Running Backs: Royce Freeman, Phillip Lindsay
Week one ranking: Freeman – RB36; Lindsay – RB13
Week two advice: Start either, unless you have both, then start Freeman
If you only have one of the Broncos’ top two rookie running backs, start them.
If you have both players on your roster, good for you — start Freeman. Unless your roster is very thin at running back, then roll with both and see what happens.
The Broncos could very well feature Freeman in this game against the Raiders after giving him 29 snaps in week one compared to Lindsay’s 26 snaps. The big wild card here is whether or not the Broncos will try and weave Devontae Booker back into the lineup (only 19 snaps for him in week one) but that doesn’t seem likely after we saw Freeman and Lindsay combine for 142 yards on 30 carries.
Lindsay has some significant added value in the passing game, and if you play in a PPR league he might continue to ascend in value.
Lindsay caught two passes in the Broncos’ week one game against the Seahawks and scored the team’s first touchdown of the season. Freeman helped grind out the clock in the Broncos’ four-minute offense and showed signs in the fourth quarter of being a dominant back.
The Broncos did not have any rushing touchdowns in their week one victory, but in the preseason, they showed they could score inside and outside the red zone with the running game.
I personally sold the farm to get Lindsay off of waivers in one of my money leagues this week, and inserted him in the starting lineup over Jay Ajayi. I have a lot of confidence in him as both a runner and receiver.
These two players are great plays in fantasy football this week.