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FFL: Week 2 | NFL: Week 2

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 2

Player Notes
Lamar Jackson Sep 15 10:10pm ET
Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson couldn't lead the team to their first win of the season after they blew a 10-point second half lead to the Las Vegas Raiders. The reigning MVP put together a decent stat line by throwing 21-for-34 for 247 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also added 45 yards on five carries. The ground game went through Derrick Henry in this game as Jackson did a lot less on the ground, and he wasn't able to fully make up those fantasy points through the air. While he connected with Zay Flowers throughout the game, Jackson hasn't been able to establish more than one big connection per game. He'll now have to go on the road and take on another good defensive unit in the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Jones Sep 15 10:10pm ET
Aaron Jones

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones took nine carries for 32 yards in the team's 23-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. He also caught 5-of-6 targets for an additional 36 yards. Jones was out-produced by backup Ty Chandler on the ground in this one (82 yards) and received one less carry than the 26-year-old, but was able to salvage his fantasy day with his work in the passing game. The former Green Bay Packer has led the Vikings backfield through two games, out-touching his running mate 30-to-21 and out-gaining him 177-to-124 while scoring the lone touchdown between the two. This week's rushing split is slightly concerning for managers of the 29-year-old veteran, though it is unclear whether or not it's prescriptive moving forward. Continue to fire Jones up as a mid-to-low-end RB2 on a surprisingly effective Minnesota offense in advance of his Week 3 tilt against the Houston Texans.

From RotoBaller

Garrett Wilson Sep 15 10:10pm ET
Garrett Wilson

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson caught four of his six targets for 57 yards in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Wilson finished second on the team in targets, behind only Breece Hall, while his 57 receiving yards were good enough to lead the team in the close win over Tennessee. Wilson has been steady through the first two weeks of the season but fantasy gamers are still waiting for a dominant performance from their first-round draft pick. He will look to provide that for them in Week 3's Thursday night game against the New England Patriots.

From RotoBaller

Joe Burrow Sep 15 10:10pm ET
Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow finished Sunday's meeting with the Chiefs by throwing for 258 yards and two touchdowns off 23-for-36 passing, adding nine yards off six carries. The signal-caller didn't do much in the Week 1 loss to the Patriots. However, he played better in Week 2, although the Bengals still lost the contest, courtesy of a last-second field goal from Harrison Butker. But fantasy managers have reason to remain optimistic regarding Burrow's fantasy outlook moving ahead, especially since he didn't show any residual signs from last season's wrist surgery. Nonetheless, with the Bengals losing their first two games, the team will look for a victory in the Week 3 Monday Night Football clash with the Commanders. With Burrow showing signs of life versus Kansas City, he's worthy of a spot in all fantasy lineups.

From RotoBaller

Mike Williams Sep 15 10:10pm ET
Mike Williams

New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams caught his lone target for a 19-yard gain in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. While it was another slow game for the veteran, he at least made a dent in the stat sheet after he was not targeted back in Week 1. Williams, who tore his ACL last season, is being brought along slowly by the Jets as they look to ramp him up as their No. 2 receiver as the season goes on. For now, however, he cannot be trusted in fantasy starting lineups. He will have a short turnaround as the Jets play the New England Patriots in Week 3's Thursday night game.

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Allen Lazard Sep 15 10:10pm ET
Allen Lazard

New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard caught two of his four targets for 11 yards in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Lazard turned in one of the more surprising performances of Week 1 when he hauled in two touchdown passes in a loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The veteran receiver came back down to earth in Week 2 as he was an afterthought in the New York passing attack. Lazard can be left on fantasy benches heading into Week 3's Thursday night game against the New England Patriots.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Rodgers Sep 15 10:00pm ET
Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 18 of his 30 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Rodgers threw his first touchdown pass to Braelon Allen in the second quarter and then came back and found Breece Hall for a 26-yard touchdown in the third quarter. The win was Rodgers' first as the quarterback of the New York Jets and was a long time coming after he tore his Achilles tendon in Week 1 of the 2023 season. Rodgers has now thrown for 343 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception through his first two games of the season. He will have a short turnaround as the Jets face the New England Patriots on Thursday night in Week 3.

