RB Strength of Schedule
Tue May 28 9:03am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Robinson setup for big season
Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the running back position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to running backs last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the running backs with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the running backs that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.
| RB SOS | ||
| 1. | Green Bay Packers | 356.01 |
| 2. | Houston Texans | 361.46 |
| 3. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 361.46 |
| 4. | Las Vegas Raiders | 361.48 |
| 5. | Seattle Seahawks | 362.28 |
| 6. | Buffalo Bills | 363.19 |
| 7. | Arizona Cardinals | 363.76 |
| 8. | Dallas Cowboys | 363.9 |
| 9. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 364.51 |
| 10. | Washington Commanders | 364.86 |
| 11. | Chicago Bears | 364.89 |
| 12. | Indianapolis Colts | 365.41 |
| 13. | San Francisco 49ers | 365.86 |
| 14. | New Orleans Saints | 366.49 |
| 15. | New York Jets | 368.23 |
| 16. | Detroit Lions | 368.49 |
| 17. | Philadelphia Eagles | 369.05 |
| 18. | Minnesota Vikings | 369.06 |
| 19. | Carolina Panthers | 369.88 |
| 20. | Cleveland Browns | 370.34 |
| 21. | Kansas City Chiefs | 371.71 |
| 22. | New York Giants | 372.21 |
| 23. | Los Angeles Chargers | 373.19 |
| 24. | Denver Broncos | 373.32 |
| 25. | Cincinnati Bengals | 373.66 |
| 26. | Los Angeles Rams | 374.09 |
| 27. | Baltimore Ravens | 374.16 |
| 28. | New England Patriots | 375.60 |
| 29. | Atlanta Falcons | 376.19 |
| 30. | Miami Dolphins | 377.49 |
| 31. | Tennessee Titans | 378.2 |
| 32. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 378.72 |
The two teams with the easiest fantasy schedules for running backs are the Steelers and Titans, which is interesting because both teams could platoon running backs. The Steelers split the work between Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. And the Titans are likely to use both Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. All four backs could be setup for solid seasons with favorable schedules. It is always scary to take a back that might split work but seeing these positive schedules could make pulling the trigger on them a little easier come draft day. All four could be top flex plays for fantasy teams.
The Dolphins had huge success running the ball last year and could have similar solid production this season with the third easiest fantasy schedule for running backs. Devon Achane is really looking good in year two. He is expected to get more work and likely lead the backfield in touches. Raheem Mostert had a career season last year and a great schedule but he carries a little more risk. He is 32 years old and now has rookie Jaylen Wright pushing him for playing time. Just something to keep in mind come draft day.
The Falcons are another team with a top-five favorable running back schedule, making Bijan Robinson a very intriguing pick this year. Robinson had a bit of a disappointing rookie season, but a new coaching staff and really favorable schedule make Robinson a huge breakout candidate. He is moving up draft rankings in a hurry and is capable of finishing first overall in fantasy running back scoring because of his skill set.
Rhamondre Stevenson is a possible rebound candidate. He was slowed by injury last year but is back healthy and with the fifth easiest schedule for running backs. Stevenson has shown in the past he can be a big-time fantasy back. Things are looking up for him this year, making him a good buy-low candidate.
The Packers had the easiest fantasy schedule for quarterbacks but get the toughest for running backs. This isn’t great news for new back Josh Jacobs. It is hard to bet against the productive back, though. You just might want to temper expectations for him this coming year. Jacobs could have a few down weeks, especially for his standards.
The Texans signed Joe Mixon to shore up their running back spot, but he carries some concerns. He wasn’t highly productive the last few seasons besides all his scores and now gets the second toughest schedule for running backs. Plus, the Texans are likely to be a pass heavy team, which could limit his workload a little. Mixon could end up being a boom or bust player.
Tampa also has a unfavorable fantasy schedule for running backs. Rachaad White had a big season last year but padded his numbers because of all his work in the passing game. That might be a similar scenario for him, having a tough time to run with this schedule. The positive for White is he is very good in the passing game. You have to worry about his rushing totals, though.
The Raiders haven’t really settled on a starting running back, but Zamir White is likely to get first shot at the job. That is great news for his fantasy value but the not so great news is his tough fantasy schedule. This could limit the ceiling of White a little. He has risk to begin with because it isn’t 100 percent certain he wins the job. This makes him a bit of a scary pick for fantasy teams.
