RB Strength of Schedule
Tue May 28 9:03am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
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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The Paur Report
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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (concussion) won't return to Sunday's game against the Panthers. He took a hard hit in the first quarter and was carted off the field, so most had already assumed he wouldn't be back. However, with Olave already suffering a concussion this season, there's a good chance he could miss time moving ahead. Of course, fantasy managers will be anxiously awaiting an update. Fortunately, the wideout was moving all of his extremities. But without Olave in the mix, Juwan Johnson, Cedrick Wilson Jr., and Mason Tipton could see more attention on the receiving end.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (hip) is questionable to return to Sunday's matchup versus the Dallas Cowboys. The wideout was busy early in Week 9, amassing two catches for 27 yards and a touchdown, finding the end zone off a nine-yard toss from Kirk Cousins. Hopefully, the hip issue won't keep him off the field for the remainder of the contest. But if London doesn't return, Darnell Mooney, Kyle Pitts, and Ray-Ray McCloud III would be in line to see more attention from Cousins.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (head) exited Sunday's meeting with the Carolina Panthers with what appeared to be a head injury. The wideout took a hard hit in the first quarter and remained down for several minutes before eventually being carted off. It's not an ideal scenario for the team, and it's also not good news for Olave, considering he missed time already this season because of a concussion. While it's too early to speculate, there's a good chance he won't return. If that's the case, he'll finish with one catch for 13 yards. For now, fantasy managers should at least consider Olave as questionable, with Juwan Johnson, Cedrick Wilson Jr., and Mason Tipton in line to see more targets.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (groin) is expected to start in Sunday's game against the Lions. However, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that the team will monitor the signal-caller throughout the contest. If Love begins to show any signs of discomfort related to the groin strain suffered in Week 8 against the Jaguars, he'll be pulled, opening the door for Malik Willis to take over under center. While fantasy managers were certainly thrilled to hear the news regarding Love's availability in Week 9, he'll remain a risky option, considering he could be pulled at any point during the game.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott didn't travel with the team to Atlanta and was held out of the Week 9 matchup with the Falcons due to disciplinary reasons. While details were scarce when news broke on Saturday, Fox's Jay Glazer provided an update, reporting that Elliott was declared inactive because of missed meetings and "habitual tardiness." As a result, the team elevated Dalvin Cook off the practice squad, who will back up starter Rico Dowdle versus the Falcons. Now, fantasy managers are left wondering if Elliott will be back on the field for the Week 10 NFC East clash with the Philadelphia Eagles. If he's not, Cook will presumably continue to support Dowdle as the No. 2 option out of the backfield.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers rookie running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) is expected to make his NFL debut in Week 10 against the New York Giants in Germany. Outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum (quadriceps) is also expected to make his Panthers debut next week, while receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) should also return, barring a last-minute trade ahead of Tuesday's deadline. Brooks put in three full practices this week before being ruled out for Week 9 against the division-rival New Orleans Saints. The first RB off the board in April's draft will debut next weekend, though, and he will eventually take away valuable backfield touches from current RB1 Chuba Hubbard. Brooks is recovered from a torn ACL that he suffered in college at Texas. He should be rostered in all fantasy leagues now and could have a substantial role by season's end.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith was fined $11,255 by the National Football League for committing unsportsmanlike conduct and taunting in Week 8's game against the Buffalo Bills. He tossed the ball at DE Dawuane Smoot following a play because he was upset over a hit from CB Taron Johnson.
