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Fantasy Football: Recapping running back touches from key backfield splits from Week 12
Just when we thought we were coasting into the fantasy playoffs with Kenneth Walker III and TreVeyon Henderson as our RB1 anchors, Week 12 decided to pull a classic plot twist that would make any NFL scriptwriter proud. The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots backfields, already sources of season-long frustration for fantasy managers, teased us with hope in recent weeks only to deliver performances that left us scratching our heads and frantically checking our waiver wires.Let's break down these backfield dramas like we're analyzing the final minutes of a tied NBA game, because at this crucial juncture, every touch matters more than ever. Starting in New England, the stage seemed perfectly set for TreVeyon Henderson to explode against the Cincinnati Bengals, a defense that's been basically a welcome mat for opposing running backs all season.Coming off two monster performances where he combined for nearly 250 total yards and five touchdowns—a legendary two-week stretch that had fantasy managers feeling like they'd won the lottery—the volume was indeed there with 21 total touches. Yet the outcome was a frustrating 81 yards with no visits to the end zone, a letdown akin to a star player missing a wide-open dunk.Why? The Bengals, fighting for their playoff lives with Joe Burrow looming, suddenly remembered how to play run defense, specifically scheming to eliminate the explosive plays that fueled Henderson's previous explosions. Compounding the issue was the return of Rhamondre Stevenson, who, despite a minimal seven touches, was curiously deployed in the red zone, a move that yielded nothing but groans from Henderson truthers.The silver lining? This is still unequivocally Henderson's backfield. Stevenson's light workload and the mere single touch for Terrell Jennings signal a clear pecking order.With a favorable schedule ahead, Henderson remains a strong RB2 with RB1 upside; sometimes you have to trust the process, even when the box score doesn't immediately reward you. Out in Seattle, a similar script played out with Kenneth Walker III.After he erupted in a tough Week 11 matchup against the Rams for 111 yards and a score, we were all hyped for a dream date with the Tennessee Titans, who have been a charity for running backs this season. The usage was encouraging—14 touches for 101 yards is nothing to sneeze at—but the fantasy result was a pedestrian 11.6 points. The culprit? A familiar foe for Walker managers: Zach Charbonnet vulturing red-zone work, turning his six touches into 35 yards and a touchdown.It’s the fantasy equivalent of your favorite character getting sidelined in the season's climax. Had those precious goal-line carries simply gone to the clearly superior back in Walker, we'd be talking about a league-winner.Instead, we're left with a risky RB2/3 option, while Charbonnet remains a volatile, touchdown-dependent flex play. You also can't ignore the Jaxon Smith-Njigba effect—when your wide receiver goes off for an 8-167-2 line, including a 63-yard house call, the ground game sometimes becomes an afterthought.Shifting to the Windy City, we witnessed a potential changing of the guard that nobody saw coming. In Chicago, rookie Kyle Monangai is no longer just a complementary piece; he's becoming the main event.In Week 12 against the Steelers, he out-touched the established veteran D'Andre Swift 12 to 9 on the ground, racking up 48 yards and scoring a touchdown for the third consecutive week. This is his fourth double-digit fantasy outing in six games, a consistency that demands attention.Swift, who had a disastrous day, is seeing his role diminish, looking more like an RB3/flex while Monangai ascends to a risky but appealing RB2/3. The concern? The Bears' upcoming schedule is a gauntlet: @Philly, @Green Bay, vs.Cleveland, and @San Francisco are all against top-half run defenses. In negative game scripts, with Chicago's passing game clicking, the running back volume could take a hit, making both backs volatile.And we can't wrap up without tipping our cap to the week's true waiver wire hero: Green Bay's Emanuel Wilson. With lead back Josh Jacobs sidelined, Wilson wasn't just a fill-in; he was a workhorse, carrying the rock 28 times—tied for the third-most by any running back in a single game this season.He capitalized on short fields provided by a dominant Packers defense and special teams, punching in two touchdowns and finishing with a monstrous 125 total yards and 25. 5 fantasy points.This wasn't a fluke; it was a statement. So long as Jacobs is out, Wilson is an RB2 based on volume alone, a rare late-season gift that could convince the Packers to be cautious with Jacobs' return.If he's somehow still sitting on your waiver wire in the 34% of leagues where he's available, you run, don't walk, to pick him up. This is the kind of league-winning move that separates the champions from the also-rans as we head into the fantasy postseason.
#fantasy football
#running backs
#touches
#backfield splits
#week 12
#hottest news
#Kenneth Walker
#TreVeyon Henderson
#Kyle Monangai
#Emanuel Wilson
