1. Where in the World Is Mark Ingram?
Sean Payton's doghouse is a suckhole for all things beautiful, and nobody shall escape its wrath. Especially if you have the audacity to fumble even once.
Mark Ingram did exactly this in the first quarter of Sunday's Saints game, and he proceeded to watch Tim Hightower, John Kuhn, Travaris Cadet, and Daniel Lasco all out-snap him the rest of the way. Ingram finished the game with three carries compared to 26 for Hightower, and it was just pure blood and guts all around.
If you could be so daring as to think Payton would snap out of his tilt after the game, though, fret not. He made sure to squash all false notions right away on Monday.
#Saints RB Tim Hightower earned more carries for next week's gm vs #49ers, per source. Said team has committee approach no matter starter
— Britt McHenry (@BrittMcHenry) October 31, 2016
This is just the newest chapter in what has been a frustrating season for Ingram, who was already losing goal-line usage to Kuhn. With the way things stand now, nobody in this situation has DFS viability, even with a juicy matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on the horizon.
2. Christine Michael's Stock Takes a Hit
If you're a Christine Michael fan, you're likely used to disappointment by this point. The most recent round will just sting a bit more.
In C.J. Prosise's second game back from an injury, he took 4 of 14 running-back carries away from Michael while also hauling in all four of his targets. Michael got two targets, but with Prosise cranking out gains of 15 and 43 yards on his first two receptions, it's clear which option will be preferable in the passing game going forward. Michael's 52% snap rate was easily his lowest of the season, ceding 43% to Prosise. It's a two-headed monster in the backfield now.
This is all before Thomas Rawls re-enters the fold. Rawls won't be ready for Week 9, but he does figure to return before the end of the season. Michael's floor just evaporated, and they may be adding another mouth to feed soon. Michael will be hard to trust in DFS, and it's time to trade him while you can in season-long.
3. Darren Sproles Gets an Opening
Time to brighten the day, kiddos. While Ingram and Michael may be spiraling into oblivion, Darren Sproles finally brought some clarity to the Philadelphia Eagles' cringe-worthy backfield situation on Sunday. It may not last, but we shall embrace it with open arms given the general state of the running-back position.
Sproles handled 15 of the team's 23 running-back carries against the Dallas Cowboys, giving Sproles more carries in that game than he had the previous four games combined. Sproles' seven targets were his high-water mark for the season, and no other back had more than one. He also played 81% of the snaps, making him the first Eagles running back to top 56.9% in that department this season. He was -- if only for one game -- a workhorse back.
Given the Eagles' fluidity in the backfield this season, it's hard to say definitively that this is sustainable for Sproles. But with an up-tempo game against the New York Giants on the horizon, he's in play for DFS at the drool-worthy price of $4,800 on FanDuel.