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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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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 2

Player Notes
Cooper Kupp Sep 15 7:40pm ET
Cooper Kupp

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (foot) exited Sunday's blowout loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Puka Nacua (knee) is sidelined for the foreseeable future, so Kupp was projected to have a big game. However, he had just four grabs for 37 yards before exiting the contest with a foot injury. Unfortunately, Kupp was observed in a boot after the contest, so his health ahead of the Week 3 meeting with the 49ers will be on the minds of fantasy managers. If the wideout isn't out there for that one, Demarcus Robinson, Tutu Atwell, and Tyler Johnson will do their best to fill the void on the offensive end. Kyren Williams would also presumably see more work than the 12 carries he had in Week 2.

From RotoBaller

Velus Jones Jr. Sep 15 7:30pm ET
Velus Jones Jr.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. is a healthy scratch ahead of Sunday's game against the Houston Texans. There was a chance Jones' services would be needed for this one. However, while Keenan Allen (heel) won't play, the team at least has Rome Odunze (knee) active for Week 2. Either way, Jones likely wouldn't have seen much attention from fantasy managers.

From RotoBaller

Dameon Pierce Sep 15 7:20pm ET
Dameon Pierce

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) won't play against the Houston Texans on Sunday. He didn't practice on Friday because of a hamstring injury, so fantasy managers already assumed he wouldn't be available for Week 2. However, with Joe Mixon coming off a 30-carry, 159-yard, one-touchdown performance in the Week 1 win over the Colts, Pierce wasn't expected to be a featured offensive option anyway.

From RotoBaller

Rome Odunze Sep 15 7:10pm ET
Rome Odunze

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (knee) will play against the Texans on Sunday night. The wideout was a game-time call for Week 2 after logging one practice session during the week. Fortunately, he's good to go and may see more attention from Caleb Williams, especially since Keenan Allen (heel) is inactive. The rookie deserves flex attention in 12-team leagues and up. However, DJ Moore and Cole Kmet will likely benefit the most from Allen's absence.

From RotoBaller

Justin Fields Sep 15 7:00pm ET
Justin Fields

Denver Broncos defensive end John Franklin-Myers (concussion) was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's meeting with the Steelers. Meanwhile, linebacker Baron Browning (foot) is questionable to return. Franklin-Myers had 19.5 career sacks before he was traded by the Jets this offseason. At the same time, Browning is also a potent pass-rusher, entering the 2024-25 campaign by amassing 9.5 sacks in the previous two seasons. With the Broncos defense already struggling, these injuries aren't good news for containing quarterback Justin Fields and the rest of the Steelers offense for the rest of the game.

From RotoBaller

Keenan Allen Sep 15 7:00pm ET
Keenan Allen

Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen (heel) won't play on Sunday night against the Texans. He was initially classified as a game-time call for Week 2. Yet, NFL insider Jay Glazer reported that the former Charger was trending more toward doubtful as of Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, Rome Odunze (knee) is active, so Caleb Williams may look in his direction more than in Week 1. However, Cole Kmet and DJ Moore should remain the preferred options for the signal-caller.

From RotoBaller

Bucky Irving Sep 15 6:30pm ET
Bucky Irving

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving struggled to get much going on the ground during the Week 2 matchup against the Detroit Lions. Irving came out strong in the season opener with 62 yards on nine attempts. He wasn't able to have the same success on Sunday with only 22 yards on seven carries in the win. It was a quiet game for the Bucs rushing attack as lead back Rachaad White finished with 18 yards on the ground. Irving should continue seeing around seven or eight touches a game, but it probably won't be enough to start him in fantasy formats. Although, Irving is worth stashing in most formats due to his upside.

From RotoBaller

Amon-Ra St. Brown Sep 15 6:30pm ET
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (undisclosed) was injured late in the Week 2 loss to the Buccaneers. There hasn't been much information released about the ailment. While head coach Dan Campbell doesn't think it is serious, St. Brown is believed to have sustained a "lower-body injury." Without question, fantasy managers will anxiously await an update. But if the wideout isn't available in Week 3 against the Cardinals, Jameson Williams, Kalif Raymond, and Sam LaPorta would presumably see an uptick in attention from Jared Goff.

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Diontae Johnson Sep 15 6:29pm ET
Diontae Johnson

Dynasty | Panthers receiver Diontae Johnson had just three catches for 15 yards in the Panthers blowout loss to the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Johnson now has just five catches for 34 scoreless yards in his first two games in Carolina. It's hardly his fault as Bryce Young has done virtually nothing so far this season. At this point, Johnson is going to be a "must-sit" until we see something from an offense that looks as bad as any we've seen in years to start this season.

Jordan Mason Sep 15 6:28pm ET
Jordan Mason

Dynasty | 49ers running back Jordan Mason had 100 yards rushing and a touchdown in San Francisco's surprising loss at Minnesota. Dynasty Analysis: He added one catch for four yards. While Mason is hardly the same caliber of receiver Christian McCaffrey is, the offense seems very well-suited for his rushing style. His weekly ceiling may be capped moving forward if he doesn't get more targets. However, Mason has proven to be good enough to be a weekly starter, whether that's as a RB1 or RB2 moving forward.

