Gameday update: After struggling the last two games, Antonio Gibson could get back on track against the Bengals. This season, Cincy’s defense is allowing a horrendous 133 rushing yards and 2.8 touchdowns in the red zone per game. While Gibson should be able to shoulder the workload on the ground, J.D. McKissic has become the team’s second-best receiver, outside of second-year wideout Terry McLaurin. McKissic has produced 16 receptions over the last two games and should see a good amount of targets on Sunday. ESPN projects Gibson, McKissic to score 13.2 and 9.1 fantasy points respectively.
Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic have clear, defined roles in the Washington Football Team’s backfield, and both players have flourished recently. They will look to continue rolling on Sunday versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
Fantasy Football analysis: Washington RBs Antonio Gibson, J.D. McKissic
Gibson hasn’t found a lot of running room in the past couple of weeks, gaining just 65 yards on 19 carries between Weeks 9 and 10. But when the Football Team approaches the end zone, he has been able to convert. He has scored three times from close range in the last two games and has seven touchdowns in his rookie year.
While Gibson soaks up a lot of the early-down and goal-line work, McKissic has become Alex Smith’s favorite target in these past two weeks. McKissic has been targeted an obscene 29 times with Smith as the starting QB, five more targets than any other player in the league during that time. He has caught 16 of those looks for 108 yards. He also scored twice — once on the ground, once through the air — in Week 10.
The Bengals have given up just two touchdowns to running backs in their last seven games, and they have allowed only 30 receptions to the position, the third-fewest in the league. On the bright side for these two backs, Cincinnati has permitted the sixth-most rushing yards.
Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation
This matchup really isn’t that tough; the Bengals’ pass defense has been such a pushover that teams have simply decided to attack them that way more often. Maybe that gives a slight edge here to McKissic, but both of these RBs are who they are: Gibson ($5,800) is an RB2 who needs to score in order to hit value, and McKissic ($5,200) is a safe, high-floor start in all PPR formats.