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Breece Hall Sep 15 10:00pm ET
Breece Hall

New York Jets running back Breece Hall carried the ball 14 times for 62 yards and added seven catches for 52 yards and a touchdown in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Hall found the end zone on a 26-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers in the third quarter, his second touchdown in as many games in the young season. He has been busy in the passing game for the Jets this season, with 12 catches for 91 yards thus far. Hall will be a shoo-in RB1 in fantasy heading into his next game, which will be Thursday night against the New England Patriots.

From RotoBaller

Braelon Allen Sep 15 10:00pm ET
Braelon Allen

New York Jets running back Braelon Allen carried the ball seven times for 33 yards and a touchdown while adding two catches for 23 yards and a second touchdown in a 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 2. Allen, the youngest player in the NFL at just 20 years old, scored the Jets' first touchdown of the game on a 12-yard reception in the second quarter. He later came back and scored the game-winning TD on a 20-yard run in the fourth. While Allen will not overtake star runner Breece Hall in the New York backfield, he remains a top handcuff in case anything happens to Hall moving forward. Allen now has a short turnaround as the Jets play the New England Patriots in Week 3's Thursday night game.

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Dustin Hopkins Sep 15 9:50pm ET
Dustin Hopkins

Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins made all three of his field goals and added an extra point in an 18-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2. Hopkins hit field goals from 53, 38, and 44 yards out in the victory. The veteran kicker has now made all four of his field-goal tries and all three of his extra points through the first two weeks of the season. He will look to remain perfect heading into Week 3's home matchup against the New York Giants.

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Daniel Jones Sep 15 9:50pm ET
Daniel Jones

The Cleveland Browns defense turned in a solid effort in an 18-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2. Cleveland notched four sacks and a safety while holding the Jaguars to just 323 yards of total offense in the road win. The Browns got sacks from Jordan Hicks, Quinton Jefferson, Myles Garrett, and Alex Wright while Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah led the way with seven combined tackles. The Browns will be a strong play again in Week 3's home matchup against Daniel Jones and the New York Giants.

From RotoBaller

Ty Chandler Sep 15 9:50pm ET
Ty Chandler

Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler took 10 carries for 82 yards in Sunday's 23-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers. His long gain was a 25-yard scamper, and he did not receive a target. Chandler had one more rush than Aaron Jones in the contest and outpaced him by 50 yards on his way to a hyper-efficient 8.2 yards per tote. However, Jones did receive six targets in the passing game, hauling in five for 36 yards. Through two games, the Vikings' backfield split has been all over the place, with Jones out-carrying Chandler -- and out-producing him cumulatively -- in Week 1, although the latter caught all three of his targets that week -- one more than the former. The 26-year-old is unlikely to boast stand-alone value while sharing the field with the former Packer. However, the backfield split this week at least warrants an eye-brow raise and is a situation to monitor moving forward. Minnesota will take on the Houston Texans at home in Week 3.

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Sam Darnold Sep 15 9:40pm ET
Sam Darnold

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed 17-of-26 passes for 268 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the team's 23-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers. He added 32 yards on the ground on five carries. When Minnesota beat up on the New York Giants last weekend in their 28-6 win, Darnold's excellent performance could have been written off as a fluke. However, that case is no longer as cut-and-dry with the Viking's surprise defeat of the reigning NFC champions. It's been quite the start to the year for the 27-year-old, who is now on his fourth NFL squad. Through two contests, he's racked up 476 yards and four scores while completing a crisp 72% of his passes. Superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson -- who caught a 97-yard touchdown Sunday -- was diagnosed with a quad bruise during the matchup but does not believe he'll miss any time. With his stellar start, the third-overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft has begun to creep into streaming consideration leading up to the team's Week 3 tilt against the Houston Texans.

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Elijah Moore Sep 15 9:40pm ET
Elijah Moore

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore caught six of his eight targets for 44 yards in an 18-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2. Moore wound up tying for first on the team with Amari Cooper with his eight targets while finishing second on the team in receiving yards. Although he only has 53 receiving yards to show for it, Moore has been heavily targeted through the first two games of the season with 14 over that span. He will be a low-end flex in Week 3 when the Browns take on the New York Giants.

