When looking for fantasy football sleepers in 2014, the running back group has been a go-to group for solid outings. The AFC North has been surprisingly rich in running back talent, and nobody has proved that more than Cleveland Browns RB Terrance West.
West has been a part of Cleveland’s three-headed-monster for much of the season, and really broke out last Thursday against the Cincinnati Bengals. The rookie from Towson was able to collect 95 yards on the ground and score a touchdown in the Browns’ impressive 24-3 victory.

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In his last two outings, West has picked up at-least 15 carries. He’s getting the touches – is he worthy for a start in Week 11?
Cleveland will battle the Houston Texans in a game that could end up being a chippy AFC Wild Card battle. Both teams like to run the football, something that is a good sign for both running back depth charts. The Browns drafted West to compete in gritty games like the one we could see on Sunday. If they want to continue their theme of tough, “grind ’em out” football, they’re going to have to feed West as much as they can.
Houston’s run defense has been up and down this year, as they’ve allowed 117 yards per game on the ground (21st in the NFL). In Week 9, LeSean McCoy shredded them for exactly 117 yards, while in weeks 7-9, they shut down rushing attacks like we’ve seen in years past. It’s safe to say nothing is a sure thing when projecting fantasy football success against the Texans.
One encouraging note to keep an eye on when looking at the Browns rushing attack is the number of carries West is getting in divisional games. He’s received double-digit touches in the team’s three AFC North matchups this year. If the game against the Texans is anything like we think it’ll be, that could be a good sign for what Cleveland will game-plan for this week in practice.
If you want to take a shot, it’d be a good choice to insert West in your lineup for Week 11. If you’re looking to play it safe however, you might want to keep him on your bench until his workload becomes a bit more guaranteed.