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FFL: Playoff Week 3 | NFL: Week 17

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
Cameron Dicker Dec 26 8:20pm ET
Cameron Dicker

Los Angeles Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker will look for another strong game in a Week 17 matchup against the New England Patriots. Dicker has been a top-five fantasy kicker this season and there's no reason to think he won't end up with a top-10 finish in this game. With the Chargers favored over the Patriots, Dicker should see several chances to put up points, although he's not likely to get another chance at Week 16's exciting fair catch free kick.

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Joshua Karty Dec 26 8:10pm ET
Joshua Karty

Los Angeles Rams kicker Joshua Karty went 2-for-2 on field-goal attempts last week and 1-for-2 on extra-point attempts, but this week, he'll be in much more favorable conditions at home and kicking against the Cardinals, who have been a top-10 matchup for kickers this season. On the year, the rookie from Stanford is 23-for-28 on field-goal attempts and 30-for-34 on extra-point attempts. Despite playing indoors, he has been more productive on the road, partly because he has gotten more road opportunities since the Rams' offense is more effective at SoFi Stadium. Karty is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 16 kicker this week, so in most formats, you can probably find a better option. However, since he ranks in the middle of the pack, he isn't an awful play, either.

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Josh Palmer Dec 26 8:10pm ET
Josh Palmer

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer is too risky to trust in a critical Week 17 fantasy week. The Chargers will take on the New England Patriots on Saturday, and while that's a good matchup for Palmer, he's been playing in much more of a support role in the Bolts passing game than anything close to a featured one. He's had one week with double-digit fantasy points in the past seven games, and while he's developed a floor of around three or four fantasy points, that's not something you want to rely on in most league's fantasy championship week. Palmer is best left on the bench or the waiver wire in most formats.

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Matthew Wright Dec 26 8:10pm ET
Matthew Wright

The Tennessee Titans signed free-agent kicker Matthew Wright to their practice squad on Thursday. Nick Folk (abdomen) has not practiced this week and is danger of missing another game in Week 17 when the team takes on the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars. Brayden Narveson filled in at kicker in the Week 16 loss to the Indianapolis Colts and missed his only field-goal attempt, which prompted the team to waive him this week. So if Folk is ruled out on Friday, the 28-year-old Wright will be added to the 53-man roster by Saturday to serve as the kicker on Sunday. Wright has appeared in three games in 2024 with the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs and has gone 11-for-12 on field goals and 5-for-5 on extra points. He's been solid in a small sample size but should be ignored in fantasy lineups in Week 17 if Folk is ruled out for Tennessee.

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Stone Smartt Dec 26 8:10pm ET
Stone Smartt

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Stone Smartt could remain as the starter in Week 17 against the New England Patriots, but that remains to be seen. Fellow tight ends Will Dissly (shoulder) and Hayden Hurst (illness) are both listed as questionable. Dissly missed the past two games but practiced in full on Thursday after logging two limited practices earlier in the week. Hurst practiced in a limited fashion on Wednesday but was listed as DNP on both Tuesday and Thursday. Dissly would be the bigger threat to Smartt's fantasy value. If Dissly is able to play, Smartt is best left on most fantasy benches, but he could have some lower-end TE1 value if he's the only active tight end on the LA offense.

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Quentin Johnston Dec 26 8:00pm ET
Quentin Johnston

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston will have another good matchup where he can try to find some consistency in Week 17 against the New England Patriots. Johnston has had a boom-or-bust season without too many huge booms. In the past four games, he has either finished as a top-25 fantasy receiver or outside of the top-80. The Patriots defense hasn't done much to slow down opposing wide receivers, so Johnston could find himself in more of a WR2 boom week. His floor is always close to zero, but he should be able to put some points up this week.

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Tyler Boyd Dec 26 8:00pm ET
Tyler Boyd

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd (foot) missed a second straight practice this week on Thursday. Boyd suffered a foot injury in last week's loss to the Indianapolis Colts and is now in danger of having to sit out this Sunday's divisional contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 30-year-old veteran will need to return to practice on Friday to avoid being ruled out entirely. In Tennessee's lackluster offense and low-volume passing attack in 2024, Boyd hasn't really been on the fantasy map while working behind WR1 Calvin Ridley. In 15 games in his first year with the Titans, Boyd has a mere 37 receptions on 53 targets for 376 yards and no touchdowns. He has not had more than six receptions or 55 yards receiving in a single game in 2024. In the last four games, he has just eight catches for 103 yards. Avoid Boyd in Week 17.