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Derrick Henry Sep 15 9:40pm ET
Derrick Henry

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry has now scored in back-to-back games to start the season but hasn't been able to find a win with his new team yet. The veteran finished with 84 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, and he caught his lone target for 12 yards. Henry looked like his younger self on a few runs as he stiff-armed defenders and broke multiple tackles. This time around, Henry saw a lot more work in the backfield compared to Justice Hill as he saw 19 total touches compared to Hill's six. The Ravens offense has been able to put up some points so far, but they continue to lose leads and abandon the ground game after a while. Henry's touchdown kept him in the RB1 conversation this week, but his ceiling has been limited so far.

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Jordan Akins Sep 15 9:40pm ET
Jordan Akins

Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Akins caught his lone target for a 10-yard gain in an 18-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Week 1 injury to David Njoku (ankle) made Akins an interesting sleeper candidate heading the game against Jacksonville but he only drew the one target from Deshaun Watson in the win as the Browns instead went a bit more run-heavy than they did last week. Akins is unlikely to be a major part of the Cleveland passing offense, even while Njoku is sidelined. He can stay on waivers heading into a Week 3 matchup against the New York Giants.

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Brock Purdy Sep 15 9:30pm ET
Brock Purdy

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy fell short in Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Purdy finished the game having completed 28 of 36 passes for 319 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He added two scrambles for 12 yards on the ground. Minnesota's defense kept the pressure on Purdy all afternoon, as he found himself absorbing a career-high six sacks. Purdy did make many quality throws and his lone interception came from a nice defensive deflection that may have been a simple incompletion if the ball hadn't popped upward in traffic over the middle. Purdy's other turnover happened when the ball slipped out of his hands as he threw and went directly to a waiting Jihad Ward, being ruled a fumble. Today's game represents the second disappointment in a row for fantasy owners. Next up for the 24-year-old signal-caller is a road matchup versus the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3.

From RotoBaller

Rico Dowdle Sep 15 9:30pm ET
Rico Dowdle

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle led the team's backfield with 11 touches in the Week 3 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He logged seven carries for 30 yards and added four catches for 29 yards. With the Saints jumping out to an early lead, the Cowboys were forced to pass more, creating a favorable game script for Dowdle. Although he didn't catch a pass for more than nine yards, Dowdle served as a reliable safety valve for quarterback Dak Prescott, often catching checkdowns. Next week, the Cowboys face a tough matchup against the Baltimore Ravens' stout front, which held the Las Vegas Raiders to just 27 rushing yards. This could force the Cowboys to rely on the passing game again, making Dowdle a potential streaming option in deep-league PPR formats.

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Ezekiel Elliott Sep 15 9:20pm ET
Ezekiel Elliott

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was limited to just 32 total yards in Sunday's 44-19 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Elliott recorded six rushes for 16 yards and added two catches on three targets for 16 yards. With the Saints scoring 35 points in the first half, the Cowboys were forced to abandon the run and shift to a pass-heavy game plan, significantly reducing Elliott's opportunities. The Cowboys struggled offensively, entering the red zone only three times, where Elliott is typically featured. Fantasy managers may want to consider other options in Week 3, as the Cowboys face a tough matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, who allowed just 27 rushing yards to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2.

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MyCole Pruitt Sep 15 9:20pm ET
MyCole Pruitt

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end MyCole Pruitt (knee) was injured in the team's 13-6 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday. The severity of the 32-year-old's injury is unknown at this time. Pittsburgh is now 2-0 on the season despite scoring just one total touchdown through the two contests. Pruitt garnered two targets in last week's victory -- converting one for a gain of nine yards -- but was not as involved this Sunday, failing to earn a target from quarterback Justin Fields. Starting tight end, Pat Freiermuth caught four passes for the second week in a row, while Darnell Washington reeled in his only target for a five-yard score -- Pittsburgh's first of the season. Pruitt will not be a recommended option for fantasy managers -- even when healthy -- as a distant, desperate option on a run-centric Steelers' offense. They'll face the Los Angeles Chargers in their first home matchup of the season in Week 3.

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