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FFL: Week 10 | NFL: Week 10

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 10

Player Notes
Jaylen Warren Nov 11 12:20am ET
Jaylen Warren

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren logged 14 carries for 66 yards and hauled in both of his targets for 29 yards in the team's Week 10 win over the Washington Commanders. After a slow start to the campaign, Warren looked much more like his explosive self on Sunday and ran far more efficiently than Najee Harris. He did, however, cough up the football in the red zone with the game on the line. The Commanders failed to capitalize on the turnover and Pittsburgh ultimately came out on top, but Warren did not receive a touch after fumbling. Warren should nonetheless maintain his role going forward and is worth a look on fantasy waiver wires. He'll face a tough challenge against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Audric Estime Nov 11 12:20am ET
Audric Estime

The Denver Broncos said recently that they were looking to get rookie running back Audric Estime more involved, and they weren't kidding, as he finished with team-highs in carries (14) and rushing yards (53) in the 16-14 loss to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in Week 10. Estime was not targeted in the passing game, but out-touched both Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin 14 to five and out-gained them 53 to 19. It was the 21-year-old's biggest workload, by far, of his rookie season, and although he shouldn't be expected to lead Denver's backfield every week the rest of the way, his workload on Sunday shouldn't be ignored. At the very least, Estime is worth a deep-league waiver-wire pickup heading into a Week 11 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Estime's heavy volume is obviously bad news for Williams' fantasy value moving forward.

From RotoBaller

C.J. Stroud Nov 11 12:20am ET
C.J. Stroud

The Houston Texans and quarterback C.J. Stroud looked poised for a big victory on Sunday, but they failed to generate any points in the second half as Detroit stormed back from a 16-point deficit to win, 26-23. The former Buckeye finished 19-for-33 for 232 yards with a touchdown and two second-half picks that aided Detroit's comeback. He also carried the ball once for five yards. Pass protection continues to be a major issue for Houston, which allowed four sacks Sunday and has now allowed 12 in its past eight quarters. Stroud and company will look for a better finish next week with a road trip to Dallas.

From RotoBaller

Pat Freiermuth Nov 11 12:10am ET
Pat Freiermuth

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth recorded three receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown on three targets in a Week 10 victory against the Washington Commanders. Freiermuth, after a strong start to the campaign, has been utilized sparingly with Russell Wilson under center, but it was promising to see him earn an opportunity near the goal line in the second quarter. The three-yard score was Freiermuth's first from Wilson and his third on the season. While his role in the offense has been far too inconsistent to consider him a weekly fantasy option, Freiermuth could be a streaming candidate in the right matchups. That said, he has a great opportunity next week against the Baltimore Ravens, who give up plenty of fantasy production to tight ends.

From RotoBaller

Jared Goff Nov 11 12:10am ET
Jared Goff

The Houston Texans defense/special teams intercepted Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff a whopping five times on Sunday, but it wasn't quite enough as the Lions came back to win on the final play of regulation by a score of 26-23. The defense did not record a sack in the defeat, during which the Houston offense failed to score in the second half after being ahead 23-7 at halftime. Houston will look to snap a two-game losing streak with a visit to the reeling Dallas Cowboys in Week 11.

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Bo Nix Nov 11 12:10am ET
Bo Nix

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix nearly gave the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs their first loss of the season but came up just short in a 16-14 loss on the road, completing 22 of his 30 pass attempts for 215 yards for two touchdowns and no interceptions. Nix was sacked two times for a loss of 33 yards and also had his worst rushing performance of the year, taking off three time for minus-five yards. He fumbled once but was able to recover. The 24-year-old held his own against a strong defense in a hostile environment and was able to avoid turnovers, but he just didn't do enough and was unable to lead Denver to any points in the second half. In the last five games, Nix has seven TDs and only two picks and continues to improve as a passer. He'll be a solid QB2 option in two-QB fantasy leagues for a Week 11 home date against the Atlanta Falcons.

