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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 [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
Terry McLaurin Sep 29 6:40pm CT
Terry McLaurin

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin caught seven of his 10 targets for 52 yards and a score as the Commanders dismantled the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. This was McLaurin's second straight game finding the end zone. The Ohio State product has put his slow start in the rearview mirror and he has begun to emerge as a solid WR2 in all formats. After catching just eight passes for 39 yards in the first two weeks, McLaurin has formed a strong connection with his rookie QB and has established himself as his go-to option. Fantasy managers should feel confident starting McLaurin in all formats next weekend against the Cleveland Browns.

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Olamide Zaccheaus Sep 29 6:40pm CT
Olamide Zaccheaus

Washington Commanders wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus led all Washington pass catchers with 85 yards on Sunday afternoon in their victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Zaccheaus caught all six of his targets, which were only second to Terry McLaurin (10 targets). This was a nice breakout performance for the 27-year-old, as he has caught just one pass through the first three weeks of action. Last week, he did not even see a target, and ran just four routes. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Zacchaeus's performance as he outperformed Noah Brown (26 yards) and rookie Luke McCaffrey (17 yards), who have typically been deployed as the No.2 and No.3 wideouts, respectively. Zaccheaus should remain on your waiver wire for now in standard leagues, but could be worth stashing in deeper 14+ team leagues.

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Zach Ertz Sep 29 6:40pm CT
Zach Ertz

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz had a quiet day on Sunday afternoon even though the Commanders scored 42 points. The veteran tight end finished the day with just three catches (on three targets) for 22 yards. He also caught a two-point conversion late in the game. Ertz finished fourth on the team in receiving yards behind Terry McLaurin, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Noah Brown. This was also his lowest yard total of the season. Fantasy managers should not be overly concerned with Ertz as the Washington offense continued to move down the field all afternoon. The 33-year-old remains a low-end TE1 going forward, as he should still see stable production given that he will be on the field for most of the snaps despite this underwhelming Week 4 output.

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Demarcus Robinson Sep 29 6:40pm CT
Demarcus Robinson

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson had just two catches for 37 yards in Sunday's loss to the Bears. With Puka Nacua (knee) and Cooper Kupp (ankle) on the shelf, most assumed Robinson would benefit the most. However, that hasn't happened. Instead, Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington have gotten more involved, with the duo combining for 10 grabs for 144 yards in Week 4. With that in mind, Robinson has worked his way out of the flex conversation for Week 5 versus the Packers. That won't change beyond Week 5 unless he turns things around.

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Austin Seibert Sep 29 6:40pm CT
Austin Seibert

Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert continued his perfect streak as a Commander in Week 4 as he went 2-for-2 on attempts and 4-for-4 on extra points in Sunday's victory. Since joining the Commanders in Week 2, Seibert has hit ten field goals and nine extra points. While Seibert's leg has yet to be tested from 50+ yards out, his hot stretch makes him a favorable streaming candidate going forward. In addition, as the Washington offense continues to improve every week, Seibert should see regular attempts to put points on the board. He is shaping up to be a solid option in all formats next week as the Commanders return to the DMV to host the Cleveland Browns.

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Bucky Irving Sep 29 6:36pm CT
Bucky Irving

Dynasty | Bucs rookie running back Bucky Irving had 49 rushing yards and a touchdown in a win against the Eagles. Dynasty Analysis: He added a catch for six more yards. The big story here is obvious - Irving has created a true time-share with Rachaad White and simply looks like the better player after the first month of the season. White matched him with 49 yards on ten carries of his own, but Irving is getting some important work and is averaging more than five yards per carry on the season. This is a story to watch as Irving is starting to really make things interesting in Tampa Bay. The Bucs may have found something here and dynasty managers who took Irving in the middle rounds of rookie drafts may have themselves a steal.

