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FFL: Week 2 | NFL: Week 2

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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Fantasy Preview: Week 2

Player Notes
Tua Tagovailoa Sep 13 2:13am ET
Tua Tagovailoa

Dynasty | Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa left Thursday night's game against Buffalo with a concussion. Dynasty Analysis: Tagovailoa tried to scramble to pick up a first down and sustained a head injury as he went down on a hard hit. Again, it was another scary sight as Tua went into the "fencing" position and it was immediately apparent he had suffered another serious head injury, reminiscent to what happened two years ago. This is significant as Tua had made it an entire season after enduring some scary concussions in 2022 and many are speculating already that he may consider retirement again (he has admitted he considered it in 2022) after this happened tonight. It's way too early to guess on what may transpire but it's also very apparent Tagovailoa is going to have some serious soul searching to do when he recovers. In short, this is scary.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Raheem Mostert Sep 13 2:13am ET
Raheem Mostert

Dynasty | Dolphins running back De'Von Achane had 96 rushing yards, seven receptions, 69 receiving yards and a touchdown in Miami's blowout loss to Buffalo. Dynasty Analysis: Achane was questionable entering the night but clearly performed more than admirably, leading the Dolphins in virtually every major statistical category. Raheem Mostert could be back as soon as next week, so Achane could have his workload scaled back. However, we've seen enough over the past season (and more) to say Achane is a lineup lock moving forward. He should be a matchup-proof option moving forward and his dynasty value seems to actually be trending up, despite it already being high. The best part of all this is he seemed to exit this game healthy and now has a nice break before the Dolphins play again in week three.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

James Cook Sep 13 2:13am ET
James Cook

Dynasty | Bills running back James Cook had 78 rushing yards, one catch, 17 receiving yards and three touchdowns in a TNF blowout win against the Dolphins. Dynasty Analysis: On a night where the defense was solid, Cook simply dominated the game from start to finish. After a quiet game last week, Cook clearly stated his case to be in the RB1 discussion with tonight's performance. We'll need to see more consistency from him moving forward, but it's clear his dynasty arrow is pointing straight up at the moment.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Keon Coleman Sep 13 2:13am ET
Keon Coleman

Dynasty | Bills rookie receiver Keon Coleman failed to record a catch in the Bills TNF win against the Dolphins. Dynasty Analysis: Well, this is a major buzzkill. Still, it needs to be taken with a grain of salt as Buffalo controlled this game from the start and rarely had to even throw the ball. Coleman has four catches for 51 yards on the season and while that's not great, it's still very early. He needs to be out of fantasy lineups until we see some production, but we may actually be seeing a quick "buy low" opportunity for dynasty owners. In short, it's not time to panic.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Cam Little Sep 13 2:10am ET
Cam Little

Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little should be dropped in most leagues for Week 2 in a tough matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Little did nail a 53-yard field goal in Week 1, but the Jaguars only put up 17 points, giving Little seven fantasy points total. The rookie kicker did prove he has the leg to hit long field goals, but against the stout Browns defense, field goals and extra points may be hard to come by. The Browns were third-best against kickers in fantasy last season, meaning there should be plenty of better kicking options on waivers for fantasy managers to pick up. The Jaguars may look much better on offense in Week 2, making Little a decent option going forward, but for now, fantasy managers should avoid starting Little besides really deep leagues.

From RotoBaller

Evan Engram Sep 13 1:30am ET
Evan Engram

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram had a rough Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins, posting only one catch for five yards. He did have four targets, which tied for the team lead, but in a lackluster offensive team performance, that isn't saying much. Engram will look to bounce back and show he is capable of playing like his TE2 finish in PPR leagues last year. However, Week 2 may be difficult for the 30-year-old, as he faces a stout Cleveland Browns defense that was elite against the pass last year. Establishing the run seems like the ideal strategy for the Jaguars, but they will have to throw the ball to someone. That leaves the door open for a potential mismatch like Engram to have a solid outing, and maybe catch a touchdown to produce a great fantasy outing. Engram is too talented at a shallow position to consider benching, but his upside is somewhat limited in a tough matchup.