Kenneth Walker didn’t have quite the breakout second season many hoped but was fairly productive with his work. And the good news is Zach Charbonnet didn’t really put a big dent in his workload. The Seahawks seem happy with Walker as the lead back. The unfortunate news for Walker is he has the fifth toughest fantasy running back schedule. Walker might fail to reach his lofty expectations once again in year three.
We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy running backs. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the running backs with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big money contests.
| RB PLAYOFF SOS | ||
| 1. | San Francisco 49ers | 291.43 |
| 2. | Washington Commanders | 325.2 |
| 3. | Houston Texans | 327.8 |
| 4. | Pittsburgh Steelers | 332.03 |
| 5. | New York Jets | 337.57 |
| 6. | Cleveland Browns | 340.8 |
| 7. | Las Vegas Raiders | 341.1 |
| 8. | Miami Dolphins | 348.27 |
| 9. | Chicago Bears | 350.37 |
| 10. | Buffalo Bills | 350.53 |
| 11. | Arizona Cardinals | 352.8 |
| 12. | Dallas Cowboys | 358.87 |
| 13. | Detroit Lions | 359.7 |
| 14. | New York Giants | 365.67 |
| 15. | Kansas City Chiefs | 366.53 |
| 16. | Green Bay Packers | 368.97 |
| 17. | Seattle Seahawks | 370.23 |
| 18. | Carolina Panthers | 377.15 |
| 19. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 378.37 |
| 20. | Los Angeles Chargers | 380.73 |
| 21. | Jacksonville Jaguars | 381 |
| 22. | Baltimore Ravens | 381.43 |
| 23. | Cincinnati Bengals | 383.50 |
| 24. | Philadelphia Eagles | 391.07 |
| 25. | New England Patriots | 397.95 |
| 26. | Indianapolis Colts | 398.40 |
| 27. | Denver Broncos | 399.53 |
| 28. | Tennessee Titans | 401.63 |
| 29. | Los Angeles Rams | 403.92 |
| 30. | New Orleans Saints | 406.33 |
| 31. | Minnesota Vikings | 407.87 |
| 32. | Atlanta Falcons | 422.4 |
There are two teams with a top-five favorable schedule for fantasy running backs for both the regular season and playoffs. Those teams are the Falcons and Titans. Atlanta actually has the easiest fantasy playoff schedule for running backs. Robinson was looking good even before hearing this news but looks even better now. He is making a strong case to be the second running back off the board come draft day.
And Pollard and Spears are intriguing running back options with schedules that could produce big for both during the regular season and playoffs. You just have to worry about one back emerging to grab most of the work. If that happens, one of these backs could end up being a bust.
Minnesota has the second easiest playoff schedule for running backs. Aaron Jones has some injury concerns after the last few seasons, but he could be setup for a big workload with an unsettled quarterback situation in Minnesota. Jones has some good upside with his new team, especially during the playoffs.
One other team to mention for the playoff is New Orleans. Alvin Kamara isn’t getting any younger but remains the lead back and still productive. He still seems to have something left in the tank and could be a big fantasy factor for at least one more season, especially when it matters most in the playoffs. He could be a difference maker, having the third easiest fantasy schedule for running backs.
Houston is the lone team in both the top five for the toughest regular season and playoff fantasy running back schedules. This is an obvious concern for Mixon. He is looking more and more like a player you might to avoid come draft day. He might have some big games along the way in this great offense, but you have to wonder about his consistency and playoff performance.
So the top rated fantasy back, Christian McCaffrey, also has the toughest fantasy playoff schedule for running backs. You aren’t fading McCaffrey because of this. He is one of those rare backs that it doesn’t really matter who he plays. McCaffrey will produce. We still think he is the clear No. 1 fantasy back. He can still get it done in the playoffs.
Washington has Brian Robinson and Austin Ekekler likely splitting the work at running back, which hurts both their fantasy values. They also get the second most difficult playoff schedule for running backs. We wouldn’t reach too early for either back because of this.
The Steelers have the easiest fantasy running back schedule during the playoffs but fourth toughest for the playoffs. This is a tough one. Both backs have potential for good things, showing they can co-exist last year and produce well for fantasy teams. You just have to wonder if fading in the playoffs will make all that good work during the regular season all for nothing.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
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The Paur Report
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Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley took 27 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown, added three receptions for 40 yards and an additional score, and lost a fumble during the team's 28-23 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 27-year-old's 199 scrimmage yards were his most in a single game this season, and he posted his best numbers as a receiver this year as well. Quarterback Jalen Hurts did not take any goal line opportunities away from Barkley this week, and got things started for the Eagles and threw a 20-yard score to the star back to give Philadelphia its first points scored in the first quarter all season. The Eagles may be without A.J. Brown (knee) for the second time in 2024, but regardless of his status next week the Eagles will likely lean on Barkley again as they face a struggling Dallas team.
