Lions RB Theo Riddick has been a 'clutch player'

Lions writer Mike O'Hara:

Theo Riddick’s emergence as one of the NFL’s best pass-catching running backs in the league has pretty much gone unnoticed.

Through the first six games, Riddick has 33 catches -- the most of any running back in the league. He has been a clutch player since getting a bigger role in the offense midway through last season.

On the last possession of regulation time against the Bears, Riddick got the go-ahead drive started with a 34-yard catch and run on the first play. And as Stafford said, it was more run than catch. Riddick turned a simple check down over the middle into a long gain.

Another stat that I think says a lot about Riddick: no dropped passes. Consistency and reliability mean a lot, and Riddick has that.

Fantasy Impact: 

It hasn't gone unnoticed at 4for4. Riddick is currently the #33 RB in standard formats and #15 in PPR. He has fully assumed the role of passing down back. That role was thought to be occupied by Ameer Abdullah, but injuries to Joique Bell has allowed more playing time for Abdullah on early downs, leaving Riddick as the primary receiving back. He does most of his damage in the 4th quarter and is game script dependent. Luckily for owners, the Lions are likely to continue to trail late in games most weeks, making Riddick a solid RB2 in PPR formats.

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