Joique Bell, Theo Riddick's Instant Fantasy Reaction After Week 12

Week 12 was a nightmare scenario for fantasy owners hoping to get production out of the Detroit Lions backfield.    

The Lions were on the road and saw their elite defense get lit up by the New England Patriots, forcing Detroit to take to the air often in a 34-9 loss at Gillette Stadium. That was bad fantasy news for Lions running backs Joique Bell and Theo Riddick.

Name	CAR	YDS	REC	YDS	TD	Fantasy Points
Joique Bell	19	48	1	-2	0	4
Theo Riddick	2	12	3	40	0	5

MLive.com's Justin Rogers praised Bell for making the most of a difficult situation:

Bell got the bulk of the carries and, amid more favorable circumstances, is still an RB2 or strong flex in most fantasy formats.

As for Riddick, he remains a somewhat tenuous handcuff option. The presence of typical starter Reggie Bush on the roster hurts Riddick's long-term fantasy value.

Riddick's role even as Detroit's No. 2 back isn't enough to merit fantasy flex consideration even in the deepest leagues. As of the midway point of the fourth quarter in Week 12, he had just two total touches, paling in comparison to Bell's 20, and made the rest of his noise as a pass-catcher in garbage time.