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FFL: Week 10 | NFL: Week 10

RB Strength of Schedule

Tue May 28 9:03am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Robinson setup for big season


Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the running back position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to running backs last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the running backs with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the running backs that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.

  RB SOS  
1. Green Bay Packers 356.01
2. Houston Texans 361.46
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 361.46
4. Las Vegas Raiders 361.48
5. Seattle Seahawks 362.28
6. Buffalo Bills 363.19
7. Arizona Cardinals 363.76
8. Dallas Cowboys 363.9
9. Jacksonville Jaguars 364.51
10. Washington Commanders 364.86
11. Chicago Bears 364.89
12. Indianapolis Colts 365.41
13. San Francisco 49ers 365.86
14. New Orleans Saints 366.49
15. New York Jets 368.23
16. Detroit Lions 368.49
17. Philadelphia Eagles 369.05
18. Minnesota Vikings 369.06
19. Carolina Panthers 369.88
20. Cleveland Browns 370.34
21. Kansas City Chiefs 371.71
22. New York Giants 372.21
23. Los Angeles Chargers 373.19
24. Denver Broncos 373.32
25. Cincinnati Bengals 373.66
26. Los Angeles Rams 374.09
27. Baltimore Ravens 374.16
28. New England Patriots 375.60
29. Atlanta Falcons 376.19
30. Miami Dolphins 377.49
31. Tennessee Titans 378.2
32. Pittsburgh Steelers 378.72


The two teams with the easiest fantasy schedules for running backs are the Steelers and Titans, which is interesting because both teams could platoon running backs. The Steelers split the work between Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. And the Titans are likely to use both Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. All four backs could be setup for solid seasons with favorable schedules. It is always scary to take a back that might split work but seeing these positive schedules could make pulling the trigger on them a little easier come draft day. All four could be top flex plays for fantasy teams.

The Dolphins had huge success running the ball last year and could have similar solid production this season with the third easiest fantasy schedule for running backs. Devon Achane is really looking good in year two. He is expected to get more work and likely lead the backfield in touches. Raheem Mostert had a career season last year and a great schedule but he carries a little more risk. He is 32 years old and now has rookie Jaylen Wright pushing him for playing time. Just something to keep in mind come draft day.

The Falcons are another team with a top-five favorable running back schedule, making Bijan Robinson a very intriguing pick this year. Robinson had a bit of a disappointing rookie season, but a new coaching staff and really favorable schedule make Robinson a huge breakout candidate. He is moving up draft rankings in a hurry and is capable of finishing first overall in fantasy running back scoring because of his skill set.

Rhamondre Stevenson is a possible rebound candidate. He was slowed by injury last year but is back healthy and with the fifth easiest schedule for running backs. Stevenson has shown in the past he can be a big-time fantasy back. Things are looking up for him this year, making him a good buy-low candidate.

The Packers had the easiest fantasy schedule for quarterbacks but get the toughest for running backs. This isn’t great news for new back Josh Jacobs. It is hard to bet against the productive back, though. You just might want to temper expectations for him this coming year. Jacobs could have a few down weeks, especially for his standards.

The Texans signed Joe Mixon to shore up their running back spot, but he carries some concerns. He wasn’t highly productive the last few seasons besides all his scores and now gets the second toughest schedule for running backs. Plus, the Texans are likely to be a pass heavy team, which could limit his workload a little. Mixon could end up being a boom or bust player.

Tampa also has a unfavorable fantasy schedule for running backs. Rachaad White had a big season last year but padded his numbers because of all his work in the passing game. That might be a similar scenario for him, having a tough time to run with this schedule. The positive for White is he is very good in the passing game. You have to worry about his rushing totals, though.

The Raiders haven’t really settled on a starting running back, but Zamir White is likely to get first shot at the job. That is great news for his fantasy value but the not so great news is his tough fantasy schedule. This could limit the ceiling of White a little. He has risk to begin with because it isn’t 100 percent certain he wins the job. This makes him a bit of a scary pick for fantasy teams.

Kenneth Walker didn’t have quite the breakout second season many hoped but was fairly productive with his work. And the good news is Zach Charbonnet didn’t really put a big dent in his workload. The Seahawks seem happy with Walker as the lead back. The unfortunate news for Walker is he has the fifth toughest fantasy running back schedule. Walker might fail to reach his lofty expectations once again in year three.