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Tua Tagovailoa Sep 13 1:00am ET
Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead (shoulder) exited Thursday's game against the Buffalo Bills. He briefly returned to action but then exited again and was ruled out. As of now, the severity of Armstead's injury is unclear. On one hand, it was promising that he was able to come back in the game briefly, and it's also possible Miami kept him off the field as a precaution. On the other hand, if the injury is serious and will cost Armstead some time, Miami's offense will take a significant step back as a whole. The 33-year-old is a reliable, veteran presence on the offensive line. In addition to Armstead, the Dolphins are bracing for injury news regarding Tua Tagovailoa (concussion), Raheem Mostert (chest), and Jeff Wilson Jr. (oblique).

From RotoBaller

Matt Gay Sep 13 12:40am ET
Matt Gay

Indianapolis Colts kicker Matt Gay (hernia) was a full participant in practice on Thursday. He has now been listed as "full" for two consecutive days, suggesting he's back to 100 percent following a Week 1 absence. Barring any sort of setback, Gay should be able to operate as the Colts' primary kicker on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. With Indianapolis currently favored to win, there should be plenty of scoring opportunities for Gay. He's a low-end starter in most fantasy leagues this week.

From RotoBaller

Jeff Wilson Sep 13 12:20am ET
Jeff Wilson

Miami Dolphins running back Jeff Wilson Jr. (oblique) exited Thursday's game against the Buffalo Bills and did not return. He finished Week 2 with just two catches for 12 yards through the air. Miami is dealing with a plethora of offensive injuries. Not only are they short two running backs in Wilson and Raheem Mostert (chest), but quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) also suffered a very scary head injury during Thursday's game. If the Dolphins' injured players are sidelined for a while, we'll see a lot of De'Von Achane in the backfield with extra opportunities for rookie Jaylen Wright, too.

From RotoBaller

Darius Slayton Sep 13 12:20am ET
Darius Slayton

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (concussion protocol) was a limited participant in practice on Thursday. This is somewhat of an upgrade given that he wasn't able to practice at all on Wednesday. Still, he'll have to clear concussion protocol before the Giants can make him active in Week 2. If he does suit up, Slayton will benefit from a favorable matchup against the Washington Commanders as he looks to build on last week's three catches and 26 receiving yards. Even with a solid matchup on tap, Slayton lacks much fantasy appeal given his role in a struggling Daniel Jones-led offense.

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Josh Downs Sep 12 11:50pm ET
Josh Downs

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (ankle) was listed as a limited participant in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Downs suffered a left high-ankle sprain during training camp and did not recover enough to play in the Week 1 loss to the division-rival Houston Texans. The 23-year-old appears to be getting closer to making his 2024 debut, though, although it remains to be seen if he'll get the green light to play this Sunday at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers. Before injuring his ankle, Downs was lined up to be Indy's WR2 behind Michael Pittman Jr. Alec Pierce played 84% of the offensive snaps last week and caught three passes for 125 yards and a score, but Downs should work his way back into being one of quarterback Anthony Richardson's top targets when he returns. Downs is rostered in 22% of Yahoo leagues at the moment and is worth a pickup for WR depth.

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Tua Tagovailoa Sep 12 11:00pm ET
Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa left Thursday night's matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The veteran quarterback took a significant shot to the head/neck area, rushing for a first down on fourth down late in the third quarter. While he walked off the field under his own power, the Dolphins quickly ruled Tagovailoa out for the rest of the game with a concussion. The veteran has a well-known history of concussions, suffering several in his five-year NFL career. Skylar Thompson took over under center after Tagovailoa left the game. Hopefully, he can clear the concussion protocol in time for Miami's Week 3 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. If not, Thompson would get the start.

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Josh Reynolds Sep 12 10:10pm ET
Josh Reynolds

Denver Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds (Achilles) is a limited participant during Thursday's practice session. This is positive news after Reynolds didn't suit up for Wednesday's practice. He appears to be trending in the right direction ahead of the Week 2 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Reynolds hauled in five of his eight targets for 45 yards in the season opener. It's quite surprising to see Reynolds getting that many targets. It appears his fantasy value could be on the rise in Denver. Fantasy managers will have to check back for another update after Friday's practice. If he sits on Sunday, Marvin Mims Jr. or Troy Franklin could see increased snaps. Neither player would be an ideal streaming option for Week 2.