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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir caught six passes for 50 yards in the team's 30-27 win over the Miami Dolphins. The slot receiver only trailed rookie running back Ray Davis in receiving yards and led the team in receptions. As usual, Shakir was efficient with his targets. He missed one this week, bringing his total uncaught targets this season to three. Shakir has at least six catches in three straight games and will bring a safe PPR floor into Indianapolis in Week 10.
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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman caught one pass for 21 yards on two targets in the team's 30-27 win over the Miami Dolphins. It was a disappointing afternoon for the rookie who had been breaking out in recent weeks. Coleman's uncaught target went right off his hands inside the 10-yard line and landed in cornerback Jalen Ramsey's lap. He was unofficially targeted on the Bills' game-winning drive, resulting in a penalty that set up a Tyler Bass field goal. Amari Cooper (wrist) may return in Week 10. His presence has helped the second-round pick. The Bills travel to Indianapolis next weekend.
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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 18 of 24 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns, adding 13 carries for 67 yards and an additional score, during the team's 28-23 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. This game marks the fourth in a row that the 26-year-old has not committed a turnover and he had a fantastic day as a passer despite losing A.J. Brown (knee) in the early third quarter. The brotherly shove was actually ineffective this week but Hurts still found his way into the end zone on an 18-yard run where he went over a defender to dive in for the score. We will need to wait for an update on Brown's status, but even if he is absent, Hurts will remain a must-start against a Dallas team that is reeling with injuries.
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Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid caught four of 10 targets for 32 yards in the team's 30-27 victory over the Miami Dolphins. That was a season-high target mark for Kincaid but he could not reel in half of them. Kincaid has over 30 yards in every game except the opener this season but hasn't logged more than 52. It's a continuation of a disappointing 2024 campaign for the second-year tight end. He'll look to have his breakout game in Week 10 against the Indianapolis Colts.
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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed 25 of 39 pass attempts for 235 yards and three touchdowns in the team's 30-27 victory over the Miami Dolphins. He also threw one interception on a mishandled pass by wide receiver Keon Coleman. As has been the case for the last few weeks, Allen didn't do much with his legs (two carries for seven yards). Rookie running back Ray Davis did the heavy lifting on Allen's longest touchdown pass, turning a short gain into a 63-yard catch-and-run. Allen's other two scores were short completions to Mack Hollins and Quintin Morris. Allen will be ranked as a QB1 next weekend when the Bills travel to Indianapolis.
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Buffalo Bills running back James Cook rushed the football 10 times for 44 yards and caught five passes for 25 yards in the team's last-second victory over the Miami Dolphins. It was the second-fewest carries that Cook has logged in a game this season (nine versus Baltimore). Backup running backs Ray Davis and Ty Johnson combined for seven carries. Cook's stat line was far from what he did against the Dolphins in Week 2 when he scored three touchdowns. Fantasy managers in PPR leagues got a double-digit performance out of Cook, but non-PPR and half-PPR managers weren't as fortunate. Cook draws a positive matchup against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 10.
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) will undergo an MRI to address an AC joint issue in his shoulder. The wideout exited Sunday's meeting with the Atlanta Falcons, although he still managed to return to finish with eight catches for 47 yards. Without a doubt, the Cowboys can't afford any more injuries, considering Dak Prescott (hamstring) will also need an MRI to address the hamstring injury suffered in Week 9. If Lamb can't play in the NFC East showdown with the Eagles, Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin, and Jake Ferguson would all likely see more attention on the receiving end.
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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney hauled in five of nine targets for 88 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-21 win over Dallas. With fellow wideout Drake London going down with an injury early on in the game, Mooney and Bijan Robinson picked up the slack, accounting for 12 of Kirk Cousins' 19 completions. The 27-year-old has now earned six or more targets in seven of nine games and has gone over 80 yards receiving in four of them, with Sunday's TD giving him five on the season. An early look at next week's contest with New Orleans provides another favorable matchup with the Saints in the top third in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers. If London were to miss any time, it would give an additional boost to Mooney and the rest of the receiving corps.