Justin Jefferson Sep 15 6:28pm ET
Justin Jefferson

Dynasty | Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson had four catches for 133 yards and a touchdown in Minnesota's win over the 49ers. Dynasty Analysis: Jefferson's day was highlighted by a 97-yard touchdown reception from a rejuvenated Sam Darnold. The bigger story could be the fact Jefferson left the game late with a quad injury. We'll wait and see just what the extent of the injury is but it's also clear Jefferson can maintain his WR1 status this year with or without Kirk Cousins after the second big day from Darnold.

Brian Thomas Jr. Sep 15 6:28pm ET
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dynasty | Jags rookie Brian Thomas had two catches for 94 yards in Jacksonville's loss against Cleveland. Dynasty Analysis: Thomas only had four targets on the day but made the most of them with a 66-yard catch. Trevor Lawrence seems to be spreading the ball around a lot but Thomas also looks like the most explosive receiver on the team. While he should remain on benches, Thomas has looked the part thus far in his rookie season and his potential seems to have justified his lofty rookie draft ranking thus far.

Isaiah Likely Sep 15 6:27pm ET
Isaiah Likely

Dynasty | Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely had just two catches for 26 yards in Baltimore's loss to Las Vegas. Dynasty Analysis: This isn't a huge surprise as Baltimore's passing offense still runs through Zay Flowers and they tend to run the ball as much as possible. Still, this is a clear letdown after last week's massive explosion. The simple fact is the Ravens now have two very capable tight ends as Mark Andrews (4/51/0) and Likely are making a duo that looks great in reality but frustrating in dynasty leagues. Likely's ascension up the rankings will halt after this one and he's going to be a tough start moving forward until we see another solid outing.

Malik Nabers Sep 15 6:27pm ET
Malik Nabers

Dynasty | Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had ten catches for 127 yards and a touchdown in the Giants loss against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Even more impressive, Nabers had a whopping 18 (!) of the 28 targets from Daniel Jones. While this target share is impossible to maintain, it's clear going to Nabers is the best bet for the Giants to have any success on offense this season and they're making every effort to give him the ball. His status as the #2 rookie is cemented and he's a must-start, top-15 receiver moving forward this season.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Sep 15 6:25pm ET
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Dynasty | Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 12 catches for 117 yards in Seattle's road win over New England. Dynasty Analysis: JSN was held in check last week but today was a different story as Geno Smith looked his way a whopping 16 times. Smith-Njigba looks to be taking over the WR2 spot from Tyler Lockett this season and could be well on his way to a second year breakout. The dynasty arrow is clearly pointing up for JSN and he's going to be a solid WR3 moving forward.

Ja'Lynn Polk Sep 15 6:25pm ET
Ja'Lynn Polk

Dynasty | Patriots rookie Ja'Lynn Polk had two catches for 12 yards and his first career touchdown in a loss against Seattle. Dynasty Analysis: Polk scored and that's the good news. The bad news is he now has just three catches for 18 yards on the season. This is simply an indictment on an offense that has done next to nothing to start the year and is simply going as far as running back Rhamondre Stevenson can take them. Polk's dynasty value is safe but he needs to remain on dynasty benches for the time being.

Dontayvion Wicks Sep 15 6:24pm ET
Dontayvion Wicks

Dynasty | Packers receiver Dontayvion Wicks had three catches for 26 yards and a touchdown in Green Bay's win against the Colts. Dynasty Analysis: The stat line isn't going to "wow" anyone but this was a big step up from last week when Wicks failed to catch a single pass. After starring all preseason, this was a much needed game from Wicks, who has again reiterated he should be on dynasty rosters - a thought that was in question after last week. He remains a hold as the Packers attempt to survive without Jordan Love.

Alvin Kamara Sep 15 6:24pm ET
Alvin Kamara

Dynasty | Saints running back Alvin Kamara had 115 rushing yards, two catches, 65 receiving yards, and four total touchdowns in the Saints upset loss at Dallas. Dynasty Analysis: The Saints have now scored 91 points in two games and Kamara's five touchdowns so far this season are just one behind his season total of six last year. To say this is a good development is a total understatement as it looks like Derek Carr is in total control of this offense and the Saints are poised for a serious bounce-back. While it's just a two game sample size, Kamara is looking like his old self and is a perfect target for a contending dynasty team as a productive, yet aging running back.

Rashid Shaheed Sep 15 6:24pm ET
Rashid Shaheed

Dynasty | Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed had four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown in a win against Dallas. Dynasty Analysis: Shaheed was fancied about as a potential breakout player this year and the first two games have given dynasty managers seven catches for 169 yards and two touchdowns already. Shaheed isn't going to overtake Chris Olave (six catches for 92 scoreless yards on the season) as the WR1 in New Orleans but he's looking like a player who needs to be in lineups moving forward. His dynasty arrow is clearly pointing up as well.

Vita Vea Sep 15 6:24pm ET
Vita Vea

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman Vita Vea (knee) exited during the second half of Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions and will not return. Vea was injured after a friendly fire hit between him and Yaya Diaby. He had registered one pass defended but zero tackles at the time of his departure. Tampa Bay was already without Calijah Kancey (calf), so now Greg Gaines will earn more opportunities with Vea sidelined.