Zac Stacy, Tre Mason, Benny Cunningham's Post-Week 6 Fantasy Outlook

The St. Louis Rams deployed a rather egalitarian, running-back-by-committee approach to their backfield in Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers.

Typical Rams starter Zac Stacy had just 17 yards on eight carries and didn't record a carry in the fourth quarter on Monday night, while Benny Cunningham had a touchdown but just seven attempts for 21 yards. Rookie Tre Mason produced the most:

Player	RUSH	YDS	REC	YDS	TD	Fantasy Points
Zac Stacy	8	17	2	17	0	2
Tre Mason	5	40	1	12	0	5
Benny Cunningham	7	21	2	12	1 (rush)	9

However, ESPN's Nick Wagoner noted that the number of snaps each player played didn't correspond to their number of carries:

What does this mean from a fantasy perspective? Well, it's hard to trust anyone from this trio, but the smart money is still on Stacy.

A calf injury forced Stacy out of action in Week 5, when he'd already accumulated four receptions for 36 yards and 42 rushing yards on 11 attempts. Stacy figures to still be the No. 1 back based on how he ran for nearly 1,000 yards as a rookie last year and is the only really proven commodity in the backfield.

Mike Clay of Pro Football Focus has his reservations:

Mason made his NFL regular-season debut Monday and got off to an encouraging start, scampering for 24 yards on his first carry.

The Auburn product possesses explosiveness that no other St. Louis ball-carriers can boast.

CBS Sports 920's T.J. Moe likes Mason:

"

I vote for a few more carries for Tre Mason.

— T.J. Moe (@TJMoe28) October 14, 2014"

However, the knee-jerk decision to add him from the waiver wire is only a viable strategy if Stacy is dinged up entering Week 7 or fantasy owners are truly spread thin at the position.

The following quote from Rams head coach Jeff Fisher before Monday Night Football should offer Stacy owners some encouragement.

''Usually, if there's any doubt in our minds, we'll list him as limited and questionable, but he will be listed as full practice, probable,'' Fisher told The Associated Press (h/t FoxSports.com).

Having not logged double-digit carries in any game all season, it's not worth acquiring Cunningham, either. His Week 6 touchdown should prove to be anomalous in light of this insight from ESPN Stats & Info:

Stacy is the most physical, hard-nosed runner and should garner the goal-line carries in Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's downhill rushing attack. The focus should be on the ground game with an inexperienced quarterback in Austin Davis under center as it is.

That's why Stacy is still a viable RB2 despite the limited production on the year. Fantasy owners just need to be patient and hope he gets healthy.

Giving up on Stacy now through a trade wouldn't net any great assets in return, and letting him go outright is not wise given how hard it is to find quality running backs.

For St. Louis to have any hope of succeeding in the next month, when it hosts Seattle and then hits the road for games against Kansas City, the Niners and Arizona, running the ball will help the underdogs stay close.

Stacy should be the battering ram to get it done, provided his health permits him to shoulder the load.