Finally, some good news for fantasy football owners. The running back circle of life finally nearing its conclusion, as several injured RBs are set to return in the coming days and weeks. It's been a rough go of things for James Conner, David Montgomery, and Dameon Pierce, but brighter days are ahead -- just in time for that playoff push.
Below, we'll give you the latest news on these ailing RBs and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 10 fantasy landscape.
For updates on banged-up WRs Justin Jefferson, Deebo Samuel, and Drake London, click here; for news on ailing players Christian Watson, Dallas Goedert, and Josh Downs, go here; for the latest on Justin Fields, click here; for updates on Khalil Herbert, go here.
WEEK 10 FANTASY: Full waivers list | FAAB budget planner | Trade advice
James Conner injury update, Week 10 fantasy outlook
The Cardinals could be getting a huge boost to their offense in Week 10. Head coach Jonathan Gannon already announced that Kyler Murray will be activated and is expected to start when they host the Falcons on Sunday, and they could also be adding Conner to the mix. The veteran running back suffered a knee injury in Week 5 and was promptly placed on IR. After sitting on the sidelines for the past four weeks, Conner is also eligible to return on Sunday. The hope is to open the 21-day practice window as they ramp him back up to speed. Gannon said Conner looks "excellent" and "faster," which would seem to indicate that he will play against the Falcons in Week 10.
With reinforcements on the way, it's hard to not have some level of optimism surrounding the Cardinals. They've battled despite their 1-8 record and will soon have their two best offensive players back. How they look in their return remains to be seen, but it would be hard for them to play much worse than what's on the field now. Despite missing the past four weeks, Conner remains the team's leading rusher with 364 yards. Rookie Emari Demercado, who missed last week because of a toe injury, hasn't been nearly as effective, so Conner's return will be a welcome sight. He would immediately catapult back into starting territory in a Cardinals offense that should be able to move the ball a little better going forward. If Conner and Demercado remain out, Keaontay Ingram would once again lead the way in the backfield.
WEEK 10 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
David Montgomery injury update, Week 10 fantasy outlook
All signs point to Montgomery returning in Week 10 after a rib injury knocked him out in Week 6. While that's great for the Lions, it complicates things for fantasy owners, depending on your exposure to the Detroit offense. Dan Campbell also said offensive linemen Frank Ragnow and Jonah Jackson could also return to the lineup, indicating that reinforcements are on the way for the 6-2 Lions. Montgomery has been a machine in his first season in the Motor City and will likely return to his workhorse role as RB1.
However, Montgomery's return almost certainly ends the Jahmyr Gibbs "RB1 experience" after the rookie did a nice job filling in for the past few weeks. The fantasy community expected a big season from the rookie running back, but he's been mostly kept on the sidelines. Spending a first-round pick on a change-of-pace back isn't something that will be considered good asset management, but it's the Lions' reality right now. Campbell indicated that Gibbs "will get his fair share" of touches, meaning that we could be heading for a committee approach. Montgomery should still dominate goal-line carries, so we prefer his upside in the immediate future.
WEEK 10 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Dameon Pierce injury update, Week 10 fantasy outlook
Pierce missed Week 9 with an ankle injury, and reports have been scarce on the Texans running back since then. It remains to be seen whether he will practice ahead of Week 10 and what a potential return might look like. KPRC2 Houston's Aaron Wilson reported last week that the team was weighing whether they should rest Pierce for a week to allow him to heal, but without much information surrounding the ankle injury, it's hard to say whether we can expect him to play against the Bengals.
Instead, we'll just have to wait for injury reports and practice updates throughout the week. Either way, fantasy owners will have a hard time trusting Pierce thanks to his inefficient season to this point. Devin Singletary's numbers weren't much better after assuming the RB1 role, meaning we might just have to steer clear of this Texans backfield until we're given reason to change that stance.
