I promise the next one will have fewer injuries and less ambiguity. You know, if such a thing exists in Week 16 in the NFL.
If LeSean McCoy was still healthy, I can guarantee you his matchup against the Dallas Cowboys would be one of the best plays on the board. However, with a knee injury likely taking him out Week 16, we get the muddled situation that is the Buffalo Bills' backfield. The risk is worth the reward here.
The Cowboys have had their struggles on offense, but their defense isn't anything to write home about, either. They are currently 26th in Adjusted Defensive Rushing NEP per play. Just two weeks ago, they went into Green Bay and allowed the Packers' dysfunctional backfield to gallivant around for 230 rushing yards. Now, they're facing the league's most efficient rushing offense with the Bills favored by seven. That's the recipe for a big day out of a running back.
The Bills' high efficiency isn't solely attributable to McCoy, though he certainly helped. Karlos Williams no longer qualifies as high-volume back, but he was at one point the most efficient rusher in the entire league. This team is built to pound the rock, and they do it well.
The issue is how the carries would be distributed. The best case scenario is that Williams practices in full this week and is declared the starter. In his first game back from a shoulder injury, Williams only played 19.4 percent of the team's snaps. An additional week of rest could lead to a full workload, in which case he should be locked into your lineups.
If Williams remains limited in practice, then things get a lot more difficult. Mike Gillislee would be in play then as he, too, has been effective in his first 14 carries, but I'd still prefer Williams. Thankfully -- for all his faults -- head coach Rex Ryan is generally transparent about these types of things. Monitor practice reports this week, and if it looks like Williams is in line to be unleashed, stick him in your lineups and bask in his efficiency while gaining some serious salary relief.