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FFL: Week 7 | NFL: Week 7

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
D.K. Metcalf Oct 20 8:10pm ET
D.K. Metcalf

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee) caught four of seven targets for 99 yards and a touchdown in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons. Metcalf was on his way to another monster game if he had not gone down with a knee injury in the second half. He was carted to the locker room which left a shred of doubt in the mind of fantasy managers. However, it sounds like the injury may not have been serious. Head coach Mike Macdonald stated after the game that "It doesn't look too bad". That is great news for fantasy managers who have been relying on Metcalf this season. He has been an excellent fantasy asset in 2024 and has been having arguably his best season since his sophomore season when he recorded 1,303 receiving yards and ten touchdowns. If Metcalf suffered a simple injury, then he should be deployed once again in Week 8. However, this situation is one to monitor as Metcalf will likely have a cap on his reps in practice throughout this upcoming week.

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Jalen Hurts Oct 20 8:10pm ET
Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 10 of 14 pass attempts for 114 yards and a touchdown, adding 22 yards on seven carries with two successful Philly Special touchdown runs during the team's 28-3 win over the New York Giants. While the offense failed to score in the first quarter for the sixth time, Hurts ripped off a ton of scoring on efficient low passing numbers to lead to a great fantasy performance. The Eagles leaned heavily on Saquon Barkley in this game, rightfully so, leading to Hurts throwing just 10 completions. However, he scored three times and will finish the week as a top-five fantasy quarterback. Most importantly, the 26-year-old has his second straight game with zero turnovers, and that was while being sacked five times. It is nice to see Hurts score as much as he did while passing fewer than 15 times, and he will continue to be a must-start next week when a suddenly alive Eagles offense takes on the Bengals in Cincinnati.

From RotoBaller

Kenneth Walker III Oct 20 8:10pm ET
Kenneth Walker III

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III delivered for fantasy managers in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons. Walker finished with 69 rushing yards and a touchdown. He also caught both of his targets for 24 yards and a touchdown. Walker continues to get it done on the ground and through the air in 2024. He currently sits as the RB11 on the season despite having missed two games due to injury. His involvement in the passing game has helped propel Walker into the high-end RB1 conversation this season. He is also scoring touchdowns like crazy. He has scored in four of the five games he has played in. He has seven total touchdowns on the season. The Seahawks offense clearly runs through Walker and wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee). Things show no signs of slowing down for Walker as backup running back Zach Charbonnet has hardly seen time on the field outside of garbage time when Walker is healthy. Walker will draw a nice matchup in Week 8 against the Buffalo Bills and should be treated as a high-end RB1.

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Geno Smith Oct 20 8:10pm ET
Geno Smith

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith finally threw for more than one touchdown in a game in Sunday's win over the Atlanta Falcons. The Seahawks dominated this game from the second quarter on. Smith finished the game with 207 passing yards and two touchdowns. Most importantly, Smith avoided throwing interceptions after throwing five in his previous four games. The game was encouraging for fantasy managers. Smith had been a solid streaming option for much of the season, however, it felt like there were a lot of plays left on the field. Week 7 helped change that narrative as the Seahawks' offense and defense worked in conjunction on the way to a great win. Hopefully, Smith can keep this momentum rolling in Week 8 against the Buffalo Bills.

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Brandon Aiyuk Oct 20 8:00pm ET
Brandon Aiyuk

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) exited Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs after taking a hit to the knee in the first half. He was carted off the field before eventually being ruled out. Unfortunately, head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated that there is concern the wideout suffered an ACL tear. Aiyuk will likely undergo further testing, but it will take a miracle for him to be on the field for Sunday night's clash with the Dallas Cowboys. With Deebo Samuel Sr. (illness) and Jauan Jennings (hip) also uncertain for that one, George Kittle, Jacob Cowing, and Ricky Pearsall could see an uptick in attention from Brock Purdy.

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Austin Seibert Oct 20 7:50pm ET
Austin Seibert

Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert had a busy evening as he went 4-for-4 on attempts and 4-for-4 on extra-point attempts in their Week 7 blowout victory over the Carolina Panthers. After missing his first attempt last week, Siebert bounced back this weekend and continued his excellent campaign. The 27-year-old's longest attempt of the evening was from 49 yards out. Even though rookie sensation Jayden Daniels (ribs) left the game in the opening frame, the Washington offense looked just as potent, providing Seibert with ample scoring opportunities. Seibert remains a high-end kicker heading into a Week 8 tilt against the Chicago Bears.

