Optimize your Week 16 fantasy football lineups with these cheap RB matchups.

James Conner vs. CAR

Conner started the fantasy playoffs with a huge performance in Week 15. He finished the week as the RB1 overall with 138 total yards and two touchdowns on 21 touchdowns. Conner earned 70% of the backfield opportunities in this game – a slightly larger role than he has this year. That was because the Cardinals’ backups were just broken. Emari Demercado was placed on IR prior to Week 15 and rookie Trey Benson injured his ankle late in Sunday’s game. Conner has already played a strong role in this Arizona offense, but it looks like he could become even stronger in the future.

This week, Conner faces perhaps the best matchup a running back can find, entering as a four-point favorite against the Panthers. Carolina is allowing the most rushing yards per game and the second-most rushing touchdowns this season. Last week, the Panthers allowed Rico Dowdle to rush for a career-high 149 yards on 25 carries. Conner is a top-10 RB this week and is an obvious starting RB in all fantasy formats.

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Rico Dowdle against TB

Speaking of Dowdle, he’s smoking hot right now. In Week 15, Dowdle again set a career high for the third straight game. He had a career-best 149 rushing yards on 25 carries, and if you watched that game, you know it was just one good run after another for Dowdle. He managed 149 yards, although his long run was only 12 yards. It was a day of consistently strong runs for him against the Panthers.

According to Ryan Heath of Fantasy Points, Dowdle has averaged 85% of the Cowboys’ backfield carries and 120 rushing yards per game over the last four games. During that time, he ranked second in rushing yards and 14th in fantasy points per game.

Dowdle now has three straight games with at least 120 yards and quietly has five games with more than 100 yards this season. He’s taken advantage of some great matchups over the last three weeks against the Giants, Bengals and Panthers. But the strengths remain this week against a Bucs team that is allowing the 10th-most rushing yards per game this season. Dowdle continues to be a starter and is developing into a true league winner.

Bucky Irving vs. DAL

There were many questions about Irving’s availability for the Bucs in Week 15 after he reinjured his back in Week 14 and did not return for the second half of the game. The reports at the start of Week 15 were concerning, as Irving missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but was able to participate in a limited capacity on Friday and finally pitched on Sunday against the Chargers.

We were told that Irving would see a near-normal role, and that’s exactly what happened. In Week 15, he gained 17 opportunities and totaled 113 yards while surpassing 100 rushing yards for the second time this season. Irving looked healthy and was his usual explosive self as he forced four broken tackles and had two explosive runs for 10 yards. He’s trending in the right direction as he heads into a favorable matchup against the Cowboys in Week 16.

The Bucs are four-point away favorites against a Dallas defense that continues to struggle with injuries to key players. The Cowboys are allowing the fifth-most rushing yards per play and the most rushing touchdowns this season. Follow Irving’s practice reports this week, but if he returns to fitness, he’ll become a mandatory starter in Week 16.

Jaguars RBs vs. LV

Tank Bigsby has had a season of ups and downs. He started the year strong and was one of the league’s most explosive defenders through the first seven weeks of the season, but Bigsby suffered an ankle injury in Week 8 and struggled with efficiency and production in the following weeks. But in Week 14, we got to see Bigsby healthy and in a neutral game script against the Titans. This game stayed within seven points the entire time, allowing Bigsby to gain 19 touches for 62 yards and a score. That was great to see, but in week 15 his consumption dropped off a bit.

The Jaguars had another close game against the Jets that was back and forth throughout the contest. It was a close game and that allowed Bigsby to score double-digit carries for the second straight year. But he was only able to convert his 12 chances into 42 scoreless yards. It was Travis Etienne Jr. who had the better fantasy day, converting 18 touches into 85 yards. Etienne performed well as both a runner and receiver, catching four of his five targets for 20 yards.

This week the Jaguars RBs face a weaker Raiders run defense. Las Vegas is allowing the ninth-most fantasy points per game to RBs this year. This week’s game is just one point ahead. It should be a close game throughout, and that favors the participation of both Jaguars running backs. Both Etienne and Bigsby established themselves as viable FLEX options in Week 16.

James Cook vs. NE

Cook is ready to score this week after a strong showing in Week 15 against the Lions. This game had the highest projected score of the season at 55 points and it worked. Both teams combined for 90 total points, and the Bills alone managed over 550 yards of total offense. 197 of those yards came on the ground and this is where Cook shined. He took advantage of the Lions’ struggling defense, converting 14 carries into 105 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 28 yards on his only reception of the game.

Cook finished the week against the Lions in the top three and has now finished in the top ten at his position in three of his last four games. Cook continues to be extremely efficient this season, averaging 5.3 yards per reception, which ranks 11th in the NFL according to Player Profiler. I mentioned earlier that he’s on track to win this week, and that’s because Cook and the Bills are 14-point favorites against the Patriots at home. New England ranks 26th in run defense according to PFF and the Bills should have a commanding lead in this game. This sets Cook up well to see a lot of carries in the second half; He is one of the top 10 RBs in this matchup in Week 16.