Week 7 vs. Washington
Filling in for Theo Riddick last week, Zach Zenner ran through the Los Angeles defense for 58 yards on 14 carries. He also caught two passes for 19 yards. However, don’t get too excited about adding Zach to your fantasy lineup, as Riddick and rookie Dwayne Washington could return this week and the Lions also have Justin Forsett, who is still learning the offense. Even against a suspect Washington defense, Zenner makes for a risky start.
Week 6 vs. Los Angeles
With Theo Riddick receiving the majority of the RB touches in the home win versus the Eagles last week, Zach Zenner carried the ball seven times for nine yards. He also caught two passes for 23 yards, as Zach benefitted from rookie Dwayne Washington missing the game due to an ankle injury. Even if Washington is out again, Zenner is not receiving enough action to warrant a fantasy start.
Week 5 vs. Philadelphia
With Dwayne Washington going down to injury last week at Chicago, Zach Zenner saw his first offensive snaps of 2016. He carried the ball three times for 12 yards, including a 10-yard scamper and also caught a 22-yard pass. There’s a chance that Washington will be able to go on Sunday, which would again limit Zenner’s playing time. Even if the rookie is out, Zach does not make for a good fantasy start.
Zach Zenner Preseason Preview
Fantasy Upside
Quickly becoming a fan favorite during his rookie campaign, Zach Zenner ran for 60 yards on 17 carries before having his season cut short after suffering cracked ribs and a partially collapsed lung in October. He’s a powerful back at 5’11” and 222 pounds. He will be battling with veteran Steven Ridley, as well as rookie Dwayne Washington and George Winn to be the Lions short-yardage RB. Zenner has special-teams value, so he may kept on the roster for that purpose.
Fantasy Downside
He missed most of last season with the injury and hasn’t taken a hit before training camp. Ameer Abdullah will be the starter and receive the bulk of the playing time, but, if Zach is able to beat out Ridley and the others as the primary short-yardage carrier, he could post some decent scoring numbers.
Bottom Line
Even if he makes the team, you definitely should not look to draft the second-year player out of South Dakota State. However, if he does become a scoring machine, he may be worth checking out during your stretch playoff run.
