Lions running back Craig Reynolds is now a legit Week 7 DFS play

With D’Andre Swift out, Lions running back Craig Reynolds is a late value play/pivot in Week 7 main slate DFS lineups.

Detroit Lions running back D’Andre Swift looks certain to miss another game Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Jamaal Williams will keep the lead back role for at least one more week then, with Craig Reynolds as his primary backup.

Update: Swift is indeed inactive.

With Swift out in the two games before the bye, Reynolds naturally saw an uptick in snaps. In Week 5 against the New England Patriots, he was one of few Lions’ offensive players who looked pretty good (six carries for 24 yards, three catches for 68 yards).

When Swift and Williams missed time last season, Reynolds filled in capably as the Lions’ lead back (37 carries for 195 yards over Week 14 and 15). He is not in that role again now, but Week 5’s passing game usage was notable.

Craig Reynolds is a solid last-minute pivot for Week 7 DFS lineups

The Lions are at or near touchdown underdogs to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, via whichever sportsbook you prefer. Williams is a fine player, but he’s not a dynamic weapon in the passing game. And if Detroit is trailing by a couple scores in the fourth quarter, managing Williams’ workload will be an order.

Outside of the very, very deepest leagues, Reynolds is not a great plug-and-play in normal fantasy lineups with Swift out. But on FanDuel he’s got a $4,800 salary for Sunday main slate DFS contests, and I assume he’s similarly cheap on other platforms.

I’ve got him in a flex spot in one of my entries. Not a lot of money on the line, granted, but there’s a path to value there.

Reynolds could finish with double-digit touches quite easily on Sunday, with 50-60 total yards in play then. If he gets a touchdown with that production, then he’ll be a potential contest-winning value/punt play that won’t be widely used. The reward in DFS far outweighs the risk at such a bargain salary.