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FFL: Week 4 | NFL: Week 4

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
Cade Otton Sep 29 8:30pm CT
Cade Otton

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton was basically invisible to begin the season, but has turned it around over the last few weeks. On Sunday, Otton hauled in six of his nine targets for 52 yards in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Otton now has 13 receptions on 17 targets for 99 yards over the last two games. Otton remains third on the pecking order, but he has found a way to produce over the last two games. He has forced himself into the TE2 discussion heading into next week's matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

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Breece Hall Sep 29 8:30pm CT
Breece Hall

Following Sunday's 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos, New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh commented on running backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen and how they might be used in goal-line situations moving forward. Specifically, reporters asked Saleh why he chose not to sub out Hall for Allen when the team was deep in Broncos' territory. "It was still kind of early when that play came about, but definitely something we can look at," said Saleh, "We're always going to lean on Breece, he's our workhorse back... It's definitely something to look at." The comments in question regard a series of plays where New York had a first-and-goal from the one-yard line, and Hall was stuffed on first and second-down handoffs. Braelon Allen was subbed in on third, but the Jets ran a pass play that fell incomplete. Despite intending to go for it on fourth-down, a penalty forced them to settle for a field goal. It's encouraging to see the Jets head coach give his RB1 the vote of confidence. However, one has to wonder if this will affect his decision-making for the remainder of the season. The rookie RB was a far more effective rusher Sunday, averaging 4.3 yards on his eight carries, while the presumed starter finished with four yards on ten attempts. The former Cyclone is unlikely to lose his job as the 1A in New York's backfield, but he may lose out on some valuable touches moving forward. The Jets will be the "home" team in Week 5 when they square off against the Minnesota Vikings in London

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Jalen Hurts Sep 29 8:30pm CT
Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 18 of 30 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown, adding eight carries for 20 yards, an additional score, and lost one of his two fumbles during the team's 33-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The loss of A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith was felt early and often in this game. Eagles wide receivers combined for just 34 yards, catching seven of their 20 targets. For context, tight end Dallas Goedert nearly doubled that receiving yard total on his own in this game. The lack of pass-catching talent was not the only issue. This was another game where Hurts has started slow and had to play catch up. The bye week could not have come at a better time for the Eagles. It should give them the chance to regroup and regain their top two pass catchers before a showdown with the Cleveland Browns in Week 6.

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Jerome Ford Sep 29 8:30pm CT
Jerome Ford

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford carried the ball 10 times for 58 yards and added seven catches for 27 yards in a 20-16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4. Ford appeared to be on his way to another mediocre rushing day before ripping off a 35-yard run late in the fourth quarter to boost his overall numbers. Despite his struggles on the ground, Ford supplemented his fantasy output with another strong day in the receiving department, catching all seven of his targets in the loss. Ford has now hauled in 17 of 20 targets through four games this season. With Nick Chubb (knee) still at least a few weeks away from being activated from the PUP list, Ford will be a solid RB2 heading into Week 5 against the Washington Commanders.

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Amari Cooper Sep 29 8:30pm CT
Amari Cooper

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper caught four of his eight targets for 35 yards in a 20-16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4. Cooper could have had a much bigger afternoon but he had an 82-yard touchdown catch wiped away thanks to a holding penalty on center Nick Harris. As has been the case multiple times this season, Cooper also committed another tough drop, this time allowing an on-target pass to slip through his hands into a defender's for an interception. Cooper now has 16 catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns through four games. Despite struggling in three of his four games in 2024, Cooper will be a strong fantasy play against a weak Washington Commanders secondary in Week 5.

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Cameron Dicker Sep 29 8:20pm CT
Cameron Dicker

Los Angeles Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker attempted three kicks in a Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, making two of them. He made his only extra point try and one of his two field goal attempts. The field goal he made was a first quarter kick from 50 yards out. He missed a later 55 yard try in the third quarter. Dicker has been extremely accurate to start his career since last season, but his only weak spot might be kicks from outside of 50 yards. He and the Bolts head into their bye week and will return for a Week 6 game against the Broncos in Denver.

