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FFL: Week 6 | NFL: Week 6

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 6

Player Notes
DeVonta Smith Oct 13 8:30pm ET
DeVonta Smith

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith caught three of four targets for 64 yards and a touchdown during the team's 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns. The former Heisman winner recorded his lowest target share of the season but salvaged his fantasy performance with a 45-yard touchdown catch in the 4th quarter that gave the Eagles the lead and ultimately the win. Smith still tied for second on the team in targets and had a solid fantasy outing. Philadelphia was on the field defensively more than they would have liked, leading to just 25 pass attempts for the offense. Starting tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) left early in the first quarter and did not return. The No. 2 spot in the target pecking order is firmly in possession of Smith, and he will be a locked and loaded WR2 next week when the Eagles travel to New York to take on the rival Giants.

From RotoBaller

Grant Calcaterra Oct 13 8:30pm ET
Grant Calcaterra

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Grant Calcaterra caught all four of his targets for 67 yards during the team's 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. The 25-year-old showed off some impressive ball skills and some explosiveness in relief of starting tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) who left early in the first quarter of the ball game and never returned. Calcaterra took a short pass early in the second quarter for 34 yards and made a few impressive snags on his way to a solid fantasy performance. The 25-year-old is entering year three with the Eagles offense and has shown flashes in the past. With no timetable on Goedert's potential return, fantasy managers may want to look Calcaterra's way after he proved to fill in admirably for the veteran starter. He will be on the streaming radar against the rival New York Giants next week if Goedert is ruled out.

From RotoBaller

George Pickens Oct 13 8:30pm ET
George Pickens

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens hauled in three of eight targets for 53 yards in a Week 6 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Pickens was the subject of much discussion heading into the contest after seeing limited playing time in Week 5. He once again was the favorite target of quarterback Justin Fields and managed to lead the Steelers in receiving on Sunday. Still, he dropped a few passes and underwhelmed relative to expectations as the team's clear WR1. The 23-year-old came down with a deep ball from Fields late in the fourth quarter for a 31-yard gain, but this was with the game well in hand. He'll hope to turn things around next week at home against the New York Jets.

From RotoBaller

Justin Herbert Oct 13 8:30pm ET
Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert led his team to a 23-16 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 6. Herbert finally shed his injury designation for an injured ankle and looked healthy in this one, attempting 34 passes and completing 21 of them for 237 yards and a touchdown. He did not throw an interception, but took three sacks, losing 15 yards. He also fumbled, but it was recovered by the Chargers. His touchdown came on a 38-yard pass to Kimani Vidal in the first quarter. Herbert and the Bolts will play on Monday Night Football in Week 7 against the Cardinals.

From RotoBaller

A.J. Brown Oct 13 8:20pm ET
A.J. Brown

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown caught six of nine targets for 116 yards and a touchdown during the team's 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. The star receiver made his first start since Week 1 of the regular season and did not disappoint, fighting for the ball in tight coverage and breaking multiple tackles on his way to a solid fantasy performance. His highlight catch came in the second quarter when he caught a 22-yard touchdown in a scrap to maintain procession from the defender. It was a typical A.J. Brown performance against a solid Browns pass defense. The 27-year-old will look ahead to next week when the team goes on the road to take on the division-rival New York Giants. Brown will be a top-tier play again in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Jaylen Warren Oct 13 8:20pm ET
Jaylen Warren

