Green Bay Packers Fantasy Profile: Championship Week 2014

Dec 14, 2014; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Green Bay Packers running back

(27) celebrates his first half touchdown against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

RB – Eddie Lacy

Last Week:
Lacy – 15 carries, 97 rushing yards, 2 catches, 1 receiving yards, 1 total TDs; 16.80 fantasy points

One of the bright spots in a bleak loss was undoubtedly this guy.

Dec 14, 2014; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy (27) during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Bills beat the Packers 21-13. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

If there was one area I believed the Packers could try to successfully attack going into the Buffalo game, it was their run defense. It did still look strong (#10 in Run Defense DVOA before Sunday), but they did just get ripped up by Denver’s run game the previous week. It also seemed like it’d be easier to run than pass against them as a whole anyway.

The only disappointing aspect would probably be that Lacy only got 15 carries. Looking at how poorly the pass offense performed, it would have seemed that more running would have been the effective choice, but the Packers did not do so for whatever reason. Was it right? Doesn’t seem like it, but they may have checked out of a bunch of potential bad runs for all we know.

Lacy’s production now seems like a given every week; he doesn’t really get huge 100+ yard/multi-TD games, but he does usually get near 100 yards on the ground with a couple catches and a TD most weeks.

I’d put him right around those usual numbers here again. He might see more — Tampa Bay does play a base-Cover-2 defense that promotes more running and underneath passes — but it’d be a good bet that Rodgers and the receivers aim to bring it in the passing game, thus limiting Lacy’s potential at a gigantic day.

Regardless, his usual numbers are easily worth a spot in your starting lineups.

Prediction:
Lacy – 90 rushing yards, 15 receiving yards, 1 Total TDs; 16.50 fantasy points

Verdict: Must-Start