Green Bay Packers running back James Starks did not practice with the team on Wednesday, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN. Starks is dealing with a knee injury, and hasn't practiced since sustaining said injury in Week 3.
James Starks misses practice, fantasy value rapidly declining
Green Bay Packers running back James Starks missed practice on Wednesday. We break down the fantasy implications.
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The running back position in Green Bay has been tumultuous at best. Rookie Eddie Lacy was first expected to split carries with DuJuan Harris, but Harris is now on injured reserve. Then Lacy was given the starting nod with Starks backing him up, but Starks sustained his injury. Fellow rookie Johnathan Franklin then got the call to be the backup.
Franklin performed well, and when Lacy went down with a concussion, it was seen as Franklin’s chance to leap-frog Starks on the depth chart. However, Franklin ended up with a costly fumble and seems to have lost some of his favor with the coaches. This means that Starks has another chance to become the primary backup and take some carries from Lacy, who has returned from his concussion.
Fantasy Impact: Starks likely needs to get back to practice by Thursday to be able to play in Week 6. He’s been out for long enough to cause concern about being rusty when he comes back. The Packers’ running back situation remains a big question mark, with neither Starks nor Franklin being smart bets to get significant carries. Another missed game and Starks’ value could tank down to somewhere near “non-existent.”
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