Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed James Starks as the team's No. 1 running back, according to ESPN Wisconsin's Jason Wilde. The changing of the guard has been evident for weeks, but injuries to Eddie Lacy made the backfield situation difficult to predict.
Mike McCarthy declares James Starks No. 1 running back, Eddie Lacy to be left on fantasy benches
The nightmare season continues for Eddie Lacy. We break down the fantasy implications.
It was assumed that the player who posted back-to-back seasons of over 1,100 rushing yard would take the bulk of the workload, but Lacy has shown nothing this season to warrant that job. Hampered by ankle and groin injuries, Lacy has appeared sluggish and posted games of over 50 rushing yards just twice in 2015.
Fantasy impact: Lacy owners would have been wise to pick up Starks as a handcuff in drafts, and the one silver lining to Lacy’s miserable season is that Starks has been producing when given the chance. As a result, Starks can be considered an RB2 until Lacy shows his fantasy owners that he has something to offer the Packers’ offense.
Lacy’s talent is evident from the two years of film preceding 2015, and remains in an offense more than capable of lighting up the scoreboard. But if the season ended today, he could be considered one of the biggest busts in fantasy football history. Lacy deserves to remain on rosters on the off-chance he turns his season around, but fantasy owners have no incentive to get him into lineups.
