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.
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 10
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams came down with his only target, a 32-yard touchdown, in a thrilling Week 10 victory over the Washington Commanders. Williams, who was just dealt to the Steelers earlier this week, played just nine snaps in his debut but was trusted by quarterback Russell Wilson with the game on the line. Wilson threw a perfect deep ball to Williams in the end zone that gave Pittsburgh a 28-27 lead after an extra point with just over two minutes remaining. The 30-year-old wideout should see an uptick in snaps going forward and could be on the fantasy radar at some point this season. He'll be an interesting name on the waiver wire in deeper formats ahead of a Week 11 clash with the Baltimore Ravens.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears rushed seven times for 47 yards, adding three receptions on as many targets for four yards in a 27-17 loss to LA on Sunday. Spears returned to the lineup this weekend after missing the past few games with a hamstring injury and led the Titans in rushing for the first time all season. A lot of that production came on a throw-away draw play with four seconds left in the first half, but Spears still looked effective when given opportunities, gaining extra yards on multiple plays that looked like they had no chance. The Tulane product will still run behind Tony Pollard if the latter is healthy, but he could potentially work his way into some low-end flex value down the stretch, especially given the Titans will be playing from behind a majority of the time which favors Spears' skillset. On tap for Week 11 are the Minnesota Vikings and their intimidating run defense.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard rushed nine times for 44 yards, adding four receptions on 4 targets for 19 yards in a defeat to Los Angeles on Sunday. It was a down performance for Pollard who was semi-game scripted out of this one with the Titans playing from behind most of the game. Tyjae Spears actually bested Pollard in the rushing department for the first time all season, on two fewer carries. The former Cowboy also appeared to tweak his ankle late in the first half but was able to come back in the game shortly after. Pollard will be susceptible to down games like this due to the nature of the Titans' incompetent offense, but he remains a featured player who will see around 15-20 opportunities per game, even with Spears back in the mix. Up next is an extremely tough matchup against the Vikings top rush defense, which will likely demote Pollard to only a flex option down from his usual RB2 spot.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (back) is officially active for the Week 10 contest against the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football after being listed as questionable on Friday's final injury report. Despite dealing with a back injury, Dell was expected to play through the injury. It's big news for the Texans offense since Nico Collins (hamstring) will miss another game despite being activated from Injured Reserve on Saturday. Remember that Stefon Diggs (knee) is out for the rest of the year due to a torn right ACL. It means that Dell will operate as the Texans' top wideout in a primetime showdown against a Lions defense that has allowed the third-most half-PPR points all year to wideouts. In last week's win over the New York Jets on Halloween, Dell had six catches for a season-high 126 yards. Xavier Hutchinson and Robert Woods should have bigger roles as well behind Dell.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens hauled in five of seven targets for 91 yards and a score in a 28-27 win over the Washington Commanders. Pickens made an impact early on Sunday, coming down with an incredible touchdown grab on a 16-yard deep ball from Russell Wilson in the first quarter. He continued to operate as Wilson's favorite vertical option and came down with multiple catches in crucial moments. While the addition of Mike Williams to Pittsburgh's receiver corps paid off in a big way on Sunday, the veteran does not appear to be a threat to the elite target share that Pickens has garnered this season. The third-year pro will be a borderline must-start fantasy asset next week in a divisional showdown against the Baltimore Ravens.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris handled 21 carries for 53 yards and a touchdown in the team's Week 10 win against the Washington Commanders. Harris was a non-factor in the passing game and turned in his least efficient showing since Week 4. A one-yard score in the third quarter salvaged Harris' fantasy output, but he could cede additional opportunities to Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson in the coming weeks if he continues to struggle on the ground. A tough test is on tap for Week 11 against a stout Baltimore Ravens run defense.