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FFL: Week 6 | NFL: Week 6

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
Blake Grupe Oct 12 4:10am ET
Blake Grupe

New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe went without a field goal attempt for the first time this season in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Grupe went 1-for-2 on extra point attempts in the game, making it his second missed point through the first five weeks of the season. Grupe's sophomore season started with a bang as he hit four field goals (including two 50-yarders) in Week 1 and benefited from the Saints' early offensive explosion by knocking home 10 extra points over their first two games. However, Grupe has not reached double-digit fantasy points since Week 1, and there's no reason to believe he is due for a big turnout in Week 6. The expected point total for the NFC South matchup against the Buccaneers is a mere 42 points, which is among the lowest on Sunday's slate. Grupe is not a bad option, per se, but fantasy managers can probably find a more promising option elsewhere.

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Chris Olave Oct 12 4:00am ET
Chris Olave

Expectations for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave will have to be tempered in Week 6 with Derek Carr (oblique) lost to injury. Carr's fill-in, rookie Spencer Rattler, offered some reassurance in comments to the media after being named the starter when he stated his intent to feed Olave the ball. That would be a welcome change from Week 5, when Olave was targeted four times, making two catches for a season-low 10 receiving yards, his worst game since his two-catch, 11-yard performance in Week 1. In the three weeks between, Olave gave fantasy managers more of what they were hoping for when they drafted him, catching 18 of his 22 targets in that span and racking up at least 81 yards in each game. There is no denying Olave's talent but his success is still contingent on how Rattler performs in his professional debut. Fantasy managers should also be aware that Tampa's heavy utilization of zone coverages favors Rashid Shaheed (hip) more than it does Olave. Olave rates as a risky WR3 in Week 6 given the situation in New Orleans.

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Juwan Johnson Oct 12 4:00am ET
Juwan Johnson

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson saw season highs in targets, receptions, and yards in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The fifth-year veteran caught all five balls thrown his way for 31 receiving yards, bringing his 2024 totals to nine receptions for 70 yards. Johnson may yet again see more involvement in the passing game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6. Taysom Hill (ribs) has been ruled out and while he isn't utilized as a traditional tight end his absence does leave the door open for more opportunities for others. With Derek Carr (oblique) sidelined due to injury, Spencer Rattler might look for the big-bodied tight end as a safety valve as is often the case for rookie quarterbacks. Even with the allowances for optimism, the fact of the matter is that Johnson is not a priority in the Saints' offense. He rates as a low-end TE2 in Week 6 and should be avoided in most leagues.

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Darius Slayton Oct 12 4:00am ET
Darius Slayton

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton is coming off his best performance of the season, posting 122 yards on eight receptions (15.3 yards per catch) in a Week 5 win over the Seattle Seahawks. Slayton has become a key target with 244 yards and one touchdown on the season, especially with injuries in the receiving corps (most notably, Malik Nabers). In Week 6, he faces a Cincinnati Bengals defense that ranks 18th against the pass, allowing 214 yards per game and 10 receiving touchdowns. Given Slayton's ability to stretch the field and his three end-zone targets this season, he's a solid flex play with the potential for a big day against a vulnerable secondary.

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Tyrone Tracy Jr. Oct 12 3:50am ET
Tyrone Tracy Jr.

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. has shown flashes of potential this season, rushing for 158 yards on 5.3 yards per carry, but has yet to find the end zone either as a runner or receiver. In Week 5's 29-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, Tracy was efficient on limited touches, contributing 129 rushing yards on 18 carries in his first start. Facing the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6, Tracy can exploit a defense that's been vulnerable on the ground, as the Bengals have allowed 126 rushing yards per game in 2024. Tracy could start again in this game and see the majority of work if Devin Singletary sits out due to injury (he is officially questionable).

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Daniel Jones Oct 12 3:30am ET
Daniel Jones

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones has had a solid start to the 2024 season, with 1,138 passing yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions through five games. Coming off a 29-20 win against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5, where he threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns, Jones will look to build momentum against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6. The Bengals' pass defense ranks 18th in the NFL, allowing 214 passing yards per game and 19.63 fantasy points to quarterbacks (28th in the league), making this a favorable matchup. With Cincinnati giving up two passing touchdowns per game, Jones has a solid chance to post another multi-touchdown outing, making him a viable streaming option for fantasy managers.

