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.
Bender's DFS Pickem Plays: Divisional Round
The Houston Chronicle's Jonathan M. Alexander reports that Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is not in danger of being fired after a tough second season in charge of the offense. Houston's offense looked better in two playoff games, but overall they regressed in 2024 as they finished 19th in scoring offense and averaged 21.9 points per game (19th) while ranking 22nd in average yards per game (319.7) and 21st in passing offense. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has been non-committal on the status of the entire coaching staff since losing to the Chiefs in the Divisional Round on Saturday, although quarterback C.J. Stroud has endorsed Slowik. Most of the Texans' struggles on offense came in pass protection, as they allowed Stroud to be sacked 52 times after he was sacked only 38 times in his rookie year in 2023. He was sacked a career-high-tying eight times in the loss to the Chiefs.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | The Broncos are not expected to re-sign running back Javonte Williams. Dynasty Analysis: Williams just hasn't been able to recover from his injuries over the past couple of seasons and look like he once did as a promising young prospect. Williams looks like a player who has lost a lot of his explosiveness and Denver really didn't even use him that much this year, leaning on more of a committee than anything else. Now a free agent, Williams will likely look to get a fresh start elsewhere. His dynasty value continues to sink.
Dynasty | The Colts have been linked to Justin Fields in free agency. Dynasty Analysis: Fields played relatively well for the Steelers before being replaced by Russell Wilson this off-season. With the Colts still not entirely sold on Anthony Richardson, this could be more than just off-season smoke. Regardless, Fields will look to latch on to a team where he could compete to start and his dynasty value may rise this off-season if he gets that chance.
Dynasty | The Bears hired Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson as their new Head Coach. Dynasty Analysis: Wow. Most thought Johnson would land a job somewhere, but few believed Chicago was going to be the best of his choices. He clearly must believe in the talent of Williams and this move has to be seen as a positive one for the Chicago offense as Johnson has proven to be both creative and productive on that side of the ball - something the Bears haven't exactly been known for as of late. Williams could be on the "buy low" side of the dynasty rankings this off-season, especially as his rookie season continues to be overshadowed by Jayden Daniels.
ESPN's Adam Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday that Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is "not rushing to become a head coach again." A recent report suggested that Kingsbury will not interview for any head-coaching jobs around the league until the Commanders are eliminated from the postseason, and most of the head-coach jobs may be filled by then anyways. Schefter also says that he thinks Kingsbury is happy in D.C. and has an incredible young quarterback in rookie Jayden Daniels to work with. Kingsbury's head-coaching tenure with the Arizona Cardinals didn't go so well, so he may not be rushing to become a head coach again so quickly, especially since he's still being paid by Arizona. The most alluring head-coach job (if it's still open) for Kingsbury will no doubt be with the Dallas Cowboys.
From RotoBaller
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Jacksonville Jaguars will hold in-person, second interviews this week for their vacant head-coaching position with former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen. Saleh's second meeting with the team will come on Friday. He has also interviewed for the head-coaching jobs for the Raiders and Cowboys. If Saleh does not get the head-coaching gig in Jacksonville, he could return to San Francisco to be the defensive coordinator for the 49ers in a second stint. In a surprising move, the New York Jets fired Saleh in 2024 after just five games. The Jaguars are looking to replace Doug Pederson, who was fired right after the regular season after two years at the helm.
From RotoBaller
According to ESPN's Ed Werder, the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders run-game coordinator/running backs coach Anthony Lynn have mutual interest in Dallas' open head-coach job. However, with the Commanders upsetting the top-seeded Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round, Dallas won't be able to interview Lynn or Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury for at least another week. Lynn has a history with the Cowboys, serving as their RBs coach in 2005-06 under head coach Bill Parcells. Dallas finished third in rushing touchdowns in 2006 under Lynn thanks to the work of Marion Barber. In addition to his time in Dallas, Lynn was the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers and went 33-31 in his four years at the helm. The Cowboys are searching for a new head coach this offseason after letting Mike McCarthy go after five years following the 2024 season.
