UPDATE: James Palmer is reporting sources are claiming this is a pre-determined rest week and the “Chiefs want him fresh down the stretch.” I could see that, but either way, his ROS fantasy value takes a hit.
We are getting some surprising news as Week 10 inactives are rolled out. Running back LeSean McCoy is inactive and appears to be a healthy scratch for the Kansas City Chiefs. That means Damien Williams will be the team’s starting running back and Darrel Williams will be his backup against the Tennessee Titans.
This is big for fantasy football owners who expected McCoy to be getting a decent amount of reps alongside Damien Williams. Damien had moved into the starting role last week, with McCoy his primary backup and Darrel as the third string back. This week, Damien will not have to worry about McCoy taking his snaps, which bodes well for his fantasy value. The Chiefs face a Titans team that has given up the 14th most fantasy points to running backs. With Patrick Mahomes likely shaking off a little rust, Damien Williams is a strong fantasy start this week.
There is no word on what this means for the rest of the season, but barring a disaster of a game for Damien, McCoy could find himself a healthy scratch more often than not. We’ll see what Andy Reid has to say after the game and into the coming week. Don’t dump Shady quite yet, but he’s not a viable fantasy option for now.