Le’Veon Bell has now been released by the New York Jets after only playing in 17 games. His fantasy football glory days seem like a distant memory, but this situation provides the possibility of him joining an established offense or team looking to fill a void left by injuries. Where Bell ends up will be a situation worth monitoring and these are the ones I would keep a close eye on.
Trouble on the Runway
Now for the Jets, they are left with a disaster in the backfield. A little more than a week ago they waived Kalen Ballage. The Jets will move forward with Frank Gore and La’Mical Perine as the leading backs, neither of which have scored a touchdown. With Gore being in his 15th season, I’m not sure how much he has still left in the tank. Currently, he is averaging 3.2 yards a carry and his longest run being a 13 yarder. And the rookie, Perine, hasn’t done much better, just averaging 3.7 yards. One player I would consider stashing is Josh Adams. He proved in 2018 during his rookie year that he could handle a large workload if given the opportunity. Otherwise, this is a very avoidable rushing offense moving forward.
Tennessee Titans Third-Down Back
Owners of Derrick Henry have some concerns moving forward. Henry has never been the most dynamic pass-catcher, contributing to why he has been coming out of the game in passing situations and also, Ryan Tannehill has rarely targeted running backs this season. We know the Titans can run the ball, but adding a pass-catching back to this team could take this team to the next level. Dion Lewis filled that void last season.
David Montgomery Owners Beware
Even though Tarik Cohen is out for the season, Montgomery has failed to seize the moment as a workhorse back in the last two games. The Chicago Bears are 4-1 and trailing the Green Bay Packers for NFC North. Bringing in a change of pace back with a veteran presence will help add depth and create another dimension to the Bears’ offense trying to compete for a playoff spot. We know the Bears were looking for a two dimensional back because they brought in Lamar Miller for a workout a few weeks ago. For fantasy purposes, neither will have much stand-alone value.
Embed from Getty ImagesNo help for Patrick Mahomes on the Scoreboard
Signing with the Kansas City Chiefs could be Bell’s best possible landing spot. He would join a team that just won a Super Bowl with their high-powered offense. The Chiefs have used Clyde Edwards-Helaire as a workhorse back, so in adding Bell, his value will take a hit. Although the team itself is doing well, the runningbacks are lacking in the most critical category for winning games: Scoring.
Currently, the team’s ballcarriers have two total touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Last year the unit combined for 23 touchdowns, 17 rushing and six receiving. In other words, they need some help at the position. This situation is the best-case scenario for Bell to come into because it would allow himself to win and showcase to the rest of the league that he can be that player once again.
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