Tank Bigsby Sep 29 6:36pm CT
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Dynasty | Jags running back Tank Bigsby had 90 yards on seven carries in a loss against Houston. Dynasty Analysis: This is now getting interesting in Jacksonville. At this point, Bigsby has looked better than Travis Etienne and he actually had the first touches in the backfield today. Etienne led the team in carries today (11) but was only able to post 50 yards, while adding one catch for another ten. Dynasty managers who ignored the smoke this Summer about the Jags wanting to ease the load on Etienne have been burned as this looks like a timeshare moving forward. As a result, Etienne's dynasty arrow is sinking by the week.

Xavier Legette Sep 29 6:36pm CT
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Dynasty | Panthers receiver Xavier Legette had six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers loss against Cincinnati. Dynasty Analysis: This was a much needed solid performance for Legette who matched his season total with ten targets on the day. He narrowly missed another score and finally looked like an NFL receiver in this one. The move to Andy Dalton has clearly ignited the Panthers offense and the buy low window on Legette may have closed today. We need to see some more solid days from Legette before recommending him, but this was clearly a solid step in the right direction.

Chase Brown Sep 29 6:35pm CT
Chase Brown

Dynasty | Bengals running back Chase Brown had 80 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a win against the Panthers. Dynasty Analysis: Brown has clearly created a timeshare situation with fellow running back Zack Moss (51 yards on 15 carries) with the Bengals. Moss ended the game with 19 touches and Brown had 17 on the day. This is going to be great for the Bengals moving forward and a total nightmare for dynasty managers. Moss had a receiving touchdown himself but Brown looks like the more explosive player. In the end, both running backs are relegating the other to RB2/3 status at the moment as their deployment is working great in reality and creating a nightmare in dynasty leagues. They both remain solid holds in leagues as things continue to progress.

Diontae Johnson Sep 29 6:35pm CT
Diontae Johnson

Dynasty | Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson had seven catches for 83 yards and a touchdown in a loss against the Bengals. Dynasty Analysis: In two starts with Bryce Young at the helm, Johnson had five catches on 12 targets for 34 scoreless yards. In two starts with Andy Dalton, Johnson now has 15 catches on 27 targets for 205 yards and two touchdowns. It's safe to say we have a pretty significant development in Carolina as Johnson is clearly becoming the receiver many expected him to be when he moved to Carolina in the off-season. At this point, Johnson looks like a solid WR2 option as long as Dalton is at the helm.

Justin Fields Sep 29 6:35pm CT
Justin Fields

Dynasty | Steelers quarterback Justin Fields completed 22-of-34 passes for 312 yards and a touchdown, adding 55 rushing yards and two more scores in an upset loss to the Colts. Dynasty Analysis: Fields was forced to throw more than usual in this one and did just fine. While he hasn't been spectacular this season, he has thrown for three touchdowns, added three more scores on the ground and taken care of the football for the most part, with just one interception on the season. Pittsburgh is a good football with some clear problems, but Fields just doesn't seem to be one of them. His dynasty arrow continues to be stable as it would be a shock to see Pittsburgh turn to Russell Wilson any time soon.

Adonai Mitchell Sep 29 6:34pm CT
Adonai Mitchell

Dynasty | Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell had one rush for ten yards in a win against Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: He was held catch-less for the second straight game. Yikes. Mitchell now has just two catches for 32 yards in his first four NFL games, a far cry from what dynasty managers were hoping for this season. While the struggles (and durability) of Anthony Richardson haven't helped, Mitchell just seems like a player who is lost at the moment. He remains far away from lineups at this point and could be a savvy buy for dynasty managers steadfast in believing this is just a slow start.

Jayden Reed Sep 29 6:34pm CT
Jayden Reed

Dynasty | Packers receiver Jayden Reed had seven catches for 139 yards and a touchdown in the Packers loss to Minnesota. Dynasty Analysis: It's safe to say Reed likes playing with Jordan Love. In the two games with Love at the helm this season, Reed has 11 catches on 14 targets for 277 yards and two scores. In the two with Malik Willis, he had just six catches for 59 scoreless yards. Reed looks to be the top option in a very important passing offense for fantasy purposes and should be locked into lineups moving forward. His dynasty value will start climbing again starting this week.