We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy running backs. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the running backs with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big money contests.

  RB PLAYOFF SOS  
1. San Francisco 49ers 291.43
2. Washington Commanders 325.2
3. Houston Texans 327.8
4. Pittsburgh Steelers 332.03
5. New York Jets 337.57
6. Cleveland Browns 340.8
7. Las Vegas Raiders 341.1
8. Miami Dolphins 348.27
9. Chicago Bears 350.37
10. Buffalo Bills 350.53
11. Arizona Cardinals 352.8
12. Dallas Cowboys 358.87
13. Detroit Lions 359.7
14. New York Giants 365.67
15. Kansas City Chiefs 366.53
16. Green Bay Packers 368.97
17. Seattle Seahawks 370.23
18. Carolina Panthers 377.15
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 378.37
20. Los Angeles Chargers 380.73
21. Jacksonville Jaguars 381
22. Baltimore Ravens 381.43
23. Cincinnati Bengals 383.50
24. Philadelphia Eagles 391.07
25. New England Patriots 397.95
26. Indianapolis Colts 398.40
27. Denver Broncos 399.53
28. Tennessee Titans 401.63
29. Los Angeles Rams 403.92
30. New Orleans Saints 406.33
31. Minnesota Vikings 407.87
32. Atlanta Falcons 422.4

 

There are two teams with a top-five favorable schedule for fantasy running backs for both the regular season and playoffs. Those teams are the Falcons and Titans. Atlanta actually has the easiest fantasy playoff schedule for running backs. Robinson was looking good even before hearing this news but looks even better now. He is making a strong case to be the second running back off the board come draft day.

And Pollard and Spears are intriguing running back options with schedules that could produce big for both during the regular season and playoffs. You just have to worry about one back emerging to grab most of the work. If that happens, one of these backs could end up being a bust.

Minnesota has the second easiest playoff schedule for running backs. Aaron Jones has some injury concerns after the last few seasons, but he could be setup for a big workload with an unsettled quarterback situation in Minnesota. Jones has some good upside with his new team, especially during the playoffs.

One other team to mention for the playoff is New Orleans. Alvin Kamara isn’t getting any younger but remains the lead back and still productive. He still seems to have something left in the tank and could be a big fantasy factor for at least one more season, especially when it matters most in the playoffs. He could be a difference maker, having the third easiest fantasy schedule for running backs.

Houston is the lone team in both the top five for the toughest regular season and playoff fantasy running back schedules. This is an obvious concern for Mixon. He is looking more and more like a player you might to avoid come draft day. He might have some big games along the way in this great offense, but you have to wonder about his consistency and playoff performance.

So the top rated fantasy back, Christian McCaffrey, also has the toughest fantasy playoff schedule for running backs. You aren’t fading McCaffrey because of this. He is one of those rare backs that it doesn’t really matter who he plays. McCaffrey will produce. We still think he is the clear No. 1 fantasy back. He can still get it done in the playoffs.

Washington has Brian Robinson and Austin Ekekler likely splitting the work at running back, which hurts both their fantasy values. They also get the second most difficult playoff schedule for running backs. We wouldn’t reach too early for either back because of this.

The Steelers have the easiest fantasy running back schedule during the playoffs but fourth toughest for the playoffs. This is a tough one. Both backs have potential for good things, showing they can co-exist last year and produce well for fantasy teams. You just have to wonder if fading in the playoffs will make all that good work during the regular season all for nothing.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
JuJu Smith-Schuster Nov 8 2:20pm ET
JuJu Smith-Schuster

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 10 matchup against the Denver Broncos. The veteran wideout will now miss his third game in a row due to a lingering hamstring issue. Smith-Schuster was unable to practice all week, so the fact he has been ruled out shouldn't come as a surprise. His role is likely to decrease in the offense once he is back to full health. DeAndre Hopkins has stepped up and become the No. 1 wideout for this offense. Also, Xavier Worthy is still going to be involved, so Smith-Schuster is unlikely to be reliable once he does return.

