RB Strength of Schedule
Tue May 28 9:03am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Robinson setup for big season
Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the running back position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to running backs last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the running backs with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the running backs that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.
| RB SOS | ||
| 1. | Green Bay Packers | 356.01 |
| 2. | Houston Texans | 361.46 |
| 3. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 361.46 |
| 4. | Las Vegas Raiders | 361.48 |
| 5. | Seattle Seahawks | 362.28 |
| 6. | Buffalo Bills | 363.19 |
| 7. | Arizona Cardinals | 363.76 |
| 8. | Dallas Cowboys | 363.9 |
| 9. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 364.51 |
| 10. | Washington Commanders | 364.86 |
| 11. | Chicago Bears | 364.89 |
| 12. | Indianapolis Colts | 365.41 |
| 13. | San Francisco 49ers | 365.86 |
| 14. | New Orleans Saints | 366.49 |
| 15. | New York Jets | 368.23 |
| 16. | Detroit Lions | 368.49 |
| 17. | Philadelphia Eagles | 369.05 |
| 18. | Minnesota Vikings | 369.06 |
| 19. | Carolina Panthers | 369.88 |
| 20. | Cleveland Browns | 370.34 |
| 21. | Kansas City Chiefs | 371.71 |
| 22. | New York Giants | 372.21 |
| 23. | Los Angeles Chargers | 373.19 |
| 24. | Denver Broncos | 373.32 |
| 25. | Cincinnati Bengals | 373.66 |
| 26. | Los Angeles Rams | 374.09 |
| 27. | Baltimore Ravens | 374.16 |
| 28. | New England Patriots | 375.60 |
| 29. | Atlanta Falcons | 376.19 |
| 30. | Miami Dolphins | 377.49 |
| 31. | Tennessee Titans | 378.2 |
| 32. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 378.72 |
The two teams with the easiest fantasy schedules for running backs are the Steelers and Titans, which is interesting because both teams could platoon running backs. The Steelers split the work between Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. And the Titans are likely to use both Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. All four backs could be setup for solid seasons with favorable schedules. It is always scary to take a back that might split work but seeing these positive schedules could make pulling the trigger on them a little easier come draft day. All four could be top flex plays for fantasy teams.
The Dolphins had huge success running the ball last year and could have similar solid production this season with the third easiest fantasy schedule for running backs. Devon Achane is really looking good in year two. He is expected to get more work and likely lead the backfield in touches. Raheem Mostert had a career season last year and a great schedule but he carries a little more risk. He is 32 years old and now has rookie Jaylen Wright pushing him for playing time. Just something to keep in mind come draft day.
The Falcons are another team with a top-five favorable running back schedule, making Bijan Robinson a very intriguing pick this year. Robinson had a bit of a disappointing rookie season, but a new coaching staff and really favorable schedule make Robinson a huge breakout candidate. He is moving up draft rankings in a hurry and is capable of finishing first overall in fantasy running back scoring because of his skill set.
Rhamondre Stevenson is a possible rebound candidate. He was slowed by injury last year but is back healthy and with the fifth easiest schedule for running backs. Stevenson has shown in the past he can be a big-time fantasy back. Things are looking up for him this year, making him a good buy-low candidate.
The Packers had the easiest fantasy schedule for quarterbacks but get the toughest for running backs. This isn’t great news for new back Josh Jacobs. It is hard to bet against the productive back, though. You just might want to temper expectations for him this coming year. Jacobs could have a few down weeks, especially for his standards.
The Texans signed Joe Mixon to shore up their running back spot, but he carries some concerns. He wasn’t highly productive the last few seasons besides all his scores and now gets the second toughest schedule for running backs. Plus, the Texans are likely to be a pass heavy team, which could limit his workload a little. Mixon could end up being a boom or bust player.
Tampa also has a unfavorable fantasy schedule for running backs. Rachaad White had a big season last year but padded his numbers because of all his work in the passing game. That might be a similar scenario for him, having a tough time to run with this schedule. The positive for White is he is very good in the passing game. You have to worry about his rushing totals, though.
The Raiders haven’t really settled on a starting running back, but Zamir White is likely to get first shot at the job. That is great news for his fantasy value but the not so great news is his tough fantasy schedule. This could limit the ceiling of White a little. He has risk to begin with because it isn’t 100 percent certain he wins the job. This makes him a bit of a scary pick for fantasy teams.
Kenneth Walker didn’t have quite the breakout second season many hoped but was fairly productive with his work. And the good news is Zach Charbonnet didn’t really put a big dent in his workload. The Seahawks seem happy with Walker as the lead back. The unfortunate news for Walker is he has the fifth toughest fantasy running back schedule. Walker might fail to reach his lofty expectations once again in year three.