From RotoBaller
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the Indianapolis Colts are expected to hire former Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo as their new defensive coordinator. It's a big hire for head coach Shane Steichen's staff, and Anarumo will take over for Gus Bradley, who was fired after the 2024 season. The Colts defense was a disappointment under Bradley this year, falling to 29th in yards allowed per game (361.2). Anarumo also struggled in 2024 with the Bengals -- they finished 26th in point allowed per drive and 30th in red-zone efficiency -- but the 58-year-old coach has built impressive defenses in Cincy in past seasons. He's known for his creativity in disguising coverages and being aggressive with his blitz packages.
From RotoBaller
The New Orleans Saints are setting up an in-person interview with former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy sometime this week, a source told NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill. After parting way with the Cowboys last week, McCarthy has become a popular head-coaching candidate around the league and interviewed for the Chicago Bears' head-coach job over the weekend. McCarthy has history in New Orleans after serving as the team's offensive coordinator under head coach Jim Haslett from 2000-04. He then was the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers before going 125-77-2 with a Super Bowl title in his tenure as the Green Bay Packers head coach. In his five seasons as the Cowboys' head coach, McCarthy went 49-35, but his failure in the postseason is ultimately what led to Dallas moving on.
From RotoBaller
The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson writes that the Denver Broncos are not expected to re-sign impending free-agent running back Javonte Williams this offseason. Williams, a former second-round pick in 2021 out of North Carolina, entered the 2024 season as the team's unquestioned lead back, but poor efficiency on the ground led to the Broncos going with a committee approach in the backfield halfway through the year that also involved Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime. The 24-year-old came into the NFL as a bruising, tackle-breaking lead-back option for Denver, but since suffering a torn ACL in his sophomore season in 2022, he has not been the same, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry while combining for 1,287 rushing yards and only seven rushing TDs the last two seasons. Despite leading Denver with 513 rushing yards in 2024, Williams will likely struggle to find a lead-back role on the open market.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (knee) injured his left knee and was in the medical tent briefly in Sunday's Divisional Round win against the visiting Los Angeles Rams. Although Hurts returned to the game, head coach Nick Sirianni didn't have much of an update on the star QB on Monday during his press conference. After the win when asked how he was feeling, Hurt simply said, "I finished the game." Sirianni said the Eagles will know more on Hurts' status for the NFC Championship on Sunday versus the division-rival Washington Commanders in the coming days. It's unclear exactly what the nature of Hurts' knee injury is, but with trip to the Super Bowl on the line, we're expecting him to do everything in his power to be out there. We'll have a better idea on his status when Philly releases their first injury report of the week on Wednesday. In the Week 11 win over the Commanders, Hurts went 18-for-28 for 221 yards, no TDs or interceptions and added 10 carries for 39 yards and a TD on the ground.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said that it's too early to place a timetable on whether wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) will be able to play in 2025. Ryans won't speculate on whether the Texans will be searching for another receiver this offseason because of Dell's serious injury. In the Dec. 21 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the 25-year-old second-year wideout tore his ACL, MCL and LCL, dislocated his knee and suffered damage to his meniscus. He underwent the first of multiple surgeries last week, and it's very possible that he won't be able to play at all in the 2025 regular season. If Dell makes it back, he also might never be the same on the football field for the Texans as an explosive downfield threat in the passing attack. We should know more about his status for next season once training camp rolls around. Dell finished 2024 with 51 catches (81 targets) for 667 yards and three TDs in 14 games.