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Sterling Shepard Dec 26 7:50pm ET
Sterling Shepard

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard (foot, hamstring) was listed as a non-participant in practice for the second straight day on Thursday. Shepard is now in danger of sitting out the Week 17 contest against the division-rival Carolina Panthers this Sunday. He will likely need to return to the practice field on Friday to avoid being ruled out entirely. Tight end Cade Otton (knee) also hasn't practiced this week and is on track to miss a second straight game. Shepard injured his hamstring in the Week 16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The 31-year-old missing this weekend's game would mean that Ryan Miller and Trey Palmer would compete for WR3 duties behind Mike Evans and rookie Jalen McMillan. When healthy, Shepard has been a hard sell as a WR4/5, even in deep fantasy leagues. He's scored just once on the year and has two catches for 36 yards in the last two games.

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Tyler Higbee Dec 26 7:50pm ET
Tyler Higbee

Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee made his long-anticipated return last week following an ACL injury sustained last January, and this week he'll continue that comeback against the Cardinals on Saturday night. In Week 16, he was limited to just 14 snaps and had only one catch, but it was a memorable one since he scored a pivotal touchdown in the Rams' win over the Jets. While Higbee was sidelined, Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen, and Hunter Long shared responsibilities but none emerged as fantasy options. In his return, Higbee did not suffer any reported setbacks and should be able to continue to ramp up his involvement this week in a favorable matchup against the Cardinals. However, since he's still in a reduced role in an offense with multiple pass-catchers, Higbee is only RotoBaller's TE35 this week.

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Trey Benson Dec 26 7:40pm ET
Trey Benson

Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Trey Benson (ankle) was limited in practice all week and is considered questionable to play in Week 17 on Saturday night against the hosting division-rival Los Angeles Rams. Lead back James Conner (knee) was also limited in practice all week and questionable for Week 17. Head coach Jonathan Gannon said he's uncertain about the statuses of both Conner and Benson heading into Saturday night. Benson, who did not play in the team's Week 16 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers, would only be worth a look in fantasy as an RB3/flex if he returns and Conner is ruled out. If both Arizona backs are unable to gain clearance, the Cardinals would likely split the backfield touches amongst DeeJay Dallas and Michael Carter. The 21-year-old Benson is averaging 4.6 yards per carry in his first 13 NFL games, but he's been afforded only 63 carries behind Conner.

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Matt Prater Dec 26 7:40pm ET
Matt Prater

Arizona Cardinals kicker Matt Prater (knee) was limited in practice all week but was ruled out on Friday for the team's Week 17 divisional contest against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday night. Prater had his 21-day practice window opened to return from Injured Reserve last weekend and has been limited in six practices. However, the 40-year-old will not be activated from IR, and with the regular-season finale being next weekend with the Cardinals eliminated from the playoff picture, we have a suspicion that he will not play again this year. With Prater out again this weekend against the Rams, Chad Ryland will once again fill in as the starting placekicker. In an inconsistent Arizona offense now with nothing left to play for but pride, Ryland won't be a recommended fantasy starter in Week 17. The 25-year-old has made 25 of his 29 field-goal tries and all 21 of his extra points in 11 games with Arizona in 2024.

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Blake Corum Dec 26 7:40pm ET
Blake Corum

Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum continues to be minimally involved every week in the Rams' rushing attack. The rookie from Michigan had five carries for 14 yards last week and also had a 32-yard run which was called back due to an illegal motion penalty. Corum does bring an element of explosiveness to the offense, but his role is still extremely limited. He typically plays a drive or two early in the game, and Kyren Williams handles the rest of the work. He has the potential to break out and is in a favorable matchup, but he is only RotoBaller's RB52 this week since his role is so limited and Williams has had so much success.

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Hassan Haskins Dec 26 7:30pm ET
Hassan Haskins

Los Angeles Chargers running back Hassan Haskins could have a larger role than usual in a Week 17 game against the New England Patriots. With Gus Edwards (ankle) ruled out and J.K. Dobbins (knee) questionable after missing the past four games, Haskins and rookie Kimani Vidal could split the backfield in a game in which the Chargers are favored. If Dobbins is able to play, Haskins likely won't have fantasy value, but if it gets down to just Haskins and Vidal, both should have decent floors with higher ceilings than usual.

