Carson Steele, Jerome Ford, Cam Akers: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Picks for Fantasy Football Week 8

It feels like fantasy draft season just ended, yet we're already onto the third week of the NFL season. With crucial matchups ahead, running backs Carson Steele, Jerome Ford, and Cam Akers are in the thick of start 'em, sit 'em decisions.

Steele and Akers are entering starting roles due to injuries, while Ford has delivered mixed results through the first two weeks of the season. Either way, all three are firmly on the fantasy football radar.

Should you start Steele, Ford, or Akers in Week 3? Let's dive in.

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Should I Start Carson Steele for Fantasy Football?

Steele will take on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3. The rookie running back figures to get the first shot at the starting job, with the Chiefs placing Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve. Steele already saw multiple touches out of the backfield when Pacheco was healthy, so his starting should not be a big surprise.

Veteran running back Samaje Perine should still play a complementary role in obvious passing-down situations, but Steele should get the bulk of first and second downs and goal-line touches.

Kansas City also signed former Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt, but head coach Andy Reid has stated that Hunt will not be elevated from the practice squad ahead of the team's Week 3 matchup. The Falcons have allowed the sixth-most rushing yards per game so far this season, so Steele should be able to gain yards on the ground in his opportunities. It remains to be seen just how large of a workload Steele will receive, so he is a risky flex play in his first starting week.

He is the RB28 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Jerome Ford for Fantasy Football?

Ford saw D'Onta Foreman steal away a large chunk of his workload in a Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. After Ford saw all but two running back carries in Week 1, Foreman out-carried him 14 to seven last week. The Browns will now welcome the New York Giants to Cleveland in Week 3.

The Giants have struggled this season and the game script could favor Foreman, who presumably would be on the field for the majority of the second half if the Browns can build a lead and go into clock-killing mode. Ford still can do damage in the passing game but he settles in as a low-end RB2 due to volume concerns in Week 3.

JEROME FORD REVERSES FIELD FOR THE 69-YARD RUN 🔥

📺: #CLEvsPIT on ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/zWM8hlwLFw pic.twitter.com/vKk11EADHH

— NFL (@NFL) September 19, 2023

He is the RB23 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

Should I Start Cam Akers for Fantasy Football?

With Houston Texans running backs Joe Mixon (ankle) and Dameon Pierce (hamstring) listed as out in Week 3, Cam Akers suddenly could be thrust into a starting role against Minnesota. Playing the Florida State product on Sunday certainly comes with risk.

The back is on his third team in two years, has taken just seven carries through two games, is less than a year removed from an Achilles injury, and faces a Minnesota defense that ranks seventh against fantasy running backs.

The Texans, however, don't have much choice — Akers will play. Fantasy managers in a similar bind can consider rolling the dice, knowing there isn't much competition for carries this week. The former LA Ram is a borderline RB2 and flex play in Sunday's matchup against the Vikings.

Cam Akers is looking fluid here. What a signing for Houston. #NFL pic.twitter.com/rMeeLkFKRK

— Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhifer) September 16, 2024

He is the RB24 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.

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