Andre Ellington's Instant Fantasy Reaction After Week 8

With Rashard Mendenhall out for the Arizona Cardinals, Andre Ellington was able to step up big and had a huge fantasy performance against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Cardinals won 27-13 over the Falcons, with Ellington making some big plays.  He ran for 154 yards a and a touchdown on the day.  Most of that production came on this huge 80-yard touchdown in the second quarter to put the Cardinals up 14-6 over the Falcons.

Before Sunday, Ellington had rushed just 28 times, but averaged 6.4 yards per carry, giving him 179 yards and a touchdown for the season.  He also made a number of plays in the passing game, racking up 20 receptions for 190 yards and another score.

The concern for Bruce Arians and the rest of the coaching staff was that Ellington had a problem with getting a full workload.  Before today, he hadn't had more than seven rushing attempts in any game.

However, Ellington proved that he can make big plays and make this offense more exciting thanks to his impressive speed and explosiveness.

Looking down the road, Ellington could certainly be a valuable RB2 or flex play every week.  If you're in a PPR league, he's even more valuable with his ability to make plays in the passing game.  

It may just be one game, but it was Ellington's first as the go-to back, and he showed everyone just how good he can be.