Anthony Dixon's Fantasy Outlook After C.J. Spiller, Fred Jackson Injuries

Buffalo Bills running back Anthony Dixon was the third running back on the depth chart entering Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, but a groin injury to Fred Jackson and a shoulder injury to C.J. Spiller has put the load on Dixon’s shoulders.

According to Buffalo’s official Twitter account, both Jackson and Spiller were ruled out for the remainder of the game:

Coming into Week 7, Jackson had assumed the role of lead back, and the combination of Spiller and Dixon were splitting carries behind him on the depth chart. Jackson's groin injury was severe enough to warrant an extended timeout on the field.

While many fans would assume Spiller would get the bulk of the carries with Jackson injured, Joe Buscaglia of WGR in Buffalo reported that Dixon was the lead back on the series following the injury:

Spiller did get an opportunity to run the ball and broke a huge 53-yard rush on his first carry of the day. Unfortunately for the Bills, Spiller suffered a serious shoulder injury and was carted off the field.

Player	Carries	Yards	Average	Touchdowns
C.J. Spiller	1	53	53.0	0
Anthony Dixon	13	51	3.9	0
Fred Jackson	3	12	4.0	0
Frank Summers	1	3	3.0	0
Kyle Orton	1	-1	-1.0	0

The only remaining running back on the active roster Sunday was Dixon. Buffalo also has Bryce Brown on the payroll, but have not used him this season. If Jackson and Spiller's injuries are serious enough to hold them out for an extended period of time, Dixon and Brown will become viable fantasy options.

Dixon has run strong in the middle and will continue to be the lead back while the two starters are out. Brown played well during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles, but he has not yet been activated by the Bills coaching staff.

Fantasy owners should watch how the team splits carries in practice during the week and check updates on Jackson and Spiller's health before making a decision, but both Dixon and Brown are intriguing waiver-wire pickups this week.

*Stats via NFL.com.