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Baylon Spector Sep 12 9:50pm ET
Baylon Spector

Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard (pectoral) is listed as questionable to return during Thursday's game against the Miami Dolphins. Bernard made two tackles before being forced to the sideline during the first half of the game. The Bills will likely wait until after halftime to decide whether or not Bernard will return to this contest. His absence would certainly be a hit to this defense considering he led the team with 11 tackles in the season opener. Baylon Spector is listed as second on the depth chart, so he figures to get more snaps if Bernard is unable to return.

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Joey Bosa Sep 12 9:40pm ET
Joey Bosa

Los Angeles Chargers pass rusher Joey Bosa (back) was unable to get on the practice field on Thursday. This is alarming after Bosa opened the week as a limited participant on Wednesday. It sounds like the back issue is severe enough to keep him out of practice, which means he could be in danger of sitting out in Week 2. Bosa will still have another chance to get on the field on Friday, which will go a long way to deciding his availability for Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. The absence of Bosa could mean veteran Bud Dupree draws a start on the d-line. The loss of Bosa would be a significant hit to the Chargers defense.

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Jauan Jennings Sep 12 9:30pm ET
Jauan Jennings

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (ankle) was limited in practice for the second straight day on Thursday. This is now back-to-back limited practice sessions for Jennings to open the week. This isn't a good look after Jennings suffered an ankle injury during the season opener. The hope is that Jennings will practice in full on Friday which would give him a good chance of playing against the Minnesota Vikings this weekend. Otherwise, Chris Conley could see increased snaps, but he wouldn't be a recommended fantasy option. Instead, Deebo Samuel Sr. and Brandon Aiyuk would see an uptick in value if Jennings is forced out.

From RotoBaller

Dalton Schultz Sep 12 9:20pm ET
Dalton Schultz

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz (ankle) picked up an injury during Sunday's win over the Indianapolis Colts. The 28-year-old has missed practice each of the last two days. It's now being announced that Schultz is dealing with an ankle sprain. The good news is that the injury isn't considered severe, so Schultz should be able to suit up in Week 2. There is still a chance for Schultz to practice on Friday, which would give him a better chance of playing this weekend. Otherwise, Brevin Jordan and Cade Stover would likely split up the reps. Neither player is an ideal streaming option if Schultz is forced out of action.

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Noah Fant Sep 12 9:10pm ET
Noah Fant

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (toe) has been upgraded to a full participant during Thursday's practice session. This means Fant should be ready to play after getting in a limited practice on Wednesday. It's worth noting that Fant has been dealing with this toe issue throughout the preseason. It could very well come back at him, but for now fantasy managers should expect him out there for the Week 2 matchup against the New England Patriots. Fant was quiet in the season opener with two receptions for 11 yards in the win. The Seahawks have a handful of options on offense, so sometimes Fant gets lost in the shuffle. He'll be on the TE2 radar for this weekend's matchup against the Patriots.

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Tyler Lockett Sep 12 8:00pm ET
Tyler Lockett

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (thigh) was listed as a limited participant in yet another practice on Thursday. Lockett was also listed as limited in each of the first two practices last week before he was active in the Week 1 win over the Denver Broncos. In that victory, the 31-year-old was out-snapped by both DK Metcalf and second-year wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but he finished with a solid six catches on seven targets for a team-high 77 yards. Lockett's ceiling certainly is lowered with Smith-Njigba around, but he's not going away anytime soon, and he should play in Week 2 versus the New England Patriots. The healthier Lockett gets, too, the more snaps he'll likely see in Seattle's offense. Sure, Lockett was much more attractive in fantasy when it was just he and Metcalf soaking up targets, but he remains in play as a big-play, WR4/flex option in fantasy lineups.

From RotoBaller

Kenneth Walker III Sep 12 7:40pm ET
Kenneth Walker III

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (oblique) remained out of practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday. Walker suffered an oblique injury in the Week 1 over the Denver Broncos and is now firmly up in the air to suit up in Week 2 against the New England Patriots. His status for Sunday's game will ultimately come down to whether he can get back onto the practice field on Friday. Still, Walker could be questionable to be active in Week 2, so fantasy managers planning on starting him again this weekend need to formulate a backup plan. Backup Zach Charbonnet would become Seattle's lead back in a plus matchup if Walker is limited or out entirely. Charbonnet should be scooped up off the waiver wire if he's available and you're thin at the RB position. He is currently rostered in only 52% of Yahoo leagues.

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