We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy running backs. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the running backs with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big money contests.
| RB PLAYOFF SOS | ||
| 1. | San Francisco 49ers | 291.43 |
| 2. | Washington Commanders | 325.2 |
| 3. | Houston Texans | 327.8 |
| 4. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 332.03 |
| 5. | New York Jets | 337.57 |
| 6. | Cleveland Browns | 340.8 |
| 7. | Las Vegas Raiders | 341.1 |
| 8. | Miami Dolphins | 348.27 |
| 9. | Chicago Bears | 350.37 |
| 10. | Buffalo Bills | 350.53 |
| 11. | Arizona Cardinals | 352.8 |
| 12. | Dallas Cowboys | 358.87 |
| 13. | Detroit Lions | 359.7 |
| 14. | New York Giants | 365.67 |
| 15. | Kansas City Chiefs | 366.53 |
| 16. | Green Bay Packers | 368.97 |
| 17. | Seattle Seahawks | 370.23 |
| 18. | Carolina Panthers | 377.15 |
| 19. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 378.37 |
| 20. | Los Angeles Chargers | 380.73 |
| 21. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 381 |
| 22. | Baltimore Ravens | 381.43 |
| 23. | Cincinnati Bengals | 383.50 |
| 24. | Philadelphia Eagles | 391.07 |
| 25. | New England Patriots | 397.95 |
| 26. | Indianapolis Colts | 398.40 |
| 27. | Denver Broncos | 399.53 |
| 28. | Tennessee Titans | 401.63 |
| 29. | Los Angeles Rams | 403.92 |
| 30. | New Orleans Saints | 406.33 |
| 31. | Minnesota Vikings | 407.87 |
| 32. | Atlanta Falcons | 422.4 |
There are two teams with a top-five favorable schedule for fantasy running backs for both the regular season and playoffs. Those teams are the Falcons and Titans. Atlanta actually has the easiest fantasy playoff schedule for running backs. Robinson was looking good even before hearing this news but looks even better now. He is making a strong case to be the second running back off the board come draft day.
And Pollard and Spears are intriguing running back options with schedules that could produce big for both during the regular season and playoffs. You just have to worry about one back emerging to grab most of the work. If that happens, one of these backs could end up being a bust.
Minnesota has the second easiest playoff schedule for running backs. Aaron Jones has some injury concerns after the last few seasons, but he could be setup for a big workload with an unsettled quarterback situation in Minnesota. Jones has some good upside with his new team, especially during the playoffs.
One other team to mention for the playoff is New Orleans. Alvin Kamara isn’t getting any younger but remains the lead back and still productive. He still seems to have something left in the tank and could be a big fantasy factor for at least one more season, especially when it matters most in the playoffs. He could be a difference maker, having the third easiest fantasy schedule for running backs.
Houston is the lone team in both the top five for the toughest regular season and playoff fantasy running back schedules. This is an obvious concern for Mixon. He is looking more and more like a player you might to avoid come draft day. He might have some big games along the way in this great offense, but you have to wonder about his consistency and playoff performance.
So the top rated fantasy back, Christian McCaffrey, also has the toughest fantasy playoff schedule for running backs. You aren’t fading McCaffrey because of this. He is one of those rare backs that it doesn’t really matter who he plays. McCaffrey will produce. We still think he is the clear No. 1 fantasy back. He can still get it done in the playoffs.
Washington has Brian Robinson and Austin Ekekler likely splitting the work at running back, which hurts both their fantasy values. They also get the second most difficult playoff schedule for running backs. We wouldn’t reach too early for either back because of this.
The Steelers have the easiest fantasy running back schedule during the playoffs but fourth toughest for the playoffs. This is a tough one. Both backs have potential for good things, showing they can co-exist last year and produce well for fantasy teams. You just have to wonder if fading in the playoffs will make all that good work during the regular season all for nothing.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
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The Paur Report
Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus reiterated on Thursday that rookie quarterback Caleb Williams will start on Sunday against the division-rival Green Bay Packers in Week 11. Since their bye in Week 7, the Bears have lost three straight games and have not scored a touchdown in the last two games. Williams, the first overall pick back in April, has looked pretty terrible since the bye, completing 50.5% of his pass attempts and taking a whopping 18 sacks. The Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron earlier this week, but they will move forward with Williams as their starter under center -- the alternative is backup Tyson Bagent. The 22-year-old Williams can't be much worse in Week 11 against the Packers as he's been the last three weeks, but fantasy managers in superflex leagues shouldn't be expecting a whole lot as a low-end QB2 in fantasy.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is 1-3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens' Week 11 opponent, and 17-5 against the other AFC North teams. The Steelers are the only team against which Jackson has thrown more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (four). Pittsburgh has won seven of its last eight meetings against the Ravens. Despite the poor showings against the division rival, Jackson is leading a Ravens offense that ranks first in total yards (440.2) and points (31.8), making him the front-runner to win the MVP award for the second straight year. He has thrown 22 touchdowns and one interception in his last eight games. The 27-year-old is relying more on his arm than his legs and leads all QBs in fantasy points. However, he could be in for another subpar day (by his standards) this Sunday, as Pittsburgh has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing QBs in 2024.
