ESPN Ownership: 15.4%
Yahoo Ownership: 16%
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that it's 2016 and we still have to talk about Matt Asiata in fantasy football. Yet, here we are, watching helplessly as Asiata vultures touchdowns from a more talented back, ruining our Sundays.
Despite the fact that he runs like a 40-year-old chasing his mischievous kid at a birthday party, head coach Mike Zimmer is forcing our hand and "making Asiata great again," giving him 14 carries this Sunday and force-feeding him on the goal line. He's scored a short-yardage touchdown in back to back games and appears to be the clear favorite for short-yardage work, ahead of Jerick McKinnon.
You're never going to feel good about deploying Asiata in fantasy, but he does have standalone value in deeper leagues as the short-yardage back for a team that should be spending a decent amount of time playing conservatively while protecting a lead. If anything were to happen to McKinnon, Asiata would become a weekly option.