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Tank Dell Nov 11 12:10am ET
Tank Dell

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell finished with five catches for 39 yards on Sunday in a 26-23 loss to the Detroit Lions. The second-year receiver was targeted a team-high nine times, but finished fourth on the team in receiving yards. The Houston offense didn't do much of anything in the second half, during which they failed to score as Detroit rallied from a 16-point halftime deficit to win the game. Dell's time as the No. 1 receiver is likely coming to an end, as Nico Collins (hamstring) nears a return, but he should still be firmly involved for the AFC South leaders. Houston takes on Dallas in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Dalton Schultz Nov 11 12:10am ET
Dalton Schultz

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz pulled in three passes for a season-high 66 yards in a 26-23 loss to Detroit on Sunday. The big tight end didn't see a ton of volume, logging only four targets, but he was effective when called upon in the passing attack. Unfortunately for Houston, the offense was shut out in the second half as the Lions mounted a comeback from 16 points down. Schultz and the Texans will face a much friendlier matchup in Week 11 when they take on the struggling Dallas Cowboys.

From RotoBaller

Joe Mixon Nov 11 12:10am ET
Joe Mixon

On his worst rushing night of the season, Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon still compiled 90 total yards, two catches, and a touchdown on Sunday in a 26-23 loss against the Detroit Lions. It was the fifth consecutive week in which the veteran found the end zone. The Lions limited the former Bengal to 46 rushing yards on 25 carries, by far his least efficient rushing game of the season, but he broke free for 44 yards on his two catches from four targets. Mixon and the Texans will be favored to snap a two-game losing stream when they play Dallas in Week 11.

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Deebo Samuel Nov 11 12:10am ET
Deebo Samuel

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. fell a bit short of projections in a 23-20 win over the Buccaneers in Tampa on Sunday. The 28-year-old dual threat caught five of six targets for 62 yards receiving and three carries for 14 yards rushing. It's worth noting that Samuel Sr. was limited in practice all week with rib and oblique issues and was announced to play relatively late. Pure speculation here, but Samuel Sr. didn't appear to have his best burst and aggression with the ball in his hands in this one. Samuel Sr. surely has better performances ahead of him, but today, it was shown that the absence of Brandon Aiyuk doesn't imply increased volume for Deebo, especially with the return of Christian McCaffrey. Jauan Jennings drew 11 targets and rookie Ricky Pearsall took the same amount of targets as Samuel Sr. The 49ers will get the Seattle Seahawks at home in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

James Conner Nov 11 12:00am ET
James Conner

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner tallied over 103 total yards in the 31-6 win over the New York Jets, including 80 yards through the air on five catches. Conner continues his aggressive running style, still leading the league in forced missed tackles. On the game's opening drive, Conner took a screen pass 44 yards before getting tackled inside the one-yard line. While his efficiency on the ground wasn't up to his usual standard, he was still able to cross the goal line for his fifth touchdown of the year. Conner has been a solid RB2 for fantasy managers this season; however, fantasy managers will need to look elsewhere in Week 11, as the Cardinals are on their bye week.

From RotoBaller

John Metchie III Nov 11 12:00am ET
John Metchie III

Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III had a career night against the Detroit Lions, finishing with five catches on six targets for 74 yards and a touchdown in a 26-23 loss. The third-year receiver missed his entire rookie season after being diagnosed with leukemia and has played sparingly in the two years since, but broke out Sunday with fellow Texans receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) inactive again. A 15-yard touchdown connection with quarterback C.J. Stroud was Metchie's first NFL score to go with career highs in catches and yards. He'll look to stay involved again when Houston visits Dallas in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Christian McCaffrey Nov 10 11:20pm ET
Christian McCaffrey

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey made his 2024 debut in a 23-20 victory in Tampa over the Buccaneers on Sunday. In a bit of a fantasy disappointment to managers waiting for a return on their first-round investment, McCaffrey took 13 carries for 37 yards rushing and caught six of seven targets for 68 yards receiving. Credit should go to Tampa Bay's ground defense for consistently bottling up San Francisco's rushing attack. If not for one 13-yard rush, McCaffrey would have averaged 2.2 yards per carry. Still, today's game represents the floor for a healthy McCaffrey. Importantly for CMC managers who remain in the playoff hunt, there were no signs of a setback with the dual Achilles tendinitis that held him out until today. McCaffrey did come off the field a few times, probably due to some combination of the Florida heat and his conditioning, but he only ceded two carries to his backups. Assuming he came away unscathed, McCaffrey is a must-start in Week 11 versus Seattle.

