Running Back Matchups to Target in Week 17 - Saquon Barkley, Jonathan Taylor, Bucky Irving

It's another week where we have a solid group of running backs in good matchups for our NFL DFS contests. We can only play up to three in any given lineup, but I'm going to offer up my top four matchups at multiple price points to give you some more options to consider.

Some players are better values on FanDuel than DraftKings or vice versa, so I included the pricing for both sites. Remember that FanDuel rewards those backs that find paydirt multiple times while pass-catching backs can still post a big score on DraftKings without a touchdown.

Now, let's take a closer look at some of our favorite running back matchups for Week 17.

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Saquon Barkley ($8,600 DK, $9,600 FD)

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys

The biggest question here is "How does Jalen Hurts's absence from the lineup affect Barkley's performance this week?"

Well, there's no Hurts QB sneaks to steal touchdowns down around the goal line, but will Kenny Pickett be able to keep this Eagles offense moving down the field so that Saquon gets some scoring opportunities?

I think the Eagles will certainly lean on Barkley and the run game, just as they did last week against Washington. And the matchup against Dallas's front seven is the biggest mismatch on the slate per Pro Football Focus.

Barkley was held somewhat in check by Dallas earlier this season, but the circumstances were much different in that game. With Saqoun leading the MVP race in the NFC and on a quest for 2,000 yards, don't be surprised if he handles it 25 times against Dallas and racks up some big numbers.

Jonathan Taylor ($7,900 DK, $8,400 FD)

Indianapolis Colts @ New York Giants

Are we chasing this week if we click Taylor into our lineups after he nuked the slate last week with 200 yards and three touchdowns?

Maybe, but probably not considering that the Colts now head to New York and get to pick on the lowly Giants who might just be the worst team in the NFL at this stage of the season.

Jonathan Taylor making sure people forget about his fumble last week. pic.twitter.com/Y3B5Hl4m92

— Joshua Cho (@jbchoknows) December 22, 2024

The Colts have a big advantage up front this week, so Taylor should have some clear running lanes against this Giants defense that has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. Indianapolis wants to run the football and Taylor could have a positive game script to work with here if Indy races out to a lead early.

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Bucky Irving ($6,700 DK, $8,000 FD)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers

It can't be as easy as just clicking on any running back against the Panthers each week, can it?

Yeah, sometimes it's that easy. James Conner rambled for over 100 yards and two scores last week, continuing the pattern of running backs rampaging against the Panthers.

I’m hearing 85 touches for Bucky Irving this week https://t.co/ZRJxm4uq5x pic.twitter.com/cLa5YnVyYv

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) December 26, 2024

Now Bucky Irving gets his turn. He had his best game of the season against the Panthers just a few weeks ago and he could even get a few extra touches this week if Rachaad White sees any reduction in volume due to his fumble that ended the game last week.

Bucky is running hard and gets the goal line work, too. Look for him to find paydirt this week and roll up a lot of rushing yards again as the Bucs rely on their run game to put away the Panthers at home.

Aaron Jones ($6,200 DK, $7,400 FD)

Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers

Who doesn't love a good revenge narrative, right? Jones and the Vikings will look to stave off the Packers at home this week in a game that should feature a lot of offense. Jones had 26 touches against the Packers in Minnesota's first meeting with his old team back in September and I'd expect him to be featured again this week.

Jones has 18 carries in each of his last two games, staving off Cam Akers for competition for valuable carries and touches. He also sees around four targets per game as a receiver, and can do damage as a pass-catcher.

So much of the focus for this game is going to be on Darnold and his pass-catchers, but one way to be different would be to flip the build and stack Jordan Love with some receivers and bring back Jones as the Minnesota piece.

Jones is fairly priced on both sites and could be a nice source of leverage for tournaments this week.

Thanks for reading, and good luck with your DFS contests!

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