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Chris Godwin Sep 29 8:20pm CT
Chris Godwin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin surprisingly took a backseat for the first time this season. Fellow wideout Mike Evans did a majority of the damage as he saw 14 targets on the day. However, Godwin was still productive as he hauled in six of his nine targets for 69 yards in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Head coach Todd Bowles mentioned earlier in the week that they wanted to get Evans more involved. They've done that and it could mean a dip in value for Godwin going forward. However, Godwin should still get a steady workload as he has proven himself to be a viable option. Fantasy managers should consider Godwin a WR2 for Thursday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.

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Austin Hooper Sep 29 8:20pm CT
Austin Hooper

New England Patriots tight end caught two passes for 13 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Hooper's touchdown came on fourth down as Jacoby Brissett sold the hand-off and found his tight end wide open near the goal line. Although he's the Patriots' No. 2 tight end behind Hunter Henry, Hooper has still put together a solid start to the season, catching six passes for 68 yards and the score. He'll continue to make an impact on offense but can be avoided in most fantasy leagues given the Patriots' subpar offense and his role behind Henry.

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Josh Palmer Sep 29 8:10pm CT
Josh Palmer

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (calf/elbow) returned to the field for a Week 4 game against the Kansas City Chiefs and was targeted four times, making three catches for 36 yards. Palmer missed the Week 3 loss to the Steelers and started off Week 4 with a limited practice before being able to practice in full twice at the end of the week, entering the game without an injury designation. He ended up tied for third on the team in targets but second in catches and yards. It was a mostly slow game for the Chargers offense once again, and despite plenty of preseason hype around Palmer as potentially being quarterback Justin Herbert's go-to guy in the passing game, Palmer will go into the Chargers bye week with a total of seven catches for 70 yards. A healthier Herbert after the bye week could start throwing more, but for now Palmer needs to remain on most fantasy benches until he shows something different.

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Demario Douglas Sep 29 8:10pm CT
Demario Douglas

New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas caught all three of his targets for 13 yards during Sunday's Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Douglas had caught seven passes for 79 yards back in Week 4, so there was optimism that he might be able to build on that effort this week against the Niners. Instead, his target total declined and he delivered an underwhelming fantasy performance. Unfortunately, the Patriots don't have enough passing and scoring opportunities to make Douglas a reliable fantasy option. Jacoby Brissett is averaging just 15.1 completions and 0.5 passing touchdowns per game, so when you divide those numbers over a large group of capable wide receivers and tight ends, you're left with a bunch of depth players who lack much fantasy value, outside of an occasional breakout game. That's the case with Douglas, who has either gone under 4.5 fantasy points or over 14.5 fantasy points in all four of his games this season. He's too dependent on volume in an offense that can't consistently support a player like that. Douglas ranks as a fantasy WR5 going forward.

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Mike Evans Sep 29 8:10pm CT
Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has been quiet the last few games, but picked it up during Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The veteran wideout hauled in eight of his 14 targets for 94 yards and a touchdown in the win. Head coach Todd Bowles said he wanted to get Evans more involved and that's exactly what happened. Those 14 targets were a team-high as Evans earned a 30 percent target share on Sunday. It appears Evans is back to putting up elite numbers so he should be on the WR1 radar for Thursday's matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

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Quentin Johnston Sep 29 8:10pm CT
Quentin Johnston

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston put up a dud in a Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He was targeted five times, the second most on the team, but was only able to come up with one catch for a nine yard gain. He added a rushing play in which he gained four yards on the ground. Johnston came into this game as the overall WR21, having scored three touchdowns in the past two games. This one was a little different, as he totaled less than two fantasy points in standard scoring and half-PPR formats. The Chargers actually threw the ball more times than they ran it for the first time this season, but Johnston just wasn't able to do much with the balls thrown his way. The Bolts will head into their Week 5 bye and will take on the Broncos in Denver in Week 6. Johnston should remain a large part of the passing game, but this was quite a dud for fantasy managers expecting to see his touchdown streak continue.

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Ladd McConkey Sep 29 8:00pm CT
Ladd McConkey

Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey scored his second NFL touchdown in a Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. McConkey led the Bolts in catches, yards, and targets and was the only Charger to score a touchdown. He ended up seeing seven targets, making five catches for 67 yards, including a seven yard touchdown on an excellent catch and throw in the first quarter. McConkey heads into the Chargers bye week as the clear top target in the passing game and should be an asset in PPR leagues especially when the Chargers return for a Week 6 game in Denver against the Broncos.