From RotoBaller
New Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jonathan Mingo will make his team debut on Monday against Houston, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports. The former second-round pick lasted fewer than two years with the Carolina Panthers, who shipped him and a seventh-round pick to Dallas for a fourth-rounder at the trade deadline. Mingo had 12 catches on 26 targets in nine games with the Panthers this year, keeping him well off the fantasy radar. Even with the change of scenery, it's difficult to envision Mingo making much of an impact on a Cowboys offense playing without quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) for the rest of the season.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who will turn 41 years old next month, told reporters that he is leaning toward returning for the 2025 season. The veteran quarterback is under contract for another year with the Jets, which would be his 21st season in the NFL. Asked if he still wants to play next season, Rodgers said, "I think so, yeah." New York is 3-7 through 10 games and earlier this season fired head coach Robert Saleh. Once a fantasy lineup stalwart, the former MVP has mostly been relegated to a QB2 option in Superflex leagues during his Jets tenure.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore (blood clots) is likely to practice for the first time since the diagnosis on Thursday, according to a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The star tackle has not played at all this season after posting a career-best 8.5 sacks and 64 tackles in 2023. The 2021 second-round pick earned a four-year extension from New England earlier this year that made him the highest-paid defensive player in team history. For now, Barmore remains on the non-football illness list, but practicing once again would be an encouraging step that puts him on track to return.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown will take on the division-rival Washington Commanders on Thursday night football in Week 11. The 27-year-old has failed to find the end zone since Week 7 but has averaged 92.2 receiving yards per game and has just one game with fewer than 80 yards receiving all year. This matchup is going to determine who ends up as the No. 1 seed in the NFC East heading into Week 12, and the Eagles will be looking Brown's way often to keep the pressure on a Washington defense that has started to turn things around over the past few weeks. The Commanders are a solid matchup, and recently acquired cornerback Marshawn Lattimore will not be making his Washington debut this week. Consider the Eagles star receiver a top-five option in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith will face off against the Washington Commanders on Thursday night football in Week 11. The 26-year-old has had some limitations in practice the past few weeks due to a hamstring injury, but he was again left off of the final injury report and is a full go for the team's Week 11 divisional matchup. Smith was not needed last week against a spiraling Dallas team, seeing just three targets and tallying only 14 yards receiving. With that said, the team will need all hands on deck to stop Washington Thursday night, and with newly acquired cornerback Marshawn Lattimore not making his Commanders debut, the Eagles will look to exploit the below-average pass defense. Smith has had some disappointing outings since the Week 5 bye, but he is still a strong WR2 option and remains a must-start in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert will take on the Washington Commanders on Thursday night football in Week 11. The 29-year-old made his return to the field last week from a hamstring injury and found the end zone on a limited snap count. He picked up a DNP on Monday in practice with an ankle injury but was left off the final injury report Wednesday and is good to go for Thursday night. Washington is middle of the pack against fantasy tight ends this season, so the matchup should not scare anyone away from starting Goedert. With that said, there is a chance the Eagles will take a run-heavy approach in the contest to keep the high-powered Washington offense off the field as much as possible, potentially leading to a light target share for the veteran. Consider Goedert a fringe TE1 in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott will face off against the Washington Commanders on Thursday night football in Week 11. The 29-year-old had his second-best fantasy performance of the season last week against the Dallas Cowboys, nailing two short field goals and converting all four of his extra-point attempts. The Commanders' defense is much better than the Cowboys at the moment, so expecting another easy outing for the veteran is a bit of a stretch. However, there is a real chance this game becomes a shootout with two high-powered offenses vying for the No. 1 spot in the NFC East, leading to a solid night for Elliott. Consider the Eagles kicker a boom-or-bust streamer like we have for the majority of this season in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will face off against the division-rival Washington Commanders on Thursday night football. The 26-year-old is the QB1 overall since the Eagles' Week 5 bye, averaging 28.1 fantasy points per game. His four-game streak of no turnovers came to an end early last week against the Dallas Cowboys, but Hurts was able to turn things around quickly and score four total touchdowns en route to a dominating win. Both Washington and Philadelphia's defenses have performed well over the past few weeks, but there is no reason to believe both high-powered offenses won't be trading scores back and forth the majority of the night. While some of his weapons were limited in practice in a short week, the Eagles will head into the game at full strength in that regard, making Hurts a top-three fantasy option for Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley will take on the Washington Commanders on Thursday night football in Week 11. The 27-year-old had a quiet Week 10 performance against the Dallas Cowboys that left fantasy managers frustrated. He failed to find the end zone and tallied 78 yards which was just the second time this year that he had fewer than 100 total yards in a game. Barkley should see more usage this week in a divisional showdown for first place in the NFC East against a Washington defense that has turned things around over the past few weeks. The matchup should not worry fantasy managers, but they do rank top 15 against opposing fantasy running backs. With all of that said, Barkley is a set-it-and-forget-it RB1 facing off against his division rival.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets S Chuck Clark (ankle) was designated to return from the Reserve/Injured list on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
