In a pinch, either Reggie Bush or Joique Bell could handle carrying the ball 25 or more times in a game. But for Detroit, that would be a poor use of resources. The team intends to continue the timeshare between the duo, while expanding the role Theo Riddick's in the mix.
"I think a little bit is that each tailback has a specific skill set and you just try to get the right guy in there for the right plays," offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said. "We got a little bit of that here, so I would expect that the workload would be distributed some. They did that here last year as well, so I don't think it'll be anything new to those guys."
Which plays are called will depend on the matchup. If the weather is poor or the team is seeing a heavy dose of nickel defense from an opponent, the Lions may lean on Bell, the group's bruiser.
While it's never good news to hear the word "timeshare" in fantasy football, this was kind of expected all along. Generally expect Bush to be the pass catcher with Bell seeing more carries. But, how the game is playing out could determine how both backs are used, and of course that's something fantasy owners have no control over. Both backs are shaping up to be weekly RB2 or flex plays in typical leagues.
Also of note, according to the story, Bush was used on 303 plays (223 carries and 80 targets) last season, compared to 234 for Bell. The team's other backs, primarily Theo Riddick, were the focal point on just 19 plays. The author believes the gap in usage between Bush and Bell will likely narrow this season as Riddick emerges as a viable option in the passing game.
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