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Ray Davis Oct 20 7:50pm ET
Ray Davis

Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis ran the football five times for 41 yards and a touchdown in the team's 34-10 victory over the Tennessee Titans. The rookie also caught one pass for six yards. Davis' touchdown came on Buffalo's final drive with under two minutes remaining. The fourth-round pick took the carry for 16 yards into paydirt. Most of Davis' production happened in the second half. James Cook returned to the lineup and dominated touches and snaps in the first half. Following his great stat line against the Jets, Davis cemented himself as one of the top handcuffs in fantasy football. Unless Cook suffers another injury, Davis should stay on fantasy football benches.

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Dante Fowler Oct 20 7:50pm ET
Dante Fowler

The Washington Commanders defense enjoyed their best performance of the season against the Carolina Panthers. They held the Panthers to just seven points, their lowest total of the campaign. In addition, linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. got on the board early with a pick-six in the opening quarter off Andy Dalton. Fowler would also tally one of the two sacks, with linebacker Frankie Luvu registering the other. After struggling against Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry last weekend, the Commanders defense enjoyed a dominant performance this weekend. The Commanders remain a risky streaming option as they have been unable to find consistency through extended periods of the season. Next week, they will face rookie Caleb Williams, who has averaged 265.0 passing yards per game with six total scores in his past two games.

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Roman Wilson Oct 20 7:50pm ET
Roman Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson (hamstring) is inactive for Sunday's meeting with the New York Jets. The 23-year-old made his debut against the Raiders, although he didn't do anything on the statistical end. But Wilson is now battling a hamstring injury, so he'll be back on the shelf for Week 7. He wasn't a vital component of the offense during his debut. But Wilson's absence could mean and extra target or two for George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, and Calvin Austin III.

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Keon Coleman Oct 20 7:40pm ET
Keon Coleman

Buffalo Bills rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman caught four of his seven targets for 125 yards in the team's 34-10 win over the Tennessee Titans. The rookie more than doubled his previous career-high mark for receiving yards. Most of his yardage came on two plays: a 44-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter and a 57-yard gain in the fourth. He nearly scored a touchdown on another play but was it overturned to incomplete after a review. The presence of Amari Cooper may have eased the defensive attention on Coleman, but the veteran will eventually eat into his snaps as well. The rookie will be a boom-or-bust wide receiver for fantasy football managers again in Week 8.

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Tyler Conklin Oct 20 7:40pm ET
Tyler Conklin

New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin (hip) will play on Sunday night against the Steelers. The veteran was questionable for this one because of a hip injury. However, he carried the same designation ahead of the Week 6 matchup with the Bills, so this update isn't surprising. With that said, Conklin has only 19 catches this season, so he's not a viable fantasy option. The arrival of Davante Adams also means he will see less attention from Aaron Rodgers moving ahead.

From RotoBaller

Zach Ertz Oct 20 7:40pm ET
Zach Ertz

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz caught four of his five targets for 40 yards and a score in their victory over the Carolina Panthers. This was the first time Ertz found the end zone in the DMV. The veteran tight end became a key part of the Washington offense once Marcus Mariota replaced Jayden Daniels (ribs). Even though Ertz was productive with Daniels, he seemed to have a strong connection with Mariota, as he finished with the third-most targets and second-most yards on the team. The 33-year-old has now tallied double-digit PPR points in back-to-back games and remains a solid low-end TE1 heading into Week 8.

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Ben Sinnott Oct 20 7:40pm ET
Ben Sinnott

Washington Commanders rookie tight end Ben Sinnott caught his first two passes in the NFL and found the end zone in their Week 7 victory over the Carolina Panthers. The Kansas State product found the end zone in the third quarter on a three-yard pass from Marcus Mariota, which extended their lead to an impressive five scores. The second-round selection in this year's draft has been held off the scoresheet through the first six weeks but was finally able to make an impact. For now, fantasy managers in redraft formats should leave Sinnott on the waiver wire, but if he continues to see an increasing role in the offense, he could be worth a speculative stash in deeper formats.