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Aaron Rodgers Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Aaron Rodgers

Dynasty | Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 22-of-35 passes for 151 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss against Arizona. Dynasty Analysis: This is about as bad as it gets for the Jets and Rodgers, who are now 3-7 on the season and a team quickly fading into irrelevance. Rodgers himself just hasn't looked like himself on the year and now has just 2,258 passing yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions on the season. He also had a costly fumble at the three yard line that turned the game on its head. The Jets were listless on the day and it's fair to wonder what we can expect from this group moving forward. Rodgers is a QB2 right now with a dynasty value that's really hit the skids.

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Davante Adams Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Davante Adams

Dynasty | Jets wide receiver Davante Adams had six catches for 31 yards in the Jets loss to Arizona. Dynasty Analysis: Adams was targeted 13 times (seven more than any other Jets player), but that resulted in meager results. The Jets simply look lost and the addition of Adams looks now like a desperation play that's going to fail to turn anything around. He'll continue to be a volume based option, but it's going to be at "boom or bust" WR2 levels at best. It's hard to see Adams being a huge difference maker the rest of the way and while he could be a target for dynasty managers who are contending, he's also one poised to disappoint each and every one of them.

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Trey Lance Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Trey Lance

Dynasty | Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush completed 13-of-23 passes for 45 yards in a blowout loss to Philadelphia. Dynasty Analysis: Yikes. This was about as bad as it gets and Rush was eventually replaced by Trey Lance. The Cowboys offense was only able to muster 146 total yards, and that was with the Eagles defense resting virtually the entire fourth quarter. We'll see where the Cowboys turn moving forward, but it would be no surprise to see a 3-6 Dallas team turn to Lance to see if he has anything to give them the rest of the way. Rush has no dynasty value at this point, especially after this disaster.

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CeeDee Lamb Nov 10 11:13pm ET
CeeDee Lamb

Dynasty | Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had six catches for 21 yards in a loss to Philadelphia. Dynasty Analysis: Ugh. The Cowboys are a total disaster and regardless of his immense talent, Lamb just isn't going to be able to overcome this most weeks. Today was clearly a disappointing one as he was targeted ten times but just couldn't break off anything of substance. Lamb is going to be a WR2 option unless one of the Dallas quarterbacks can show some semblance of rhythm moving forward. It's quickly looking like a lost season for anyone with a star on their helmet.

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Will Levis Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Will Levis

Dynasty | Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley had five catches for 84 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Ridley now has 32 targets over his last three games after complaining about his role in the offense. While his production is bound to be spotty (he has just one 100-yard game this year), the Titans have little choice but to get him the ball. On the plus side, Will Levis did look a lot better today than he has in most weeks, so there's that. Ridley will be a plus WR2 moving forward and his dynasty value has evened out over the past couple of weeks.

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Gus Edwards Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Gus Edwards

Dynasty | Chargers running back JK Dobbins had 50 rushing yards, three catches and five receiving yards in a win against Tennessee. Dynasty Analysis: Dobbins has had a great start to the year, but he shared the load with Gus Edwards today and that's going to be a major concern moving forward. If the Chargers make this more of a committee again, this could be a major problem moving forward for dynasty managers. Dobbins is going to be a sketchy play until we see how Los Angeles is going utilize these players moving forward.

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Will Levis Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Will Levis

Dynasty | Titans quarterback Will Levis completed 18-of-23 passes for 175 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss against the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Levis and the Titans lost the game, but this was about as good as he's looked all season. With the Titans at 2-7, you can bet the second half of the season will be used to evaluate Levis more than anything else. He passed the test today, but has to string together some good games moving forward to really create any buzz amongst dynasty managers. At this point, the Titans look to be a team looking for a new start in the 2025 NFL Draft, but Levis will at least have some say in that. He remains a player worth holding, but he's hardly a sure thing at this point.

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