From RotoBaller
Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Chicago Bears are finalizing a deal to hire former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their next head coach. Well, that happened fast. Just two days after falling to the Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round, Johnson is on the move. The South Carolina native took over as OC for the Lions in 2022 and has excelled in his role. Over that three-season stretch, Detroit has averaged a league-best 29 points per game, finishing fifth (26.6), fifth (27.4), and first (33.1) in that time. He'll now head to Chicago and work with sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams and young, talented wideouts D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze. Johnson was considered one of the top coaching candidates on the market last winter, and he's finally in transit to his former division foes.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins hauled in 1-of-2 targets for 12 yards in Sunday night's 27-25 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Hollins saw a target on the Bills' first play from scrimmage -- a deep shot up the left sideline ~30 yards down-field that quarterback Josh Allen put just beyond his fingertips. Though, it is worth noting that he short-armed it a bit. The 31-year-old's next -- and last target -- would come midway through the fourth, and he was fired up about it after gaining a first down. With Allen attempting just 22 passes and Buffalo's ground game scoring all three touchdowns, he and the other pass-catchers were not needed much besides fellow wideout Khalil Shakir (6/67). He'll get another shot at production against the Chiefs in the Conference Championship but will be tough to trust as a reliable option with only two post-season receptions.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills placekicker Tyler Bass connected on all three extra-point attempts and both field goal tries in his team's 27-25 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Bass has been excellent since the calendar turned to December, with a missed extra point being his only blemish since Week 16. The 27-year-old failed to connect on ten total attempts in 2024 (five field goals) but went 4-for-4 on tries of 50+, including a 61-yarder. Even in the snow, he was able to drill one through from 51 yards out. With a Conference Championship bout on Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs on the horizon, the sixth-year pro should be afforded plenty more opportunities to knock through some kicks. The Bills and Chiefs matchup features a healthy 48-point over/under.
From RotoBaller
When asked about wide receiver Mecole Hardman's (knee) status for their meeting with the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid remarked, "We'll see how that goes," per Charles Goldman of AtoZSports.com. "I haven't made any decisions on that yet," said Reid -- "He's worked hard to try and get himself back." Hardman has been shelved since early December after sustaining a knee injury at practice that required cleanup surgery. The Georgia native appeared in 12 games, recording only 12 catches and 90 yards -- sans a touchdown. However, he was a valuable kick returner for the team, averaging 13.4 yards per touch on special teams. Hardman returned to practice last week in a limited capacity, but it appears like he's not yet ready for in-game action. With Kansas City squaring off against Buffalo on Sunday night, we'll see if he can elevate his practice status ahead of the Chiefs' first injury report on Wednesday.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions defensive back Amik Robertson (arm) underwent surgery to fix the broken humerus he suffered in the team's 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders this past Saturday. The NFL's Tom Pelissero reported the news. The sixth-year DB picked up the injury early on in the contest while tackling Commanders' wideout Terry McLaurin. Though he was initially deemed questionable to return, Robertson would later be ruled out. The Louisiana Tech product was coming off one of his better seasons as a pro, notching 50 tackles and forcing three fumbles. Reportedly, the surgery was a success, and per Pelissero -- he's expected to be ready for offseason workouts.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman registered the best season of his career and capped it off with another touchdown in the loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The fourth-year wideout out of Minnesota finished the game with four receptions on five targets for 66 yards and a touchdown which brought his total to 11 touchdowns between the regular and postseason. Most of his damage came in the first half along with his 16-yard catch that kicked off all of the scoring in the opening drive. Bateman still has another year left on his contract, so he's likely looking at more of the same role going into the 2025 season.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely stepped up again with Zay Flowers (knee) missing another playoff game but it ultimately wasn't enough as they fell by two points to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Likely ended the game with four receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown on five targets. While he wasn't the most targeted out of all of the pass-catchers, he did lead them in yards with one fewer reception than Mark Andrews. Likely had more than a few flashes of brilliance this season which could have earned him some more snaps heading into the 2025 season. A lot will depend on the off-season moves that the Ravens make to try to get over the hump in the playoffs.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews turned in another big-time season and was one of the most dependable pass-catchers on the team for a long time. Unfortunately, he made two crucial mistakes in the second half of the 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round. The veteran finished with five receptions for 61 yards on seven targets and two carries for three yards. What's going to be the most memorable are the back-to-back drives that ended in Andrews' mistakes to end the game. He fumbled in the second to last drive, then he saw the potential game-tying catch go right off of his hands without a defender near him. Despite the rough game, he should still remain a top fantasy option at the position next season.
From RotoBaller