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Kirk Cousins Nov 8 2:20pm ET
Kirk Cousins

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown for 498 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions over his last two games, but in Week 10 the 36-year-old will take on the Saints, a team who held him to 238 yards passing, zero touchdowns, and one interception back in Week 4. That contest was at home, this one will be on their divisional foe's turf. Be that as it may, this time around the Saints will be without Paulson Adebo (leg), who led the team in tackles in that Week 4 matchup, and without 4x Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore after he was traded to the Commanders this past week. If Drake London (hip) suits up, the Falcons will have a full complement of receivers. Working against Cousins is the fact that the Saints just allowed Carolina's Chuba Hubbard to run for 72 yards and two scores last week, so the run game may get a boost in this matchup. Nevertheless, the veteran signal caller projects as a back-end QB1 and is a viable bye week filler for Jordan Love and Geno Smith managers.

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Kyle Pitts Nov 8 2:20pm ET
Kyle Pitts

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (hamstring) has been upgraded to a full participant ahead of the Week 10 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Pitts was limited on Wednesday and Thursday, but a full session on Friday means he should be ready for this weekend. The young tight end posted four straight games of 65 receiving yards or more before his 11-yard dud against the Dallas Cowboys last week. Fantasy managers should expect a bounce back outing this weekend. Pitts should be on the fantasy radar as a TE1 for Week 10.

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Drake London Nov 8 2:00pm ET
Drake London

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (hip), who suffered a hip pointer in the Week 9 win over the Dallas Cowboys, was limited in practice all week and is officially listed as questionable to suit up on Sunday against the division-rival New Orleans Saints in Week 10. London could be a true game-time decision this weekend, but the good news for fantasy managers is we'll know early on Sunday as to whether the 23-year-old will play. If active, he should be put back into starting fantasy lineups as the team's top wideout. If London misses the contest against New Orleans, both Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud III will be more attractive flex plays with upside against a Saints defense that just traded top cornerback Marshon Lattimore to the Commanders. In addition to Mooney and McCloud, tight end Kyle Pitts should see more volume as he looks to bounce back from a poor showing in Week 9.

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Graham Gano Nov 8 2:00pm ET
Graham Gano

The New York Giants listed kicker Graham Gano (hamstring) as questionable for their Week 10 game in Germany this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers after he was limited in practice. Gano is eligible to be activated from Injured Reserve and kick this weekend, but the Giants have yet to officially make the move. The 37-year-old veteran kicker has been sidelined due to a right-hamstring injury since Week 2, so he'll be a pretty risky fantasy option if he's activated on Saturday and plays this Sunday. If the G-Men decide to wait another week on Gano, expect Jude McAtamney to kick for the team again against Carolina. Whenever Gano does return, he'll merely be a deep-league streaming option at the position. In the first two games of the year before getting injured, Gano made both of his field-goal tries and didn't attempt an extra point.

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Josh Palmer Nov 8 1:50pm ET
Josh Palmer

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer remains a risky fantasy option in Week 10 against the Tennessee Titans. Palmer scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 9, but ended up totaling just two catches on four targets. That seems to be the role Palmer has settled into in this Chargers offense. He could occasionally come up with big plays but it won't be consistent enough to make him a reliable fantasy option. With D.J. Chark (groin) expected to return this week, Palmer could have even more competition in the passing game going forward.

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Will Levis Nov 8 1:50pm ET
Will Levis

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (shoulder) will return as the starter for the Week 10 contest on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to head coach Brian Callahan. The writing was on the wall for Levis to return to action this weekend after he returned to a full practice participant on Thursday. A sprained AC joint in his right throwing shoulder kept Levis out of action for the team's last three games. With the 25-year-old returning under center against LA, Mason Rudolph will revert to the backup role in Tennessee. Levis is going to need to play better down the stretch to avoid being benched for Rudolph, though. The former second-round pick last year out of Kentucky completed 66.4% of his passes for 699 yards, five TDs and seven picks in his five starts in 2024 while making lots of questionable decisions that led to game-changing turnovers. He's a low-end QB2 in Week 10 against the Bolts.

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Tyjae Spears Nov 8 1:50pm ET
Tyjae Spears

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (hamstring) is "trending in the right direction" to play in Week 10 versus the Los Angeles Chargers, according to FOX Sports' Ben Arthur. Spears has been sidelined for each of the team's last three games due to a hamstring injury, but he's on track to return this Sunday on the road after returning to a full practice session on Thursday. In addition, lead back Tony Pollard (foot) was downgraded from a full-go on Wednesday to limited on Thursday, so he could be in danger of missing Sunday's game. The Titans already said they'd like to limit Pollard's workload after he saw a season-high 31 touches in last week's overtime loss to the New England Patriots. Spears will probably be an RB3/flex, at best, in fantasy in a tough matchup if both he and Pollard are active. But if Pollard is out, Spears will become a plug-and-play option in fantasy.

