Jaylen Warren or Jerome Ford: Who should I start in Week 17 Fantasy Football?
In the crucial Week 17 of Fantasy Football, the decision between starting Jaylen Warren or Jerome Ford is a pressing one for fantasy managers. Both running backs are in their second season in the NFL and becoming key players in the fantasy football playoffs in the championship round in most fantasy football leagues. There is critical information that should help make the decision between these players easier on fantasy managers.
Is Jaylen Warren a good fantasy pick in Week 17?
Jaylen Warren has seen a greater workload in his sophomore season with the Steelers. Warren is sharing the backfield with Pro Bowler Najee Harris, which has been of great benefit to his style of play. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been forced to lean even on the run because of injuries to the quarterback position.
He has almost doubled his season total from his rookie season in rushing yards with 676 yards. Warren has already eclipsed the one touchdown on the group he had all of last season with three. Pittsburgh has slim hopes of making the postseason as Warren is doing his part.
The running back has proven how viable of an asset he is with his nine double-digit PPR games. Two of those games have been over 15 points, which is great news to managers still in the playoffs in their league. His 52 receptions and 330 yards have made him even more appealing to managers as well.
Warren has at least five receptions in Pittsburgh's last three games. Working alongside Harris has been the best thing to happen to Warren, playing like an RB1 in the backfield at times this season.
Is Jerome Ford a good fantasy pick in Week 17?
Jerome Ford started this season with the expectation of being the backup to star running back Nick Chubb. When Chubb went down in Week Two with a season-ending knee injury, Ford stepped up. The 24-year-old got the first of his 10+ PPR fantasy point games that week with 106 yards rushing versus the Steelers.
His 735 rushing yards is in the top 25 in the league and the top 20 with seven total touchdowns. Not bad for a player who was taken in the fifth round of last year's NFL Draft out of the University of Cincinnati. With at least 10 carries in 10 games this season for Cleveland, Ford is the main option in the backfield.
The emergence of Joe Flacco has caused his numbers to take a bit of a hit but has 13 receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown since Flacco became the starter. Similar to Warre, Jerome Ford is a factor in the passing game and helpful to fantasy managers in their playoffs.
Jaylen Warren vs Jerome Ford: who should I start in Week 17?
Both running backs have the opportunity to shape the lineups in a fantasy football matchup. However, the edge goes to Warren by just 0.9 points over Ford per the Sportskeeda Start/Sit Optimizer.
While the optimizer sees Ford getting more rushing yards versus the Jets defense on TNF, Warren gets the edge in the passing game in receiving yards. As Warren is the better option against the Seahawks, Ford could see more carries should the Browns have a big lead against New York late.