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Cam Little Oct 12 1:30am ET
Cam Little

Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little might have a tougher time against the Chicago Bears in London than he did in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts. The Jaguars put up 37 points against the Colts, giving Little a 13-point performance. The rookie kicker now has two straight weeks of double-digit fantasy production. Little has been accurate so far this season, only missing one field back in Week 2. The Bears defense has been good overall so far, but that has meant decent fantasy outputs from opposing kickers. The Bears have given up 10 field goals on 12 attempts through five games, meaning if the Jaguars do manage to move the ball, they could be in for multiple field goal attempts. The Jaguars offense has looked better lately and could be returning two starting weapons in Gabe Davis and Evan Engram. Little serves as a mid-tier fantasy play in Week 6 in London.

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Robert Woods Oct 12 1:20am ET
Robert Woods

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Joe Flacco Oct 12 1:20am ET
Joe Flacco

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense/special teams unit is best left out of starting lineups in most leagues even with a decent London matchup with the Chicago Bears. The Jaguars defense just hasn't cut it both from an NFL and fantasy football standpoint. They are coming off allowing 34 points to Joe Flacco and the Indianapolis Colts, and only have forced two turnovers all season (a forced fumble in each of the last two games). The only thing the defense has going for them is sacks, which they couldn't even manage in Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills, giving them a negative output for the week. As one of the worst defenses in the NFL, it is hard to trust them in fantasy against any opponent. Caleb Williams had some early rookie struggles, which could mean more turnovers forced than usual, but the Bears offense has looked better lately and should score plenty of points. Fantasy managers should avoid the Jaguars D/ST in Week 6 and beyond.

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Dameon Pierce Oct 12 1:00am ET
Dameon Pierce

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) is off the injury report for Sunday's game against the Patriots. The 24-year-old has been sidelined since last appearing in Week 1 versus the Colts, when he finished with three carries for 16 yards. With Joe Mixon (ankle) potentially also returning for this one, Pierce's fantasy outlook isn't promising. However, even if Mixon misses another contest, Pierce will likely back up Dare Ogunbowale and Cam Akers, who have been handling things out of the backfield.

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Hunter Henry Oct 12 12:50am ET
Hunter Henry

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry lacks much fantasy appeal heading into Week 6 against the Houston Texans, but he could see a slight boost in his value with Drake Maye installed as the team's new starting quarterback over Jacoby Brissett. Tight ends are typically productive when playing with backup or rookie quarterbacks because their height, physicality, and shorter routes make them a valuable security option for signal-callers who need some help in the short passing game. As a result, even though Henry has more than two catches in just one game this season, he should jump into the low-end TE2 tier as he supports Maye in his first NFL start.

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Aaron Rodgers Oct 12 12:50am ET
Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (ankle) was limited in Friday's practice. He was also limited on Thursday because of a sprained ankle suffered during the loss to the Minnesota Vikings. However, barring a setback, the signal-caller should be good to go for Monday's divisional clash with the Buffalo Bills. Rodgers hasn't had the best 2024-25 campaign, throwing for 1,093 yards, seven touchdowns, and four interceptions while completing 61.0% of his throws. With the Jets looking for answers, the team resorted to firing Robert Saleh and naming Jeff Ulbrich as the interim head coach. But unless things change on the offensive side of the ball for New York moving ahead, Rodgers is a shaky fantasy option in any format.

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Tyler Conklin Oct 12 12:50am ET
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New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin (hip) logged another limited practice on Friday. The 29-year-old picked up a hip injury during Sunday's loss to the Vikings in London. However, he is expected to suit up in the Monday night divisional clash with the Buffalo Bills, barring a setback. Conklin hasn't been a consistent fantasy tight end this season. Yet, he's had five or more catches in two of the Jets' five games this season. Although he's still a risky fantasy option in any format, especially if Aaron Rodgers (ankle) doesn't play, the upside is there for those in need of a streaming option in Week 6.

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Joey Slye Oct 12 12:50am ET
Joey Slye

New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye finds himself off the fantasy radar heading into Week 6 against the Houston Texans. Slye had a promising start to the season, but now he's 9-for-11 on field goals, averaging fewer than two made three-point tries per game. He does have a powerful leg that can generate plenty of distance, which could be helpful this week if New England's Drake Maye-led offense can't get too far beyond midfield. On the other hand, the Texans are a powerful team and enter this weekend as heavy favorites, so scoring opportunities could be few and far between for New England. All in all, Slye has shown flashes of promise, but his field goal percentage and matchup make him tough to trust as a streamer heading into Sunday's contest.

