver to make him more effective against Philly’s stingy run defense.

The Pitt product’s stats were pretty even at home and on the road. This is technically a road game since it’s a neutral site. Go with Lewis on your Dober Play Cards because Ajayi has been way too inconsistent to confidently back in a huge spot such as the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl Fantasy Matchup: Dion Lewis (-1.5) vs. Jay Ajayi