Market Share Report: Ty Montgomery's Stock Is Rising

Carry Market Shares

1. Ty Montgomery's Stock Is Rising

A quick glance at Week 14's box score would tell you that it was a good week for Christine Michael. For the second consecutive week, he led the Green Bay Packers in carries with 10, topping Ty Montgomery by one. So why, then, are we giving Montgomery lip service here?

Everything else about this game worked in Montgomery's favor.

Montgomery finished the game with four targets, representing 16.0% of the team's 25 targeted throws. The only other running back to get a target was Aaron Ripkowski with one while Michael and James Starks were shut out.

Additionally, Montgomery played 51% of the snaps, his highest since an illness sidelined him back in October. This was a game script that should have favored Michael with his rush-heavy skillset, but it was Montgomery who was on the field far more often. Add in Montgomery's two red zone carries compared to none for Michael, and it's clear which back on this team we want to roster the final few weeks.

2. Justin Forsett Surges Past Devontae Booker

You had to get a bit worried about Devontae Booker once the Denver Broncos signed Justin Forsett last week. Forsett is familiar with head coach Gary Kubiak's offense from their time with the Baltimore Ravens, and Booker had been losing ground to Kapri Bibbs before Bibbs suffered a season-ending injury in Week 13. Sunday's game just confirmed those fears.

Booker struggled in pass protection early on, opening the door for Forsett right away. A negative game script held the Broncos to just nine rushing attempts, but six went to Forsett with just three to Booker. Forsett also had three targets to two for Booker, and Booker played just one more snap than Forsett. Booker's opportunity as the lead back is officially over.

Unless we hear something definitive about the backfield touches here, it will be hard to trust either Forsett or Booker in Week 15. But if Forsett claims the lead spot, the Broncos' defense will give him chances at rush-heavy scripts, a situation where he could thrive in fantasy. This situation is one to track closely the next few weeks.

3. The Falcons Are Still Confusing

Your auto-fill roster spot for "running back facing the San Francisco 49ers" isn't going to be so easy this week. The 49ers head east to face the Atlanta Falcons, and few backfields in football are harder to decipher than theirs.

Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman have played nine games together this year. Freeman has had more opportunities (carries plus targets) than Coleman in all but one, meaning they likely shouldn't be that confusing.

That one game just happened to come in Week 14. Because of course it did.

It's easy to dismiss this as being the result of a 28-point romp over the Los Angeles Rams, but Coleman's increased role was evident even before things got out of control. These are their opportunities by quarter in Sunday's game before each player sat out the fourth.

Coleman's first-half involvement had waned since his injury, totaling just eight opportunities through his first two games back, so it certainly seems as if he was going to be more involved had the game stayed tight. That's big with the 49ers on the docket.

Freeman's going to be the most desirable asset in this backfield, and it'll still be a bit of a guessing game between the two. But Coleman's first-half involvement in Week 14 and a likely run-heavy script are enough to merit consideration for your rosters in Week 15.