Justin Forsett‘s ineffectiveness to start the 2016-17 campaign has seemingly forced the Baltimore Ravens and fantasy owners to see what Javorius Allen and Terrance West can do.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported prior to kickoff against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday that the Ravens will bench Forsett and are expected to start West. Forsett has totaled 31 carries for 98 yards so far this season.
ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley first speculated on Sept. 26 that it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Ravens go with West as the new starter in Week 4.
Fantasy owners who drafted Forsett surely had good depth at the position after he missed six games last season and struggled outside of back-to-back 100-yard games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns.
Those fantasy players who didn’t properly prepare to lose Forsett can turn to Allen and West to make up for lost production.
If you only have a roster spot for one, West looks to be the immediate pickup following Rapoport‘s tweet. However, Allen could well be the the safer long-term bet after showing some promise as a rookie last season, putting up 514 rushing yards and catching 45 passes for 353 yards.
The Ravens are not afraid to throw the ball. Even with Joe Flacco missing six games in 2015, they still had 676 passing attempts. He has already thrown 118 attempts through three weeks of the season. Being able to catch the ball is an essential requirement of a Baltimore running back because of how often the team utilizes the passing game.
West’s value derives strictly from his ability to carry the ball, but he hadn’t recorded a game with more than 44 rushing yards since December 28, 2014, until the Week 3 meeting with the Jacksonville Jaguars, when he had 45 rushing yards.
There isn’t elite upside for either Allen or West, but the former has shown a more diverse skill set that will fit in well with what the Ravens want to do. Neither appears to be a great play in Week 4 against the Raiders, so while it’s fine to make a pickup, it’s best to wait to see who emerges before inserting either into your lineup.
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Justin Forsett
