Green Bay Packers fans were anticipating this news. While Eddie Lacy has not been officially ruled out of the team's Week 3 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, it has been announced that James Starks will start in his place. The Packers were preparing for Lacy to miss significant amount of time after suffering a concussion against the Washington Redskins, but the recent surge of Starks has eased their panic.
Lacy went out in the first quarter of Sunday's win after receiving a helmet-to-helmet hit from safety Brandon Meriweather. The questionable hit did not receive a penalty from the referees, but forced Lacy out of the game and likely out for an extended period of time. Meriweather later got knocked out of the game with a concussion after lowering his head to his Starks. The loss of Lacy left the Packers with Johnathan Franklin and Starks since John Kuhn has suffered a hamstring injury.
The Packers did not hit the panic button after realizing just how bad the injury to Lacy was. Starks became the first Packer to rush for 100+ yards in over a year, easing the loss of the rookie just a little bit. Prior to the season, Starks was at risk of being traded once the Packers' running back group got crowded. However, injuries saved his spot on the team and now have pushed him into the starting role.
"I know what I'm capable of," Starks said, via the Journal Sentinel. "God just gave me the opportunity today, and I tried to make the most of it. It's been awhile. I've got to get things rolling and try to be a better player and help the team as much as I can. I'm going to continue to try to do that."
Last weekend Starks tore through the Redskins defense, putting up 132 yards on 20 carries. He also caught four passes for 36 yards. Lacy would have likely done the same thing against the weak defense. Fantasy owners should beware, picking up Starks off waivers is a good idea, but he could struggle against a stronger run defense of the Bengals.
A timetable for Lacy's return is unknown. The Packers have a bye week following the game against the Bengals. The extra week of rest could be what the rookie needs to bounce back from the hit. Until then, Starks will take over the job.
