Craig Reynolds' fantasy outlook: Should you start him or trade him?

In Sunday's 20-16 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions RB Craig Reynolds carried the ball 11 times for 29 yards and caught three of his four targets for 22 yards.

In the absence of D'Andre Swift, Reynolds played a third of the offensive snaps. However, he received fewer touches than Justin Jackson, who only saw a small portion of Reynolds' playing time.

Jamaal Williams played half the snaps and nearly all the rushing attempts for the second consecutive contest. So in Week 5's matchup with New England, it's reasonable to anticipate a similar workload distribution.

His drafters in fantasy leagues have great hopes for him. But just before Week 5, is it the proper time to trade Craig Reynolds?

Should you trade Craig Reynolds?

Detroit Lions v Denver Broncos

Reynolds scored an incredible preseason touchdown the day after trying out for the team, instantly turning him into a Detroit fan favorite. Then, against Denver and Arizona, Reynolds broke several runs of 20 yards or more. He finished with 195 running yards on 37 carries and a small amount of work in the passing game.

Following going undrafted in 2019, Reynolds' first two NFL seasons saw little action on the field. Last year, when D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams were sidelined with injuries, things in Detroit shifted. In his first game of the year, Week 14, Reynolds surprised everyone by gaining 99 yards on 13 touches. Then, in Week 15, he gained 117 yards on 27 touches.

Reynolds was only given a limited role for the remainder of the season. Still, the Kutztown University graduate made an impression that put him in a solid position to make the 53-man squad this year. Although he is not worth selecting right now, keep an eye on him, in case Swift or Williams gets injured.

Craig Reynolds' timeline

Reynolds participated in a rookie minicamp with the Washington Redskins in 2019 before signing with the team as an undrafted free agent. He later joined the team's practice squad after being released during the final roster cuts following training camp.

Finally, in October 2019, Reynolds was elevated to the Redskins' active roster. The next day, he played his first NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers.

Reynolds committed to the Detroit Lions in August 2021. He was released that same month. The following day, he was re-signed to the practice squad. Prior to the Lions' Week 14 matchup against the Denver Broncos, Reynolds was added to the active roster.