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Leonard Fournette was one of the significant contributors in the Buccaneers' Week 1 victory over the Cowboys.
What not everyone noticed though, was that he appeared to leave towards the end of the game with an injury, creating questions about his health. He was then added to the injury report earlier this week with a hamstring injury.
This leaves fantasy managers wondering whether Fournette will take the field on Sunday against the Saints and if he does, should he be started. Let's dive in.
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Is Leonard Fournette Playing In Week 2 Against the Saints?
As mentioned above, when the Wednesday injury report surfaced this week it included Fournette on it.
Although Fournette was included, it was promising to see him listed as limited instead of did not practice (DNP).
He was able to participate in a limited fashion again on Thursday, adding further optimism. He then hit the trifecta on Friday with his third straight limited practice and was listed as questionable on their final injury report entering the weekend.
Given that Fournette is a veteran player and an integral part of the offense, it makes sense for the team to limit his participation in practice to preserve his health for Sunday's contest. Fantasy managers can feel confident he'll be active against the Saints.
Should I Start Leonard Fournette in Week 2?
Now that we've established he'll be available to put in your lineup, the next question is should you?
Fournette played on 76% of the snaps in Week 1, despite missing time at the end of the game. Furthermore, if you remove the two kneel downs from Tom Brady and the final five carries of the game Rachaad White had after Fournette left, he would have accounted for 21 of the team's 26 remaining carries (81%). He turned those carries into 127 yards and also caught both of his targets for 10 yards.
Fournette is one of the few true workhorse backs remaining, making him incredibly valuable for fantasy. Additionally, he plays on one of the league's top offenses. Even if the injury causes White to gain additional carries or targets, he'll still have plenty of opportunity to produce a big day. He's a top-15 running back with top-five upside if he scores against the Saints, so he needs to be in your lineup.
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