D’Andre Swift started off 2022 well before suffering a shoulder injury, which has kept him out of action since Week 3. Fantasy managers would love to have their RB1 back, but Dallas has an above-average rush defense. So even if he is healthy, is it smart to play him? And how “healthy” is healthy in his case? Here is the latest we know to help you make your decision.
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D’Andre Swift questionable for Week 7
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, RB D’Andre Swift is officially questionable for Week 7 against Dallas.
Fantasy Impact
Dallas’ defense has been one of the strongest all season, though they struggled to contain Philadelphia’s ground game. If Swift is healthy, he will likely see heavy usage if the Lions hope to keep up with QB Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys. He missed Week 5 and has a bye in Week 6, so after being limited in practice, it seems that he may be on pace to return.
What the Experts are Saying
The Lions’ coaching staff has said that Swift is doing “a little more every day” and that they are taking it “one day at a time.” These don’t sound like statements of supreme confidence for a player coming off a bye that we hoped would be 100%. Swift has been limited all week in practice. After Week 1, Swift averaged 46% of snaps played with 8.5 touches and 66.5 total yards. He finished as the RB6 and the RB39 in those games. This quickly displays his volatility this week. Yes, Swift is a talented and efficient player who is first in yards per touch, first in yards created per touch, and first in breakaway run rate, but his volume is concerning, given the reports and previous usage when less than 100%. It’s difficult to consider him as anything more than a low-end RB2/high-end RB3. Dallas has the eighth-lowest rush success rate allowed, but they are also 18th in rushing yards per game and 24th in explosive run rate allowed. There’s an avenue for Swift to outplay my ranking for him easily, but there’s an equal risk he disappoints. Starting Swift this week comes down to two things. How much risk are you willing to absorb for your lineup? What other running back options do you have on your roster?
-Derek Brown
Swift’s Week 7 status is TBD, but we’d lean toward him playing. AC joint sprains (shoulder) and ankle sprains don’t generally impact RB per-play production 3 weeks out, but our data suggests more of an RB-by-committee approach than normal in his first game back.
-Deepak Chona
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