Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy said Sunday he expects to get a full workload Sunday, even if the game doesn't matter for the team's playoff chances, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News. If the Dallas Cowboys beat the Washington Redskins in their 1 p.m. ET game Sunday, the outcome of the Eagles game won't matter one way or another toward their playoff seeding, and as such there is some worry the Eagles might not come out full-force for their 8 p.m. ET game, but McCoy and head coach Chip Kelly both said that won't happen.
LeSean McCoy doesn’t expect to be limited, fantasy value should be high
Despite concern the Eagles might lighten the running back’s workload if Sunday’s game ends up not mattering, McCoy said he’ll play a lot Sunday. We break down the fantasy implications.
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McCoy has been one of fantasy's top running backs this season, with 1,850 yards from scrimmage and eight total touchdowns, and his 216 fantasy points (in standard scoring) comes in as No. 2 among running backs, behind only Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Eagles take on the porous run defense of the Chicago Bears Sunday. "I feel like this game, I need to put the offense on my back," McCoy told the Inquirer & Daily News. "I want to roll, I want to get going. I think me and the guys up front, we've got to set the tone."
Fantasy impact: If the Cowboys lose early Sunday, this entire debate becomes moot, as an Eagles win gives them the NFC East title, and McCoy will obviously be a full participant in the game. On the other hand, if the Cowboys win, despite what McCoy and Kelly said, there is no reason for the team to lean heavily on its running back, who has already topped 300 total touches this year and would be needed for any playoff run. They might say he will get full play, but on the other hand, why would you tell the other team you might be shutting down your stud?
That said, this won’t have any bearing on McCoy’s fantasy value for Sunday. For one, if the Cowboys lose, he’s obviously getting full play. For another, even if McCoy gets shut down at halftime (or something similar), a half of LeSean McCoy against that Bears defense is still preferable than full games from the vast majority of other running backs. He’s still a must-start.