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Demario Douglas Oct 12 12:40am ET
Demario Douglas

New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas has been peppered with targets lately, and that trend should continue when he faces the Houston Texans at home in Week 6. The 23-year-old receiver has nine targets in two of his last three games, and he's averaging seven targets per game over the last three weeks. His production has been solid while catching passes from Jacoby Brissett, and he figures to get a boost with Drake Maye taking over as the Patriots' starting quarterback this Sunday. While wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk has started to emerge as the top wide receiver in New England, Douglas remains a high-volume pass-catcher with significant appeal in PPR leagues. He remains a WR3/FLEX play in leagues with at least 14 teams.

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Antonio Gibson Oct 12 12:30am ET
Antonio Gibson

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson will start against the Houston Texans in Week 6 with Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) already ruled out. Gibson is on track to make his second consecutive start, but this time, he won't have to worry about Stevenson overtaking him early in the game. The former Commanders running back has the top role in the backfield all to himself, and his versatility as a runner and pass-catcher make him an appealing option in all fantasy leagues, regardless of scoring format. Gibson is averaging 69 scrimmage yards per game over the last four weeks but is still looking for his first touchdown of the 2024 season. It should be noted that the Patriots made a quarterback change this week, replacing Jacoby Brissett with No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye. While Maye is less proven and could face some adversity behind a porous offensive line, he also has higher upside while leading New England's offense. Gibson ranks as a RB3/FLEX in fantasy football this week.

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Christian Kirk Oct 12 12:30am ET
Christian Kirk

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk is still a decent starting option in a Week 6 trip to London, but is a bit risky of a play against a tough Chicago Bears secondary. With the potential returns of wide receiver Gabe Davis and tight end Evan Engram, Kirk could suddenly have much more competition for targets. He still should serve as a good intermediate passing option for Trevor Lawrence, but he doesn't quite have the big play potential of Brian Thomas Jr., or the ability to be a mismatch like Engram. Kirk seems to have a decent floor after settling in over the past three weeks, but his upside should be limited. As long as Trevor Lawrence can move the ball somewhat, he should be fine fantasy-wise. Kirk fantasy managers should try to find higher upside options for their flex if they can, but they can do much worse than the veteran receiver in Week 6.

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Rashod Bateman Oct 12 12:30am ET
Rashod Bateman

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (groin) will suit up for Sunday's matchup with the Commanders. The 24-year-old didn't practice on Wednesday and was limited in Thursday's session. Fortunately, he was back on Friday, clearing him for Week 6. Washington has struggled against opposing wideouts in 2024-25. Still, Bateman's fantasy success is contingent mainly on whether or not he'll find the end zone, considering he has three or fewer catches in four games this season. However, he at least garners flex consideration for the favorable matchup.

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Ja'Lynn Polk Oct 12 12:30am ET
Ja'Lynn Polk

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk will look to capitalize on expanded opportunities while catching passes from Drake Maye, who was installed as the team's starting quarterback over Jacoby Brissett heading into Week 6. Polk got off to a slow start early in his rookie campaign but has come around strong lately, commanding 13 targets over his last two games. He played every single offensive snap last Sunday, caught his first career touchdown in Week 2, and almost had another score in Week 5 if not for his foot just barely stepping out of bounds. We don't know exactly what type of role Polk will have in his first game with Maye, but he's trending toward becoming the Patriots' No. 1 receiver. He's worth deploying as a WR3 in deep fantasy leagues, but managers must remember he has a low floor.

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Drake Maye Oct 12 12:20am ET
Drake Maye

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who was the No. 3 overall pick in 2024 and is slated to make his first career start in Week 6 against the Houston Texans, has undeniable upside but is not yet a worthwhile option in most fantasy football leagues. Maye takes over the reins of the Patriots after Jacoby Brissett led them to a 1-4 start, but he could face some initial adversity throwing to an uninspiring wide receiver corps behind one of the NFL's most porous offensive lines. Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) is also sidelined this week, leaving New England without one of its most productive offensive playmakers. In the end, Maye, who played a few snaps at the end of Week 4 against the New York Jets, could inject some life into the Patriots' offense but doesn't project to play well enough to justify adding him in redraft leagues.

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