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren handled six carries for seven yards and caught all three of his targets for 11 receiving yards in a 32-13 win against the Las Vegas Raiders. Warren, who had missed the past two weeks with a knee injury, failed to deliver much in the way of production as backfield mate Najee Harris enjoyed his best game of the season. Harris appears to still have a strong hold on RB1 duties in Pittsburgh, but Warren should see an uptick in utilization in the coming weeks. While the 25-year-old is worth rostering in most fantasy formats, he cannot be trusted in starting lineups until he is given a notable role in the offense. A home bout with the New York Jets is on tap for Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Hurts Oct 13 8:10pm ET
Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 16 of 25 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns, adding 14 carries for 33 yards during the team's 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns. With both of his top weapons back at full strength, the 26-year-old had a much better outing than his previous three showings. The offense was still a bit slow to start, but Hurts was able to lead the Eagles on a scoring drive in the first quarter for the first time all season. Perhaps even more important than the solid passing total was his zero in the turnover department. Hurts has struggled with turning the ball over in 2024, but held onto the ball this week and completed some tough throws through tight coverage, especially to star receiver A.J. Brown. The Eagles signal caller did lose starting tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) on the first drive of this game and could be without him for a few weeks. With that said, Grant Calcaterra stepped in and showed off his explosiveness a few times against Cleveland, so there are capable hands ready to fill in for the veteran. Hurts will go on the road to face the division-rival New York Giants in Week 7 and should be considered a high-end QB1 in that matchup.

From RotoBaller

Najee Harris Oct 13 8:10pm ET
Najee Harris

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris turned 14 carries into 106 yards and a touchdown while adding two receptions for 16 yards on two targets in the team's Week 6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Harris broke free for a 36-yard scamper in the third quarter that resulted in his first trip to the end zone this season. After struggling with efficiency through the first five weeks, Harris gained 7.57 yards per carry on Sunday for a new career-high. Backfield mate Jaylen Warren ran clearly behind Harris and failed to make much of an impact in his first game back from a knee injury. Fantasy managers who have been relying on Harris' workload should be thrilled to see it translate to actual production this week. While it may be difficult for him to find similar success against the New York Jets in Week 7, Harris should remain a volume-based RB2 moving forward.

From RotoBaller

Saquon Barkley Oct 13 8:10pm ET
Saquon Barkley

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley took 18 carries for 47 yards and caught both of his targets for a gain of seven yards during the team's 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 6. This was by far the worst outing for the star back as a part of the Eagles, as he was stymied at just about every turn when handed the ball Sunday. The biggest run of the day for Philadelphia was by Kenneth Gainwell, who gained 19 yards on a carry in his very limited role. While the stat line is disappointing, especially considering the matchup, there is no reason to worry about the 27-year-old moving forward. Next week will loom large on Barkley's mind as he is set to visit his former team, the New York Giants. The revenge game narrative will headline the matchup and fantasy managers shouldn't hesitate to keep him in the starting lineup.

From RotoBaller

Caleb Williams Oct 13 8:06pm ET
Caleb Williams

Dynasty | Bears quarterback Caleb Williams completed 23-of-29 passes for 226 yards with four touchdowns and one interception in a win against Jacksonville. Dynasty Analysis: He added 56 rushing yards on the day. Feel free to put a * on this game based on the fact it was played against the Jaguars, but you may be doing so at your own risk. Williams looks like a player who is developing very quickly and today could have easily been his coming out party. While not quite on the QB1 line as of yet, Williams looks like a solid hold in dynasty leagues and the talk of the Bears (and dynasty managers) missing out on Jayden Daniels will subside for at least a week.

Rome Odunze Oct 13 8:06pm ET
Rome Odunze

ynasty | Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze had two catches for 40 yards in the Bears win over Jacksonville in London. Dynasty Analysis: This is a little concerning given the fact Caleb Williams threw for four touchdowns (nearly five) and only targeted Odunze twice on his 29 throws. Fact is, Odunze is clearly behind DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Cole Kmet in the pecking order and dynasty managers are going to need to exhibit some real patience with him this season. Odunze is starting to represent a possible "buy low" in dynasty leagues for savvy owners ready to pounce on impatient ones.