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Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews wasn't a big part of the passing game despite the pass-catchers combining for 280 yards. The veteran ended the game with two receptions for 26 yards on two targets. He only received a 10.5% target share and Lamar Jackson only threw the ball 19 times. The game turned into a blowout pretty quickly after a slow first quarter, and the Ravens didn't need to throw the ball that much in the second half. Andrews will look to bounce back against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10.
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Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane carried the ball 12 times for 63 yards and a rushing touchdown while adding eight receptions for 58 yards and a receiving touchdown in Sunday's 30-27 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Achane took advantage of a soft Buffalo Bills rush defense and topped his previous best outing of the season in Week 8. The Miami offensive line looked much better than in previous weeks and gave the 23-year-old plenty of room to run. A fumble by Raheem Mostert allowed Achane to get even more touches. Mostert has had trouble holding onto the ball since he's returned, causing head coach Mike McDaniels to keep him on the sidelines periodically. Achane will look to build on Sunday's performance as the Dolphins will face the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night.
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Baltimore Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard found the end zone for the first time this season in the 41-10 win over the Denver Broncos. Ricard scored on his lone target of the day which he caught for three yards. The four-time pro bowler is good for one of these receiving touchdowns per year when he slips out into a flat and finds himself wide open. Ricard and the Ravens will take on the Cincinnati Bengals in another AFC North matchup in Week 10.
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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers posted his first multi-score game of the season and broke the century mark in a 41-10 blowout over the Denver Broncos. The speedy wideout finished the game with 127 yards, two touchdowns, five receptions, and six targets. He was able to get open at all different levels of the field and was able to shed tacklers in the process. Flowers' longest play of the day was a 53-yard score where he caught the ball in the middle of the field, broke a tackle, and outran the rest of the defense. He'll look to continue this momentum in Week 10 against their AFC North foes the Cincinnati Bengals.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer scored his first touchdown of the season in a Week 9 win over the Cleveland Browns. Palmer was targeted four times, making two catches for 63 yards. His touchdown came in the first quarter on a 28-yard pass from Justin Herbert to open the scoring. His other catch was a 35-yarder. Palmer seems to be settling into a role as a big-play wide receiver instead of the heavily targeted one many expected before the season. He'll be hard to trust in Week 10 despite a good matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers tight end Will Dissly (shoulder) only made two catches in a Week 9 win over the Cleveland Browns. Dissly has been dealing with a shoulder injury but came into the game without an official injury designation. He'd been very heavily involved in the passing game over the past three games, but with Quentin Johnston returning from an ankle injury, Dissly again faded into a support role at best. He was targeted just three times, making his two catches for nine yards total. Dissly could have some touchdown-dependent value in fantasy leagues going forward, but his brief stint as a TE1 is likely over.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (knee) won't return to Sunday's game against Jacksonville. The wideout came back to the field with his team to start the second half of the contest. However, he wasn't on the sidelines long before leaving for the locker room. Brown will finish Week 9 with only two catches for 36 yards. As expected, fantasy managers are now wondering if he'll be available in Week 10 for the NFC East meeting with the Cowboys. If he's not, DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson, and Saquon Barkley would presumably get more involved on the receiving end. Dallas Goedert (hamstring) would also likely see more targets, assuming he returns from his stint on the shelf. But if Goedert isn't available versus Dallas, Grant Calcaterra would also be in the mix for more attention from Jalen Hurts.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker attempted five kicks in a Week 9 win over the Cleveland Browns. Dicker made three of his four extra point tries and missed his only field goal attempt. Dicker's field goal try came from 44 yards out. He's still one of the more consistent kickers in the NFL, but this was far from his best performance. Luckily, the Bolts were comfortably ahead and were able to wrap up a 27-10 win.
From RotoBaller
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) exited Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons. The signal-caller had a decent showing. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury ended his day abruptly. Of course, there are concerns about the severity of his injury. However, Prescott will undergo an MRI on Monday. He'll likely miss some practice time throughout the week, assuming the injury isn't serious. But if Prescott can't suit up in Week 10 versus the Eagles, Cooper Rush, finishing with 115 yards and a touchdown off 13-for-25 passing on Sunday, would presumably remain under center.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Kimani Vidal continued in his clear backup role in a 27-10 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 9. Vidal carried the ball five times, gaining just seven yards total while not seeing a target in the passing game. Starter J.K. Dobbins scored twice in this game and recorded 16 touches, with Vidal again sticking to an occasional change of pace and backup role. On his own, Vidal won't have any real fantasy value, but if Dobbins were to miss time, Vidal would step into his role and skyrocket into the RB2 ranks.
From RotoBaller