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Joe Burrow Nov 8 1:40pm ET
Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (arm) is dealing with some soreness after he was hit hard a few times in the 35-34 Thursday night loss to the division-rival Baltimore Ravens, according to head coach Zac Taylor. Burrow was seen wincing when trying to move his left arm on the sidelines on Thursday evening after taking a few hard hits, but he never came out of the game and had another fantastic performance for his fantasy managers in the one-point loss, throwing for a season-high 428 yards on a season-high 56 pass attempts while tossing four touchdown passes and no interception. The former first overall pick out of LSU appears to be hitting his stride in the middle of the season and has now gone 61-for-95 for 679 passing yards, nine TDs and one interception the last two weeks. He'll be a no-brainer TE1 in Week 11, albeit in a tough matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.

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Michael Pittman Jr. Nov 8 1:30pm ET
Michael Pittman Jr.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) has officially been ruled out for the Week 10 contest on Sunday versus the visiting Buffalo Bills after missing practice all week, according to head coach Shane Steichen. Pittman has been battling a back injury in recent weeks but hasn't missed any game action until now. He will now look to rest up so that he can hopefully return for a Week 11 clash on the road against the New York Jets. With Pittman now out this weekend, it essentially makes receiver Josh Downs a must-start as quarterback Joe Flacco's likely go-to passing target in a game in which the Colts will likely have to throw often to keep up on the scoreboard. In addition to Downs seeing more targets, the flex-play appeal of both Alec Pierce and rookie Adonai Mitchell goes up for those in deeper leagues.

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Jalen Hurts Nov 8 1:10pm ET
Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (ankle) is reportedly dealing with a potential ankle injury, according to Brandon Lee Gowton. Hurts was sidelined during Wednesday's practice due to rest, but head coach Nick Sirianni expressed he was dealing with an ankle injury while talking to the media. However, Sirianni then quickly clarified his statement and emphasized that he misunderstood the question and his absence was strictly rest-related. Seeing that Hurts returned to a full participant on Thursday suggests that this injury is very minor. Fantasy managers should expect Hurts to suit up on Sunday to face the Dallas Cowboys. The 26-year-old should be viewed as a high-end QB1, as he has scored over 30 PPR points in each of his past two games.

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Tommy Tremble Nov 8 1:10pm ET
Tommy Tremble

Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble (back) is officially listed as questionable to play in Week 10 against the New York Giants on Sunday in Munich, Germany. Tremble practiced in full on Wednesday and Friday while being limited on Thursday. Meanwhile, rookie Ja'Tavion Sanders (ankle, wrist) was cleared to play after popping up on the injury report on Thursday. The 24-year-old Tremble has missed four of the last five games due to injury, but he appears to be on the right track to suit up overseas this weekend. Still, fantasy managers desperate at the tight end position should be able to find better streaming options in deep leagues. Tremble will probably take a back seat to Sanders, who has become a bigger part of the offense in recent weeks. In his five games played in 2024, Tremble has nine grabs on 12 targets for just 72 yards and no touchdowns.

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Marshon Lattimore Nov 8 1:10pm ET
Marshon Lattimore

New Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) will not make his debut with the team in Week 10 on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers after being acquired in a trade from the New Orleans Saints at the deadline on Tuesday. While Lattimore's injury isn't all that serious, it also kept him from playing in the Saints' Week 9 loss to the division-rival Carolina Panthers. The 28-year-old defensive back's next chance to make his debut with Washington will come next Thursday night in a big divisional clash against the Philadelphia Eagles in primetime. When healthy, Lattimore, a four-time Pro Bowler, should be a starter in a secondary that has been the weakness of their defense this year. In seven starts with the Saints before getting hurt, he had 30 tackles (22 solo) and two pass breakups.