Sean Tucker Oct 13 8:06pm ET
Sean Tucker

Dynasty | Bucs running back Sean Tucker had 136 rushing yards, three catches, 56 receiving yards and two touchdowns in Tampa's win against New Orleans. Dynasty Analysis: The Bucs put up a whopping 51 points today and Tucker was a huge part of it. Tucker came into the game with 30 total rushing yards in his career but took advantage of the injury to Rachaad White to team up with Bucky Irving and run over the Saints. While this is likely not a sign of things to come, Tucker should certainly be on dynasty rosters at the moment and anyone who has held on to him for this long should be congratulated.

Romeo Doubs Oct 13 8:05pm ET
Romeo Doubs

Dynasty | Packers receiver Romeo Doubs had three catches for 49 yards and two touchdowns in a win against Arizona. Dynasty Analysis: Well, that works. A week after being suspended for complaining about playing time and essentially walking out on the team, Doubs was targeted four times and made the most of those opportunities. The Packers and Jordan Love spread the ball around better than most anybody, so this will have to be taken with a grain of salt. Still, this was a big step in the right direction for Doubs, who should see his dynasty value slide stop for the time being.

Rashod Bateman Oct 13 8:00pm ET
Rashod Bateman

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman continues to be heavily involved in the passing game this year. During the 30-23 win over the Washington Commanders, Bateman registered four catches for 71 yards on four targets. He was tied for the second-most targets with Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. He's on pace for a career-high in receiving yards and has already tied his career-high for touchdowns in a single season. He also has his second-best yards per target right now with 9.2. Bateman will try to get back into the end zone in Week 7 on Monday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

From RotoBaller

Justin Fields Oct 13 8:00pm ET
Justin Fields

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields completed 14 of his 24 pass attempts for 145 yards and handled 11 carries for 59 yards and two touchdowns in a 32-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Similar to his performance in Week 5, Fields struggled to get anything going through the air for much of the contest, but he got help from running back Najee Harris in this one to put the Steelers on top. Although the 25-year-old is producing for fantasy and avoiding turnovers, it's possible that Russell Wilson eventually takes over starting duties if Fields can't find a rhythm in the passing game. For now, though, the Steelers are 4-2 and likely to roll with Fields under center at home against the New York Jets in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Cedrick Wilson Oct 13 7:53pm ET
Cedrick Wilson

New Orleans Saints WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. had two receptions for 28 yards on three targets in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

From TheHuddle

Zay Flowers Oct 13 7:50pm ET
Zay Flowers

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers now has more 100-yard games this year than he did all of last regular season. In the 30-23 win over the Washington Commanders, Flowers finished with 132 yards while catching all nine of his targets. He also added one carry for two yards on the ground. Flowers has averaged 14 and 15 yards per reception in the last two games along with nine and 12 targets. He's been more involved and making more out of his touches since the rough two-game streak where he saw four catches for a total of 30 yards. He takes on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary in Week 7 on Monday Night Football.

From RotoBaller

Mark Andrews Oct 13 7:50pm ET
Mark Andrews

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews finally found paydirt in the Week 6 victory over the Washington Commanders. The veteran gave fantasy managers what they've been waiting for as he also set a new season-high for receiving yards. Andrews registered 66 yards and a score on three receptions and four targets. It's hard to tell if this is the start of an Andrews revenge tour or if he was just the hot hand this time around. Either way, it helps the Ravens offense to get Andrews going again so the opposing defenders have more to worry about. Andrews will look to gain some momentum in Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

From RotoBaller

Alvin Kamara Oct 13 7:43pm ET
Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara rushed 13 times for 40 yards and a touchdown in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while adding five receptions for 24 yards on eight targets.

Fantasy Spin: Kamara had a rushing touchdown for the sixth time in six games. While his rushing yards were limited for a second straight game, he remains a solid RB2 in most fantasy leagues. It could be a slow go with a quick turnaround Thursday against the defensive-minded Denver Broncos in Week 7.

From TheHuddle

Jamaal Williams Oct 13 7:43pm ET
Jamaal Williams

New Orleans Saints RB Jamaal Williams rushed just two times for seven yards in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he was not targeted in the pass game.

From TheHuddle