Running back T.J. Yeldon will make his NFL debut on Sunday, and he will do so as the lead back in the Jacksonville Jaguars attack.
Fantasy football start/sit advice, Week 1: T.J. Yeldon
The will deploy their talented rookie running back on Sunday against a shorthanded defense. We break down the fantasy implications.
Yeldon beat out Denard Robinson, Toby Gerhart and the now cut Storm Johnson for starting duties, and has a juicy matchup against the Carolina Panthers to begin the season. Though elite linebacker Luke Kuechly is sure to obstruct Yeldon at the line of scrimmage and second level, the Panthers will be shorthanded without run-stuffing Star Lotulelei due to a foot injury.
Fantasy Spin: Though Yeldon gets a boost from Lotulelei’s absence, expect the rookie to be a volume-dependent back as he gets acclimated with the NFL level. There’s certainly talent running through the veins of the Alabama rookie that could capitalize on such volume, but fantasy owners should approach Yeldon conservatively at the season’s beginning.
Yeldon can be penned in as a RB2/flex in standard format leagues, and is a candidate for finding the end zone if the Jaguars find themselves in goal-to-go situations.