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy aired it out in a 23-20 victory over the Buccaneers in Tampa on Sunday. He finished with 25 completions of 36 attempts for 353 yards and two touchdowns passing to go with four scrambles for 17 yards on the ground. The yardage total was the third-highest of his career. Purdy looked poised, ceding zero turnovers, though he did have a fourth-quarter punchout recovered by teammate Jauan Jennings. The former Cyclone's first touchdown pass was a 46-yard catch-and-run on a crossing route to rookie Ricky Pearsall and his second came on a fourth-quarter 11-yard corner toe-tapper to tight end George Kittle. The return of Christian McCaffrey appeared to boost the 49ers' offense as predicted, and Purdy took advantage, targeting CMC seven times. Purdy and the 49ers will host the Seattle Seahawks at home in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis completed 18-of-23 passes for 175 yards and two scores in a 27-17 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers. Levis returned to action after missing the past two games with a shoulder injury and had his first zero-turnover game of the season. The Kentucky product got off to a hot start, hitting Calvin Ridley for a 41-yard touchdown on the Titans' first drive. Unfortunately he was unable to maintain that momentum, taking seven sacks in the game and failing to put together consistent drives. Levis ended the game with the third-best QBR in his young career, but that was inflated by his 2nd touchdown pass to Ridley with under a minute to go when the game was squarely out of reach. It was still a fairly promising performance for the young gunslinger in his first action back, but things do not get any easier next week when the Titans face the stout Minnesota Vikings defense lead by Brian Flores. He will check in as a low-end QB2 for Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) is inactive for Sunday night's matchup against the Detroit Lions. Collins was activated from the injured reserve on Friday. He logged a limited practice on Friday and was a game-time decision for Sunday Night Football. However, the 25-year-old isn't quite ready to return to action after missing the last four games with a hamstring injury. He was having a phenomenal season before landing on the IR, catching 32 passes for 567 yards and three touchdowns over five games. Collins' next chance to return will be Week 11 against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night. Tank Dell (back) will be quarterback C.J. Stroud's No. 1 target with Collins sidelined, and look for John Metchie III, Xavier Hutchinson, and Robert Woods to see an uptick in snaps.
From RotoBaller
After a two-catch performance in Week 9 as a result of exiting early due to injury, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (hip) was much busier in Week 10, hauling in eight of 12 targets for 97 yards in a 20-17 loss to the Saints and allaying any concerns about his hip. It was just the fourth time in ten games that the 23-year-old was held out of the end zone, but it was the fourth time this season that he's garnered double-digit targets and the seventh game with six or more receptions, making him one of the more reliable wideouts for fantasy. The former first-round draft pick is top 10 in the league in targets (82) and receptions (58) through ten weeks, but it will be tough sledding next week in Denver as the Falcons will face a stout Broncos pass defense. Nevertheless, London will likely still be a WR1 option for the week.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson completed 14 of 28 pass attempts for 195 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception while adding three rushing yards on four carries in a 28-27 victory over the Washington Commanders. Wilson started cooking early in this one, finding George Pickens in the end zone from 16 yards out and connecting with Pat Freiermuth for a three-yard score in the first half. The Steelers leaned on the running game to start the second half, but Wilson delivered when the team needed him most, dropping a dime in the hands of newcomer Mike Williams for a game-winning 32-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Wilson has played well enough through three starts to warrant fantasy consideration moving forward. He'll be an intriguing streaming candidate next week against a Baltimore Ravens defense surrendering the most passing production in the NFL.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions defensive end Za'Darius Smith (personal) is officially inactive for the Sunday night game against the Houston Texans. Smith was just acquired in a trade by Detroit from the Cleveland Browns and will have to wait to make his Lions debut until Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 32-year-old three-time Pro Bowler had five sacks, 23 tackles (15 solo), six tackles for loss and seven QB hits in his nine games for the Browns before the trade earlier this week. The Lions are hoping he can settle in and be a consistent pass-rushing force the rest of the year with star defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (leg) likely out for the rest of the season due to a broken leg. Because of the loss of Hutchinson, the Lions defense in fantasy doesn't have as high of a ceiling, but they could still be plenty productive on Sunday night against a banged-up Texans receiving corps.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had 116 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Saints. Dynasty Analysis: He added three catches for 28 more yards. Robinson has had a bit of an up and down season, but it's hard to argue with the results he puts up when he gets a good amount of touches. While he hasn't quite justified his overall RB1 status in dynasty leagues quite yet, this season has certainly looked better than his last and he remains a player to be invested in heavily.