Bijan Robinson Sep 29 6:34pm CT
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Dynasty | Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had 28 rushing yards, four catches and 46 receiving yards in a win against the Saints. Dynasty Analysis: The Falcons won the game and will certainly take it. However, dynasty managers are furious as Tyler Allgeier again ate into Robinson's workload and out-carried him 8-7. Robinson had 11 touches and Allgeier had ten as the Falcons seemed content again to not use their best offensive player. The idea that Robinson was going to emerge as a RB1 early this season has seemed to evaporate before our eyes yet again as Atlanta's offense is one of the toughest to predict again this season, despite a new coaching staff. Robinson remains an elite dynasty asset and weekly starter at the moment but clearly isn't a player to build around right now as his dynasty value starts to sink.

Joe Flacco Sep 29 6:33pm CT
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Indianapolis Colts QB Joe Flacco completed 16-of-26 passes for 168 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers in relief of the injured QB Anthony Richardson (hip).

Fantasy Spin: Flacco caught lightning in a bottle down the stretch last season for Cleveland in place of the injured Deshaun Watson. He has proven he has a little bit left in the tank. If Richardson is forced to miss time, Flacco is likely to start, but he is best used as a QB2 in most fantasy formats. With bye weeks starting in Week 5, he could be a decent replacement option if he starts against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Tutu Atwell Sep 29 6:30pm CT
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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell had a team-high 82 receiving yards with four grabs in Sunday's loss to the Bears. Jordan Whittington had more receptions. However, Atwell was arguably the Rams' top wideout in Week 4. It's apparent he'll remain more involved while Puka Nacua (knee) and Cooper Kupp (ankle) remain sidelined, so he has some value as a flex option when Los Angeles meets the Packers in Week 5.

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Jayden Daniels Sep 29 6:30pm CT
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Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels went 26-for-30 for 233 yards and a score through the air on Sunday. He added 47 rushing yards and another score on eight carries. Even though the rookie sensation took a step back from a fantasy standpoint this weekend, he continued to develop as a passer, leading the Commanders to a third straight victory. Washington leaned on their rushing attack in this one which took the ball out of Daniels' hands. However, he salvaged his fantasy day with a nine-yard TD run in the third quarter and a 10-yard TD pass to Terry McLaurin late in the fourth quarter. Fantasy managers should continue to confidently start Daniels even though he faces a tough Cleveland Browns defense next week.

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Brian Robinson Jr. Sep 29 6:30pm CT
Brian Robinson Jr.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. led the way on the ground on Sunday afternoon as he totaled 101 yards and a score on 21 carries. He added 12 yards on three catches through the air. The Alabama product saw the lion's share of opportunities on the ground as Austin Ekeler (concussion) could not suit up for this game. This was the first time this season Robinson saw more than 20 carries. As the Commanders began to pull away, Jeremy McNichols saw most of the fourth-quarter attempts. Fantasy managers should continue to view Robinson as a solid RB2 going forward, as the Washington offense is humming on all cylinders.

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Jordan Whittington Sep 29 6:30pm CT
Jordan Whittington

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Jordan Whittington amassed 62 receiving yards off a team-high six catches in Sunday's loss to the Bears. With Puka Nacua (knee) and Cooper Kupp (ankle) out of commission, others have gotten more involved. Demarcus Robinson has struggled to remain relevant. However, Whittington had his best showing of the season in Week 4. With that said, he has a way to go before he earns a spot in most fantasy lineups, which applies to Week 5 against the Packers. But if the 23-year-old continues to produce from a volume standpoint, that could change for PPR managers, assuming Kupp and Nacua aren't back in the lineup soon.

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Jeremy McNichols Sep 29 6:30pm CT
Jeremy McNichols

Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols served as the No.2 running back on Sunday with Austin Ekeler (concussion) sidelined and enjoyed a career game as he punched in two scores with 75 total yards. McNichols tallied 68 of those on the ground, with the other seven coming through the air. Even though Brian Robinson Jr. saw most of the attempts, McNichols shined on the eight carries he saw as he scored on an impressive 27-yard run and found the end zone again later on a seven-yard carry. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Ekeler's status throughout the weekend, as McNichols could be a low-end flex play next weekend if he reclaims this No. 2 role next week.

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