Just when the NFL didn't think their image problem could get any worse, Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer has been arrested for domestic violence. The Cardinals rusher is widely owned, since he's the backup to Andre Ellington, who is playing through a foot injury that's expected to linger all season.
Even if Ellington wasn't injured, Dwyer was owned because of the opportunities he was expected to see at the goal line. That appears to be gone, at least for the short term, and owners will be quick to drop him since he wasn't a very enticing player to begin with.
Here are some widely available names to keep an eye on.
Stepfan Taylor, Arizona Cardinals
In fantasy sports, when someone goes down their owners' can generally turn to that player's in-house replacement. In this case, that is Stepfan Taylor. There's not much of a body of work here to analyze-he has never started an NFL game and registered just 36 carries all last season.
Without Dwyer available, Taylor is going to be limited to spelling Ellington for a drive or two throughout games, and may be called on to punch in scores from a yard or two out. He's ownable purely as a handcuff for Ellington should his foot problems worsen, but even then he's not a great option.
Dexter McCluster, Tennessee Titans
The Titans running back situation is a mess, but McCluster stands out simply because his role is unique and defined. More teams are employing athletic, fast players as dual-threat types. Cordarrelle Patterson in Minnesota and Percy Harvin in Seattle are prime examples.
McCluster is like that, but with more running back chops, and less athleticism. His first two games have produced little, but of the three backs in Tennessee's rotation he is the home run threat. He had more upside than Dwyer to begin with, and low-end, but playable, if you are in a serious pinch with all the Week 2 injuries.
Isaiah Crowell, Cleveland Browns
Dwyer doesn't have the upside of Cleveland's Crowell, nor was he likely to have the opportunity. Right now Crowell is on the wrong side of a time share with rookie Terrance West, who hasn't given Browns coaches any reason to replace him.
He is a rookie though, so his workload won't be too heavy even with Ben Tate out. Crowell's showing he's capable of running well too, so he'll get opportunities despite not having a starting role, and will be in a good position should something happen to West.
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