New York Jets offensive tackle Tyron Smith (neck) was injured in the Week 10 game on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals and is doubtful to return. Meanwhile, cornerback Brandin Echols (concussion) suffered a concussion and has been ruled out. The Jets are getting absolutely manhandled on both sides of the ball in the desert against the first-place Cardinals on Sunday, and now they will probably be without both Smith and Echols for the rest of the game. With Smith unlikely to return to the second half, Olu Fashanu is expected to take over starting duties the rest of the way at right tackle. The 33-year-old Smith is an eight-time Pro Bowler and will be a big loss for the Jets' offensive line if he's forced to miss time beyond Week 10.
From RotoBaller
The Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan reports that New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was informed on Saturday that he may not play on Sunday in Week 10 against the Chicago Bears as the coaching staff prioritizes playing time for their younger players, according to a source. Bourne had played 78 percent of the team's offensive snaps the last two games, but he was the only receiver not to see the field through the first five offensive drives, and he finished the 19-3 victory with no targets. In last week's overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans, Bourne had his best game of the season, catching four of six targets for 41 yards. The 29-year-old got a late start to the season due to injury and just hasn't regained any fantasy relevance in an offense that has struggled under both quarterbacks Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay Jr. (ankle) returned to the Week 10 divisional clash against the Dallas Cowboys after leaving with a tweaked left ankle early in the first quarter. Slay injured his ankle on the first defensive series of the game and was initially deemed questionable to return to Sunday's game. It's good news for the Eagles defense while going up against an offense that could be without starting quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) for the rest of the season. With Slay back on the field for the second half, he'll return to trying to keep Cowboys leading receiver CeeDee Lamb in check. Going into this one, the Eagles defense/special teams unit was a popular DFS pick in quarterback Cooper Rush's first start of the 2024 campaign.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed 22-of-37 passes for 190 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in a loss against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Jones not only missed open receivers, he flat-out failed to even throw to them at times. After the game, the Giants went on record saying they were evaluating the position. With Jones looking this bad against one of the league's worst defenses and the Giants sitting at 2-8, it would be no surprise to see Drew Lock under center here soon. With just eight touchdowns and seven interceptions on the year, the Jones era in New York is surely coming to an end and the Giants may very well be players in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Dynasty | Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had six catches for 50 yards in a loss against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Nabers had a quiet day and that included leaving briefly to be evaluated for a concussion. The Giants are considering a quarterback change and it certainly wouldn't hurt. The fact Nabers has been able to post the numbers he has this season with the offensive struggles the Giants have endured is a modern day miracle. He remains a solid WR1 regardless of who may be under center for the G-Men.
Dynasty | Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed 24-of-38 passes for 241 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions in a win against Jacksonville. Dynasty Analysis: Darnold was white hot at the beginning of the season but has just three touchdowns and five interceptions the past two weeks. To make things worse, Darnold's interceptions were all deep inside Jags territory and those red zone turnovers were nearly killers for the Vikings. He'll remain a QB2 moving forward as he essentially auditions for other teams this season with JJ McCarthy waiting in the wings.
Dynasty | Jaguars running back Travis Etienne had 44 rushing yards, one catch, and -1 receiving yard in a loss against Minnesota. Dynasty Analysis: Tank Bigsby was hurt in the game and that opened up the door for Etienne for more touches. Unfortunately, a Mac Jones-led offense just didn't do much in this one and Etienne couldn't get on track. This has been a tough season for Etienne, who clearly has talent but the Jaguars aren't committing much to him and he's playing on a team that just isn't very good. A lost season isn't a death knell for Etienne, but he's hardly a lineup lock at this point in the season. His dynasty value is continuing it's slow descent as a result.