Mark Ingram's injury is one that sent shockwaves throughout the fantasy community, leaving many to wonder if they can find similar production as the fantasy playoffs near, and it also has the New Orleans Saints needing someone to pick up the slack in their backfield.
Fantasy start/sit advice, Week 14: C.J. Spiller
Mark Ingram’s injury leaves many to wonder how the backfield duties will be divided in New Orleans. We break down the fantasy implications.
C.J. Spiller is the first name that came to the minds of many, since his skill-set was perceived to be a perfect fit for Sean Payton's offense, similar to those of Darren Sproles and Reggie Bush. However, Spiller hasn't seen the field nearly enough to make a consistent impact despite his big-play capability, ceding much of the passing down work to Ingram.
Fantasy impact: According to ESPN's Mike Triplett, Tim Hightower could see much of the early-down and goal line duties, while Spiller picks up the slack in passing downs. However, Hightower had earned a living in the NFL by being one of the league's better pass protectors, which is a must in an offense as pass-heavy as the one the Saints field.
All signs continue to point to a tandem attack at some capacity, and the division of work means that no running back is likely to produce as much as Ingram, who averaged the fourth-most fantasy points per game among running backs. Hightower would be a touchdown-dependent flex option in standard leagues, while Spiller garners flex appeal in PPR formats.
