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As fantasy football managers are finalizing their playoff lineups and DFS lineups for the Wild Card Round, some NFL injury situations will shape their decisions and separate the winners from the losers.
Let's check in on the injuries for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers running backs and their playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Is Leonard Fournette playing this week? Is Ronald Jones II out again in the Wild Card Round? What's happening in terms of Bucs running backs?
Is Leonard Fournette Playing This Week Against the Eagles?
After missing the last few weeks with a hamstring injury, and going on IR, it was unclear if Leonard Fournette would be activated for the Wild Card Round. On Saturday afternoon, after being called a game-time decision, it was reported that Fournette will officially be ruled out for this week's game against the Philadelphia Eagles:
This is an update from the previous injury news reported earlier in the week below.
Leonard Fournette Injury Updates for Wild Card Round
Leonard Fournette last played in Week 15, when he had nine carries for 34 yards against the Saints. He missed the last three games for the Bucs as he dealt with a hamstring injury. This week, Fournette is officially a game-time decision for the Wild Card Round against the Eagles.
This makes it tough to trust him in playoff leagues, though DFS players have the benefit of getting to know his status before solidifying lineups. If Fournette does play, he has a good track record of success in the postseason:
Is that just a Small Sample Size issue? Sure, but there's still reason to believe that you have to play Fournette in fantasy if he's active. The Bucs' passing game isn't what it's been, especially with Antonio Brown gone. Also of note: among playoff teams, only the Raiders and Steelers allow more fantasy points per game to opposing running back than the Eagles.
Is Ronald Jones II Playing In The Wild Card Round?
Ronald Jones missed last week's game with an ankle injury and is set to miss this week's game again versus the Philadelphia Eagles. In terms of fantasy playoff lineups and DFS, this is a good thing for Fournette, assuming he plays:
Should I Start Ke'Shawn Vaughn If Fournette Is Out?
If Fournette plays, he's going to see the bulk of the carries. But since there's still uncertainty about that, let's talk about Ke'Shawn Vaughn. Last week as the lead back against Carolina, Vaughn had 10 carries for 29 yards and a score.
He's not a great running back, but since the Eagles allow the third-most fantasy points per game of any playoff team, there's some upside here. If, and only if, Fournette is out he can be considered as a FLEX-level option in fantasy lineups. Don't even think about playing Vaughn if Fournette plays.
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