From TheHuddle
Denver Broncos WR Josh Reynolds (hand) was designated to return from the Reserve/Injured list on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
From TheHuddle
The Tennessee Titans have released safety Mike Edwards, according to Jim Wyatt of the team's official website. Edwards signed with the Titans just one week ago after being granted his release by the Buffalo Bills. While Edwards sought a fresh opportunity elsewhere, his stint in Tennessee proved to be quite short-lived. He was inactive during his only game as a Titan last weekend, and prior to that, he had only played seven snaps for the Bills in 2024. Edwards will now hit free agency for the second time this month.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Harrison Bryant (ankle) did not participate in practice on Wednesday. Bryant has filled a depth role in Las Vegas season, catching just nine passes for 86 yards through eight games. Although the 26-year-old has been serving as the backup to Brock Bowers recently, he'll drop down to No. 3 on the depth chart with the imminent return of Michael Mayer (personal). Between ranking third on the depth chart and battling a significant ankle issue, Bryant can be avoided in all fantasy leagues.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler is expected to revert to the No.2 spot on the depth chart on Thursday evening but is still a viable flex option in PPR formats, facing the Philadelphia Eagles. Over the past two weeks, Ekeler has operated as the lead option out of the backfield in Washington. During this small stint, he scored three times, averaging 17.7 PPR points per game. However, with Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) slated to return, fantasy managers should expect Ekeler to return to his third-down role. During Weeks 1 through 8, Ekeler eclipsed double-digit PPR points in five straight games and caught at least two passes in each contest. With a high implied point total (48.5), fantasy managers could expect this game to open up, which could set the 29-year-old up for several pass-catching opportunities, making him a flex option in PPR formats.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin should be poised for another productive showing on Thursday evening against the Philadelphia Eagles. Since Week 3, McLaurin has been one of the top wideouts in fantasy as he has averaged 17.8 PPR points per game during this span while scoring six total touchdowns. In addition, he has seen 6.8 targets per game in the stretch, with 84.0 yards per game. Last weekend, McLaurin tallied over 100+ scrimmage yards for the fourth time this season. Even though he will face a tough Philadelphia secondary that has allowed the 12th-fewest PPR points to opposing wideouts, this game should open up given how explosive both offenses can be, which sets up McLaurin well for another strong outing.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown should be viewed as a risky flex option in Week 11 facing the Philadelphia Eagles. After enjoying two solid showings in Weeks 8 and 9, Brown took a step back last weekend as he tallied only 33 yards and 6.3 PPR points against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite the poor output, Brown has continued to see consistent looks from rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Since Week 6, Brown has seen at least six targets in all but one game and a high of eight. While both the Eagles and Commanders could light up the scoresheet on Thursday, Brown still carries some inherent risk as he has fallen below double-digit PPR points in three of his past five games making him a flex option with risk.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings tight end Josh Oliver (hand, wrist) was officially listed as limited in the team's first practice of Week 11. The 27-year-old has dealt with a wrist issue for weeks at this point, but it hasn't forced him to miss any in-game action. However, the hand designation is news as it had not been previously mentioned on the team's injury report. That he could practice in a limited fashion is likely good news for his status this Sunday when the team squares off against the Tennessee Titans. Still, he'll have two more opportunities to elevate his participation before the road tilt. Oliver was used a decent amount in Week 10's 12-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars (4/52 on six targets) despite teammate T.J. Hockenson's increased involvement in the offense (8/72 on nine targets). If he can't play this coming Sunday, TE Johnny Mundt figures to pick up more snaps when the team travels to Nashville.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz should be viewed as a low-end TE1 heading into a Week 11 tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles. Last weekend, the veteran tight end saw a team-high in targets, which was an excellent bounce-back showing for him as he saw just one in Week 9. Since Week 6, Ertz has scored double-digit PPR points in three games and caught at least four passes in all but one. With Washington lacking a proven No.2 wideout, Ertz has seen consistent targets throughout the season. Even though he is facing a tough Eagles defense that has allowed the fourth-fewest PPR points to opposing tight ends this season, Ertz should still see a solid workload, making him a low-end starting option in PPR formats.
From RotoBaller
