It's still unclear how Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush will be used over the course of a season, but he is the starter going forward. How many carries he gets and how involved in the passing game he'll be are the current question marks, but one aspect of Detroit's running game became clear on Thursday: Joique Bell is likely to be his primary backup, and his fantasy handcuff.
Joique Bell is Reggie Bush’s fantasy handcuff after Thursday’s game against Patriots
Joique Bell is Reggie Bush’s handcuff after he came just shy of 100 all-purpose yards against the New England Patriots on Thursday. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Bell rushed five times for 52 yards and caught two passes for 49 yards in relief of Bush against the New England Patriots on Thursday. Bell didn't find the end zone, but a 10.4 yards-per-carry average is pretty good at this point, especially given that Bush rushed six times for 1 yard.
This means Bell found himself ahead of Mikel Leshoure, a promising player who has missed significant time due to injury. It's looking an awful lot like the team doesn't have much confidence in Leshoure at this point.
Fantasy Impact: Bell is a polished runner, but he didn’t have the confidence of the Lions organization to carry the load all on his own. That team has struggled with running backs for years and need some kind of stability, so they went with Bush, who was more proven. But if you’re in the market for a handcuff, Bell isn’t a bad option, given his ability and Bush’s tendency to get injured.