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Anders Carlson Nov 8 1:00pm ET
Anders Carlson

The New York Jets have signed free-agent kicker Anders Carlson to the practice squad and waived kicker Riley Patterson, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Patterson made his New York Jets debut last Thursday against the Houston Texans as No. 1 option Greg Zuerlein (knee) was on Injured Reserve. In that game, Patterson went a perfect 3-for-3 on extra points and did not attempt any field goals. The Jets will now likely turn to Carlson to serve as the starting kicker this weekend when they face the Arizona Cardinals. Carlson spent time in San Francisco earlier this season and went 5-for-5 on field-goal attempts and 3-for-4 on extra points. Fantasy managers in deeper formats could consider Carlson as a streaming option, as the Jets may have ample scoring opportunities this weekend against the Cardinals.

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Mike Evans Nov 8 12:50pm ET
Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) will not suit up in Week 10, according to Greg Auman of Fox Sports. Evans has been sidelined since suffering an injury in their Week 7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and he will now miss his third straight contest. During this week, Evans was unable to participate in any practices. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, as he should have a good chance to return in Week 12 to face the New York Giants after a bye in Week 11. Before the injury, the veteran wideout averaged 47.9 yards per game and scored six touchdowns across a seven-game sample size. This weekend, fantasy managers should expect tight end Cade Otton to see a heavy dose of targets, as rookie wideout Jalen McMillan (hamstring) will likely carry an injury designation.

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Dak Prescott Nov 8 12:40pm ET
Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) may not be placed on Injured Reserve, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Owner Jerry Jones expressed that, "He doesn't want surgery. He wants to be on the field and go for it. We'll just see how it goes here," when discussing Prescott's status. Prescott has already been ruled out for this weekend's contest and will likely face an uphill battle to return within the next four weeks. However, seeing Jones' optimism surrounding his quarterback may suggest he may not miss as much time as previously expected. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progress over the next few weeks. For now, Cooper Rush will serve as the starting QB and should be viewed as low-end QB2 in superflex formats.

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Quentin Johnston Nov 8 12:40pm ET
Quentin Johnston

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston will look to stay hot in a Week 10 game against the Tennessee Titans. The sophomore pass catcher was forced to miss Weeks 7 and 8 with an ankle injury, but he came back in Week 9 and put up 118 yards and a touchdown, ending up as the overall fantasy WR6 with an even 20 fantasy points. This matchup may be a little tougher, as the Tennessee defense has been stingy against outside wide receivers so far this season. They are in the top third of defenses in terms of receiving yards and fantasy points per game allowed to outside wide receivers. The Chargers may focus more on passing to their slot receivers and tight ends in this one, but Johnston still will certainly have a role and is always a threat to score on a deep ball. He has a lower floor than usual this week, but a similar ceiling.

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Jonathon Brooks Nov 8 12:30pm ET
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Carolina Panthers rookie running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) is listed as questionable for Week 10, according to Mike Kaye of The Observer. Brooks was activated off Injured Reserve this week and has been able to participate in full during team practices this week. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status over the weekend, but even though he has returned to full participation, the team may opt to be very cautious with their rookie running back given their position on the standings. Brooks has been sidelined during the entire first half of the season due to suffering a torn ACL last December. If the Tennessee product is unable to return this weekend, fantasy managers should expect Chuba Hubbard to see the majority of snaps out of the backfield and be viewed as a solid RB2.

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J.K. Dobbins Nov 8 12:30pm ET
J.K. Dobbins

Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins has a tough matchup in Week 10, but should still be a solid RB2 option regardless. Dobbins is the overall RB13 in fantasy points per game, and the Chargers offense has run through him at certain points this season. He's coming off a big game in Cleveland where he scored 23.5 fantasy points and ended up as the week's RB6. The Titans defense is a bit more of a challenge, as they've held opposing running backs to the fourth-lowest rushing success rate and the third-lowest yards after contact rate as well. Still, with his heavy involvement and the Chargers generally heavily favored in this game, Dobbins should have his chances and is always a threat for the end zone.

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Kimani Vidal Nov 8 12:30pm ET
Kimani Vidal

Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Kimani Vidal is not an option in Week 10 fantasy lineups. Vidal has played a direct backup role to starter J.K. Dobbins this season, but Dobbins has been on the field for the vast majority of snaps and Vidal only gets a handful of touches per game, if that. With Gus Edwards (ankle) working his way back from IR, Vidal's small role could get even smaller soon. While Edwards isn't likely to play in Week 10, he could return the following week and push Vidal lower on the depth chart. Vidal should be rostered in deeper dynasty leagues, but can be left on most standard league's waiver wires at this point.

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