When fantasy owners drafted Ameer Abdullah and/or Joique Bell, it made a bold statement about who they perceived would lead the Detroit Lions in total yards from the backfield.
Fantasy football start/sit advice, Week 1: Ameer Abdullah, Joique Bell
There’s little clarity to the Detroit Lions backfield, but Joique Bell and Ameer Abdullah will both likely have a role this season. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Arguments can be made for both backs, many of them reasonable. Bell is listed as the No. 1 on the depth chart, and has been quoted in previous reports as being the guy to carry the load this year. Abdullah owners are banking on his explosiveness and game-breaking ability to force the hand of head coach Jim Caldwell and put him in for more snaps.
Fantasy Spin: So where does that leave fantasy owners for Week 1? In purgatory, that’s where. It leaves the community parsing words of beat reporters and coaches, hoping for some clarity on the situation, one that will surely have different ebbs and flows throughout the season.
For now, with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s declaration that Abdullah will be heavily used in the passing game, and with Bell predicted to lead the team in rushing by beat reporter Tim Twentyman, there’s at least one move that makes sense. Bell deserves flex play over Abdullah in standard formats, and Abdullah should get the nod over Bell in PPR leagues to begin the season.
As long as there’s a timeshare in the Lions backfield, both backs deserve flex consideration, but should be kept in mind as high-ceiling, high-floor options.
