Knowshon Moreno Not Worth the Fantasy Risk in Week 6 vs. Packers Due to Injury

After starting the season with a red-hot Week 1 performance, Miami Dolphins running back Knowshon Moreno suffered an elbow injury in Week 2 that forced him out of action for several weeks, much to the chagrin of his fantasy owners. Luckily, he's expected to be back in action against a poor Green Bay Packers run defense in Week 6.

James Walker of ESPN.com tweeted the running back's status for Sunday:

His return comes with significant risk. While adding Moreno to your starting fantasy lineup may look good on paper, there are several obstacles standing between him and another big performance.

The first, and most obvious, is the bulky brace he's wearing on his left arm. Moreno practices with the brace throughout the week, but he continues to struggle adjusting to his new piece of hardware. According to an interview with Walker, when asked what was most troubling about wearing the brace, Moreno responded, "Everything."

That isn't exactly a comforting statement from a ball-carrier who is set to see his first action in four weeks.

Since Moreno has been absent, Lamar Miller has been proving his worth in Miami's backfield. He's averaged at least 4.2 yards per carry in each contest despite his lack of carries. Here's a good look at what Miller has achieved so far this season:

Opponent	Car	Yds	Avg	TD
New England Patriots	11	59	5.4	0
Buffalo Bills	11	46	4.2	0
Kansas City Chiefs	15	108	7.2	0
Oakland Raiders	12	64	5.3	2

With Moreno still on the mend, expect the Dolphins' offense to continue relying heavily on the steady Miller.

Another concern entering Week 6 is Miami's offensive scheme. This team hasn't exactly been run-heavy since its Week 1 contest against the New England Patriots. The Dolphins abandoned the run quickly during losses in Weeks 2 and 3 against the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

That isn't a good sign considering Green Bay is a road favorite this week, according to Odds Shark. If quarterback Aaron Rodgers continues his hot streak—he's thrown seven touchdowns over his last two games—the Packers could see an early lead, forcing the Dolphins to lean heavily on the pass once again.

Even if Miami remains in the thick of things throughout the game, there's no guarantee Moreno will see more carries. The Dolphins didn't even put a big workload on Miller during their 38-14 drubbing of the Oakland Raiders in Week 4—he only received 12 carries despite averaging 5.3 yards per rush and reaching paydirt twice.

If Miller didn't see an increased workload in that rout, it's difficult to speculate that Moreno will be in line to see any significant work on Sunday.

There are simply too many factors that limit Moreno's upside in Week 6, even against a Packers run defense that ranks as the league's worst. Fantasy owners should leave the ball-carrier on the bench for one more week while Moreno gets back up to speed.

Patience will be a virtue here, as more favorable matchups against the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars are imminent.