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Dalton Kincaid Oct 20 7:40pm ET
Dalton Kincaid

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid caught three of his six targets for 52 yards in the team's 34-10 victory over the Tennessee Titans. The pedestrian total was actually Kincaid's season-high mark for receiving yards, which says a lot about his production so far this season. Kincaid was about a yard away from scoring a touchdown in the third quarter. Josh Allen found Ty Johnson two plays later for the score. With Amari Cooper now on the roster, Kincaid drops to the third option in the passing game. He'll be a low-end TE1 against the Seattle Seahawks next weekend.

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Marcus Mariota Oct 20 7:30pm ET
Marcus Mariota

Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota went 18-for-23 with 205 yards and two passing scores in relief of Jayden Daniels (ribs), who left the game in the first quarter. Mariota added 34 yards on 11 rushing attempts. The veteran QB did not face much trouble in relief as the Commanders were overpowering Carolina the entire evening. The former Oregon product found both tight ends, Zach Ertz and Ben Sinnott, in the end zone. He connected with Terry McLaurin all evening as he finished with a team-high 98 yards on six catches. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Daniels' status during the week, as Mariota could be in line to start next weekend against the Chicago Bears.

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Andy Dalton Oct 20 7:30pm ET
Andy Dalton

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton threw for 93 yards and two interceptions off 11-for-16 passing in Sunday's blowout to the Washington Commanders. Nothing was going right for the Panthers offense in Week 7, resulting in Bryce Young entering late when the game was out of reach. As a result, many wondered if Young would be back under center moving ahead. However, that doesn't appear to be the case, with head coach Dave Canales stating postgame that the team is "committed" to Dalton moving ahead. The veteran signal-caller has played better than expected since taking over for Young, so fantasy managers in multi-QB formats can consider him a starting option in Week 8 against the Broncos.

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Brian Robinson Jr. Oct 20 7:30pm ET
Brian Robinson Jr.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. had a productive day in his return as he tallied 71 yards on the ground off 12 attempts and found the end zone for the sixth time this season. He did not see a target in the passing game. The Commanders got ahead of Carolina quite early and gave their rusher a limited workload in the second half as the game was out of hand. However, the 25-year-old looked healthy after his Week 6 absence due to a knee injury as he reclaimed his typical short-yardage role. Robinson should be locked into all lineups as an RB2 next weekend against the Chicago Bears.

From RotoBaller

Austin Ekeler Oct 20 7:30pm ET
Austin Ekeler

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler had a quiet showing in their Week 7 dismantling of the Carolina Panthers. Ekeler ran the ball just four times for a mere 17 yards. In the passing game, he brought in both of his targets just three yards. This was his lowest output of the season, both on the ground and through the air. However, the game script for the pass-catching back was not too positive, as the Commanders were up by multiple scores all evening. Fantasy managers in PPR leagues should continue to view Ekeler as a low-end flex option heading into their Week 8 tilt against the Chicago Bears.

From RotoBaller

Terry McLaurin Oct 20 7:30pm ET
Terry McLaurin

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin led all Washington pass-catchers with 98 yards in their victory over the Carolina Panthers. He brought in all six of his targets, which tied for a team-high. Even though he was without his QB1 through most of the game, the 29-year-old has continued his impressive stretch as he has tallied at least 15.0 PPR points in every game since Week 3. During this span, McLaurin found the end zone four times and has been the clear lead option in the Washington air attack. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring Jayden Daniels' status (ribs) throughout the week, but McLaurin remains a safe, high-end WR2 facing the Chicago Bears next weekend.

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Dorian Thompson-Robinson Oct 20 7:20pm ET
Dorian Thompson-Robinson

According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, Cleveland Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (finger) may have avoided a severe injury. However, his availability moving forward will be determined based on "how he responds to treatment and how he can grip a football." With Deshaun Watson (Achilles) going down in the Week 7 meeting with the Bengals, DTR took over under center, throwing for 82 yards off 11-for-24 passing, adding 44 yards off three carries. But after he was injured, Jameis Winston entered the contest. Cleveland will next meet the Baltimore Ravens in Week 8. Still, no matter who is throwing the ball, fantasy managers will have a tough time trusting any Browns quarterback until the offense shows signs of life.

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