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Kyren Williams Dec 26 7:30pm ET
Kyren Williams

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams continues to grind out big games every week, and he remains a strong starting option this week against the Cardinals on Saturday night. Williams has over 100 rushing yards in three of his last four games after finishing with 122 rushing yards and a touchdown in last week's win over the Jets. He also hauled in his only target for an additional seven yards. Williams' touchdown gives him 15 scores on the season, tied for fourth-most in the NFL. Williams will set a new career-high if he scores another touchdown this season, and he already set a personal best with 1,243 rushing yards. The Cardinals should be a good matchup for him this week since they have allowed 14 touchdowns and an average of 108.7 rushing yards per week to running backs this year. In such a good spot, Williams is RotoBaller's RB8 this week, making him a must-start in most formats for Week 17.

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Tyreek Hill Dec 26 7:30pm ET
Tyreek Hill

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist, rest) remained limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Hill continues to be listed on Miami's injury report with a wrist injury that he's dealt with pretty much all year. He hasn't missed any games because of it, though, and that won't happen this Sunday in Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns. In all likelihood, the 30-year-old speedster will practice in full on Friday and be removed from the final injury report. In the Week 16 win over the San Francisco 49ers with Jaylen Waddle (knee) out, the Cheetah only caught three of his seven targets for 29 yards, but he also managed to find paydirt for the third time in the last four games. Regardless of whether Waddle plays this weekend, Hill should be considered a must-start high-end WR2/low-end WR1 for fantasy matchups in Week 17.

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Ladd McConkey Dec 26 7:30pm ET
Ladd McConkey

Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey is set up for a strong performance in a Week 17 Saturday game against the New England Patriots. McConkey has been a top-25 fantasy receiver for five straight games (skipping Week 14, where he did not play), and should be right in those same rankings again this week. The Patriots defense has been pretty generous to opposing wide receivers, and McConkey should once again be the focal point of the Chargers offense, especially with injuries in the running game making it likely that the Bolts will need to pass early and often. McConkey has a high floor like usual with an even higher ceiling than most weeks.

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Zach Ertz Dec 26 7:20pm ET
Zach Ertz

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (shoulder, rest) returned to full practice on Thursday after he was rested in Wednesday's session. Ertz had a three-game stretch of finding the end zone in each game from Weeks 11-13, but in two games since the team's Week 14 bye, he's caught only three of four targets for 37 yards and no touchdowns. The 34-year-old will likely be removed from Friday's final injury report and should be active this Sunday when the team takes on the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football. Ertz will be looking to get more involved in the passing attack in that one against a Falcons defense that has surprisingly only allowed 8.3 full-PPR points per game to the TE position. As he has been pretty all season, Ertz checks in as a touchdown-dependent TE2 heading into Sunday night's game in Week 17.

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Kimani Vidal Dec 26 7:20pm ET
Kimani Vidal

Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Kimani Vidal could end up in the starting role in a Week 17 game against the New England Patriots. Starter J.K. Dobbins (knee) has missed four games and is listed as questionable for this matchup and fill-in starter Gus Edwards (ankle) has already been ruled out. There's a chance that Dobbins is able to return and if he does he'll likely lead the backfield, but if Dobbins is also ruled out or limited in the game, Vidal would rise to the top of the depth chart and share it with Hassan Haskins. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on pre-game warmup reports, if Dobbins can't suit up, Vidal could be a solid RB2 option with a rather high floor.

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Dyami Brown Dec 26 7:20pm ET
Dyami Brown

Washington Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown (hamstring) was listed as a DNP for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Brown injured his hamstring in the Week 16 win over the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles and will now need to practice on Friday in some fashion to avoid being ruled out in Week 17 as the team takes on the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night. Even if the 25-year-old pass-catcher is able to practice on Friday and suit up on Sunday against the Falcons, he won't be much of an upside play as a flex option in deeper fantasy leagues despite a plus matchup. In his fourth year with the Commanders, Brown has a career-high 27 receptions for 292 yards and one touchdown on his 36 targets over 15 games played (two starts). Olamide Zaccheaus will probably be the biggest beneficiary in the offense if Brown is unable to play this weekend.

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Justin Herbert Dec 26 7:10pm ET
Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has a good matchup against the New England Patriots defense in Week 17. The Bolts and Pats will play on Saturday afternoon in New England, where Herbert will look to build on his overall QB7 against the Broncos in Week 16. Herbert looked much healthier last week, showing much more mobility on his injured ankle. He did not appear on the injury report at all heading into this game, his first time totally off the report in weeks. With running backs Gus Edwards (ankle) out and J.K. Dobbins (knee) questionable at best, the Chargers may need to rely on the passing game even though they are favored in this game. Herbert has a nice ceiling in this one and a fairly high floor as well.

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