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Rhamondre Stevenson Sep 29 8:00pm CT
Rhamondre Stevenson

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 43 yards on 13 carries during Sunday's Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He also converted five targets into four catches for 19 yards through the air. On a more negative note, Stevenson did lose a fumble in the effort. He has now fumbled in all four games this season and has lost a fumble in each of the last two contests. Evidently, the running back's productivity and versatility on offense have been somewhat canceled out by his ball security issues. At the same time, fellow running back Antonio Gibson has tallied 219 scrimmage yards over the last three games, showing a combination of burst and ball security that we simply haven't seen from Stevenson in the last couple of weeks. Stevenson should still be the Patriots' No. 1 running back against the Miami Dolphins in Week 5, but the gap between the two of them is likely shrinking as Gibson makes a case for more snaps and touches.

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Bucky Irving Sep 29 8:00pm CT
Bucky Irving

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving came into the game as questionable due to a hamstring issue. However, Irving suited up and played well during Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The rookie back rushed 10 times for 49 yards and scored his first rushing touchdown of his career. It's worth noting that Irving saw just as many carries as lead back Rachaad White. Irving has continued to run the ball well on a weekly basis and that has earned him a larger role on this offense. He's beginning to creep into the RB3 conversation heading into Thursday's matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

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Deshaun Watson Sep 29 8:00pm CT
Deshaun Watson

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 24 of his 32 passes for 176 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while rushing for 32 yards on eight carries in a 20-16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4. It could have been a much bigger game for Watson but the Cleveland offense was plagued by multiple mistakes, including a holding penalty on center Nick Harris that wiped away an 82-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper in the fourth quarter. The interception was also hard to pin on Watson as he hit Amari Cooper in the chest but the receiver allowed the ball to go through his hands and right to safety Tre'von Moehrig for the pick. Watson has now thrown four touchdowns and three interceptions through four games while leading the Browns to a 1-3 record. He will look for a bigger outing in Week 5 against a red-hot Washington Commanders team.

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Ja'Lynn Polk Sep 29 8:00pm CT
Ja'Lynn Polk

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk converted seven targets into three catches for 30 yards during Sunday's Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Polk had not commanded more than three targets in a single game through the first three weeks of the season, but that evidently changed this week as Polk led the Patriots with seven passes thrown his way. Despite the increased volume, Polk still didn't deliver a very appealing fantasy performance due to his lower catch and yardage totals. On a promising note, he made an impressive grab in heavy coverage along the sideline. It was ruled incomplete, but only because Polk just barely missed getting both feet in bounds. The play should give fantasy managers optimism that Polk can make flashy catches against starting cornerbacks in the NFL. The rookie isn't a reliable option for Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins, but his long-term value continues to grow as he makes an impression early in his Patriots career.

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Rachaad White Sep 29 8:00pm CT
Rachaad White

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White was considered questionable coming into Sunday's game due to an illness. Despite that, White suited up and had a decent day on the ground. He rushed 10 times for 49 yards while hauling in two receptions for an additional 35 yards through the air. The biggest problem for White is that fellow back Bucky Irving continues to out-rush. White has struggled on the ground and has a result the Bucs continue giving Irving more chances and it's paying off for them. Both backs saw 10 carries each during Sunday's win over the Philadelphia Eagles. White should be considered a low-end RB2 for the Thursday night matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

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Tee Higgins Sep 29 7:50pm CT
Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins had 60 yards off a team-high six catches in Sunday's win over the Panthers. The wideout returned from a two-game absence for the Week 3 loss to the Commanders. However, he had only three receptions in that one. But with 10 targets in Week 4, it appears Higgins still has the attention of Joe Burrow, making him worthy of a starting spot in all fantasy formats when the Bengals meet the Ravens in Week 5.

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Tyler Badie Sep 29 7:50pm CT
Tyler Badie

The New York Jets defense played well in a 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 4. The Jets were unable to notch any sacks but did force a turnover while holding the Broncos to just 186 yards of total offense in the close loss on a rainy afternoon in New Jersey. New York's defense got their lone takeaway when they recovered a Tyler Badie fumble in the contest. The Jets will have their work cut out for them when they take on a red-hot Minnesota Vikings offense in London in Week 5.

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