LeSean McCoy's Updated 2014 Fantasy Outlook Following Week 6

Fantasy owners who drafted Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy early have been waiting for his breakout game, and he racked up big numbers against the New York Giants in Week 6, totaling 149 yards rushing on 22 carries.

McCoy had just 120 yards rushing in his three previous games combined.

When asked about that performance and his confidence in his ability to make big plays, McCoy told Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com:

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There were tons of running lanes. I never lost confidence in myself and the guys up front. Surprisingly, they played a lot of two [safeties] high. They left a safety out of the box, which was different. When they moved a safety down, it was too late.

"

While he was unable to find the end zone (only one touchdown all season), his heavy workload and the improved play of the offensive line helped open holes he was able to exploit. The knee injury to backup running back Darren Sproles also put more of an emphasis on McCoy, and he ran with the opportunity.

According to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly, Sproles is expected to miss a few weeks with a knee injury:

With the Eagles on bye in Week 7 and third-string running back Chris Polk dealing with a hamstring issue, the team will get some much-needed rest. Even if Sproles misses the Week 8 game against Arizona and beyond, the momentum McCoy has created should help him continue amassing yards and leading his team to victories.

Owners of McCoy should expect a similar workload each week (20-25 carries), and the results will get better as the season progresses. When injured offensive linemen Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce return, owners should expect McCoy’s numbers to spike once again.

The recent success will also have owners kicking the tires on a possible trade for McCoy, but he must be kept at all costs. The increased workload and success indicate that his numbers will continue to improve. If you are still in playoff contention, do not trade McCoy.

On the other hand, Sproles is a buy-low trade candidate. The backup running back’s numbers have been inconsistent, but as the Eagles’ offensive line continues to improve, Sproles will be a more dynamic player. The uncertainty surrounding the knee injury should keep the asking price down as well.

As for Polk, be careful adding him off the waiver wire until Philadelphia announces how they will handle the situation during the bye week. While Polk has explosiveness and has performed well on special teams, there is always a chance the franchise brings in another running back as well.

Regardless of when the offensive line is fully healthy or which backup running backs are injured, McCoy is a RB1 in every fantasy format and should be started each week following his Week 7 bye.

Stats via NFL.com.