From TheHuddle
Although a trade is considered unlikely, NFL teams have inquired with the Indianapolis Colts about the possibility of trading quarterback Anthony Richardson, who was benched in favor of veteran Joe Flacco for Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings. FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz says that several teams that he spoke to still view Richardson as a franchise-caliber QB and think that the Colts pulling the plug on him after 10 regular-season starts is "premature." Richardson's fantasy stock has taken a major hit, as he's now rostered in only 49% of Yahoo leagues after his benching, but the Colts could go back to the young signal-caller if Flacco struggles at all. Head coach Shane Steichen said himself that the Colts are "not giving up on Richardson by any means." Still, the 22-year-old's struggles as a passer have been glaring, and he's also proven to be quite injury-prone early in his NFL career.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers Tee Higgins (quadricep) and Jermaine Burton (coach's decision) are inactive for Week 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Higgins, listed as doubtful, was trending in the wrong direction after missing three practices in a row. He has missed four games this year, averaging 5.8 catches, 68.2 yards, and 0.6 touchdowns. Burton's absence is a little more surprising given that he played a career-high 41 percent of snaps last week, adding a 41-yard reception along the way. Evidently, head coach Zac Taylor hasn't seen enough out of the rookie and is making him inactive. With Higgins and Burton sidelined, Andrei Iosivas and Trenton Irwin should see additional opportunities behind Ja'Marr Chase.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell (knee) was not activated from the PUP list ahead of Saturday's deadline. The 22-year-old was a full participant in practice this week, but evidently, the Ravens aren't ready to activate him quite yet. His potential 2024 season debut will now be pushed back to Week 10 against the Cincinnati Bengals. With Rasheen Ali (ankle) also sidelined this week, the Ravens will head into Sunday's clash with Derrick Henry and Justice Hill leading their backfield.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (knee) is officially active for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. He had been listed as questionable after being a limited participant in practice all week long. The 28-year-old has missed just one game this season, totaling 33 tackles and four interceptions through seven weeks of action so far. His absence will be key as the Ravens look to slow down the Broncos' passing attack in Week 9.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (right shoulder) is officially inactive for Sunday's game against the New England Patriots. He had been listed as questionable after logging three limited practices in a row, but in the end, he'll stay sidelined for at least one more week. Sunday marks Levis's third consecutive absence, leaving Mason Rudolph in line to start at quarterback once again. Rudolph will rank as a fantasy QB3 versus New England.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers tight ends Tommy Tremble (back) and Feliepe Franks (concussion) have both been officially ruled out for the Week 9 divisional clash on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Tremble was able to practice in full on Friday but still picked up a questionable tag on the final injury report. The 24-year-old missed Weeks 6 and 7 with a back injury but returned in last week's loss to the Denver Broncos to catch two of his three targets for 13 yards. Apparently his back issue worsened after last Sunday's game, causing him to miss another contest. With both Tremble and Franks out this weekend, it will open the door for rookie Ja'Tavion Sanders to operate as the team's clear pass-catching TE. At best, the 21-year-old fourth-rounder will be a deep-league TE2 streaming option. Sanders has 20 receptions for 158 yards and no scores in his first eight NFL games.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (foot) is officially active for Sunday's game against the New England Patriots. He had been listed as questionable, and despite not practicing at all ahead of Week 9, the 27-year-old will suit up against the Patriots. He continues to have the backfield all to himself, ranking as the overall RB21 in PPR leagues so far this season. He remains a top-24 option heading into the clash with New England.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd (shoulder) is officially active for Sunday's game against the New England Patriots. He had been listed as questionable and will play despite missing all three practices ahead of Week 9. The 29-year-old is slated to operate as the Titans' No. 2 wide receiver behind Calvin Ridley. In that role last week, he caught three of six targets for 14 yards. He's not a dependable fantasy option in most leagues this week.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White (quadricep) is officially active for Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the right direction after logging a full practice on Friday. The 25-year-old has just 26 scrimmage yards over his last two games, once again taking on the backup role behind Alexander Mattison. He should be avoided in most fantasy leagues this week.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills WR Amari Cooper (wrist) has been declared inactive for the Week 9 game.
Fantasy Spin: Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman will be the main receiver for the Bills this week with Cooper unavailable. Shakir should be a starting option in all fantasy leagues, while Coleman can be at least a flex option in most leagues.
From TheHuddle
Tennessee Titans WR Tyler Boyd (shoulder) is active for Week 9's game against the New England Patriots.
Fantasy Spin: Boyd had been listed as questionable on the injury report despite not practicing at all during the week. He has been held to fewer than 35 receiving yards in all but one game this season and can be avoided in most fantasy leagues.
From TheHuddle
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. (hip) is officially active for Week 9 on Sunday versus the division-rival Carolina Panthers after being listed as questionable to play on Friday's final injury report. Wilson didn't practice on Wednesday before putting in limited sessions on Thursday and Friday. Rookie Bub Means (ankle) is out, but Wilson will still be competing for targets behind Chris Olave with Rashid Shaheed (knee) out for the rest of the season. Quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) is making his return for the Saints on Sunday, but rookie Mason Tipton could be New Orleans' WR2 over Wilson. The 28-year-old won't be a recommended fantasy play in Week 9, even in a great matchup against Carolina. Through seven games this year, Wilson has only nine catches on 11 targets for 88 yards and one touchdown.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receivers K.J. Osborn (coach's decision) and Tyquan Thornton (coach's decision) are both healthy scratches for Week 9 against the Tennessee Titans. Neither player had been listed on the injury report, so their absence on Sunday is the direct result of a decision made by head coach Jerod Mayo. Both Osborn and Thornton have been mentioned in trade rumors, so perhaps keeping them sidelined is linked to a potential deal looming ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. trade deadline.
From RotoBaller
