In Week 8, Texans RB Woody Marks made his presence felt in a 26-15 victory over the 49ers. He was the RB that Houston put its faith in when it needed to move the chains, and his explosiveness brought life to a stagnant running game.
Elsewhere, Arizona comes off its Week 8 bye with five straight losses prior to it. The lone bright spot has been RB Bam Knight, who's taken over the backfield after injuries to RBs James Conner and Trey Benson.
Both Marks and Knight finished in the top 30 in fantasy production in their last game. Could we see them take a step forward?
In a battle of two RBs looking to take over their respective backfields, let’s break down our Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 9 RB clash between Bam Knight and Woody Marks.
Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 9: Bam Knight or Woody Marks?
Why Start Bam Knight?
- Knight ranks in the RB20-21 range in Week 9 fantasy projections, according to FantasyPros, with 11.2 projected PPR points and 9.9 standard points.
- Since Benson went down, Knight scored 31.2 fantasy points (10.4 PPG) over his last three games.
- In Week 7 against Green Bay, the Cardinals' standout RB led the backfield with 44.7% of snaps (34 reps), 14 carries (50% of attempts), and 4 targets.
- With RB Michael Carter relegated to the practice squad, Knight has the potential to run away with the starting job.
- In this matchup with Dallas, the Cowboys have one of the worst defenses in the NFL, allowing 404.6 total yards per game (31st) and 31.3 points per game (also 31st).
- The Cowboys have had issues stopping the run, ranking second-to-last in EPA/play, per SumerSports. They've also surrendered 146 yards per game and 7 TDs (ninth-most).
- Most recently, the Broncos gashed the Cowboys’ run defense for 179 rushing yards on 28 attempts.
Bam Knight PrizePicks Projections: 3.5 Yards on First Rush, 1.5 Rush + Rec TDs (Demon)
Why Start Woody Marks?
- Marks currently ranks as a top-35 fantasy RB and has been trending upward in recent weeks.
- The rookie RB is coming off his second-best performance this season against the 49ers, when he finished as RB15 with 15.1 fantasy points.
- Marks scored 27.6 PPR fantasy points over his last two games, with an RB16 or better finish in back-to-back weeks.
- The Texans’ backfield has been split, but Marks is more efficient than RB Nick Chubb. In Week 8, Marks out-gained Chubb 111-69 in total yards despite receiving 6 fewer carries (11-17).
- The former USC Trojan logged 8 red-zone carries on 24 total red-zone opportunities (53.3% snap share) with 3 red-zone targets, via FantasyPros.
- With the lowest total on the Week 9 NFL slate, the game script could favor both teams' rushing attacks, which may give Marks more opportunities to put up a good fantasy performance.
Woody Marks PrizePicks Projections: 34.5 Rush Yards, 10 Rush Attempts, 14.5 Rec Yards
Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Verdict: Start Bam Knight
Bam Knight wasn’t even considered for an opportunity to play this season at first, with James Conner and Trey Benson ahead of him on the Cardinals’ depth chart. After a series of injuries in the backfield, he was thrust into the limelight and has claimed the lead role. He might remain the top option until Benson potentially returns later this year.
After Week 7 vs. the Packers, the Cardinals’ front office released Carter and signed him to the practice squad. This move put Knight at the top of the depth chart, with fellow teammate RB Emari Demercado serving as the passing-down back.
With a nice matchup ahead, Knight has real breakout potential in Week 9.
On the flip side, the Texans’ Week 9 date brings the Denver Broncos — who have a top-10 run defense in the NFL — to town. While this game could be competitive, the Texans have the worst run-block win rate in the NFL (68%), which might make for minimal running room for Marks.
The scene for Knight and the Cardinals against the Cowboys is too good to pass up, which gives him the nod over Marks in this week’s Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 9 showdown.
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