Should I Start Joshua Kelley in Week 2? RB Fantasy Football Ranking Analysis

Week 1 is in the books which means we are no longer operating blindly when it comes to fantasy football. There is a limited sample size of NFL action, but with that sample size, we can make important determinations about our fantasy teams going forward.

One player who showed us that we need to reconsider his role in 2023 in Los Angeles Chargers’ running back Joshua Kelley. The veteran running back was taken late in fantasy drafts as a handcuff to Austin Ekeler. Kelley showed he could have standalone value in his first game, totaling 16 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins.

Should I Start Joshua Kelley in Week 2? Find your answer below.

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Joshua Kelley Fantasy Outlook

An unforeseen ankle injury to Austin Ekeler is quickly pushing Joshua Kelley into “must start” territory in a Week 2 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. Kelley carved out a small role in the Los Angeles Chargers offense in the first half against Miami (four carries for 21 yards), but shockingly took a much greater role in the second half of a close game (12 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown).

Kelley’s usage became more clear once Austin Ekeler popped up on the injury report with an ankle injury to start the week. Since then, Ekeler has logged zero practices, which is seemingly pushing Kelley into a starting role for at least one week. The Chargers have an excellent run-blocking offensive line and should be able to open lanes despite a difficult matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

The Titans lost a close game to the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 but allowed just 2.6 yards per carry in the losing effort. If Ekeler is out, then Kelley is a must-start regardless of the matchup. He should command a majority of the rushing attempts in the backfield and will have a role in the passing attack.

Joshua Kelley Running Back Ranking Analysis

The uncertainty of Kelley’s role (and Ekeler’s availability) has led RotoBaller’s rankers to be conservative when it comes to Joshua Kelley. The veteran running back is currently just outside the top 100 players in PPR leagues, ranking as the 110th player overall.

As the week has gone on and it has seemed less and less likely that Ekeler will be healthy (or available) for Sunday’s game, this ranking is too low. Kelley will lead the Los Angeles backfield in touches and will have a role in the passing attack in Week 2. Kelley could easily push for a backend RB2 finish as the lead back in Los Angeles’ fast-paced offense.

Should I Start Joshua Kelley in Week 2 Fantasy Football?

Fantasy managers who took a chance on Joshua Kelley are undoubtedly excited at the chance to capitalize on their late-round flier. However, a bit more patience is needed before automatically slotting him into the starting lineup. Thankfully, they will not have to wait long.

Until we get more clarity on Austin Ekeler’s availability on Sunday, fantasy managers should expect to keep Kelley on the bench. However, the Chargers play in the 1 p.m. time slot against the Tennessee Titans, meaning that we will have clarity on Ekeler’s role/availability sooner than later.

Once the determination on Ekeler is made (at the very least the team should lean on Kelley more if the veteran running back is dealing with an ankle injury), fantasy managers should act accordingly. Kelley averaged 5.8 yards per carry in the second half of the Chargers’ Week 1 contest and is at the very least a strong streaming option if he gets the bulk of the work in the backfield in Week 2.

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