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 [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
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The Paur Report
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (calf) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the New England Patriots, according to Tom Pelissero. The star wideout suffered a calf strain in Week 2 and was originally expected to miss multiple weeks, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. However, Samuel now has a chance to miss only one game and return to action this weekend. Through the first two weeks of the season, Samuel averaged 18.4 PPR points and tallied 164 receiving yards. If Samuel is able to suit up he should be locked into all lineups as a high-end WR2. If Samuel misses his second straight game, Jauan Jennings should slot in as the No.2 wideout behind Brandon Aiyuk.
From RotoBaller
The Tennessee Titans defense will face the Miami Dolphins in Week 4. This unit was in a great spot last week against a familiar foe in quarterback Malik Willis, who was cut by the Titans right before the season started. However, what transpired was a massive let down at home with the Titans surrendering 30 points to their former QB. This is a defense that has been good at limiting yardage totals but has really struggled to force turnovers (currently last in the NFL). Miami has not named a starting quarterback as of right now, but it seems likely that it will be Tyler Huntley, who was a more than serviceable backup for the Ravens. Still, this game projects to be very low scoring and with the Titans D/ST getting another shot at a backup quarterback, they should produce startable fantasy numbers in Week 4.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns offensive linemen Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee) and Jack Conklin (hamstring) have both been ruled for Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders according to Mary Kay Cabot. This will be a tough blow for the Cleveland offense, as they will be without two of their starting lineman. Even though the Raiders will be without star pass rusher Maxx Crosby (ankle), they will have a much easier time getting to Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. Fantasy managers looking to stream a potential defense should consider Las Vegas, as they should be in a position to record a high number of sacks, as Watson has already been sacked 16 times this season.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins heads into a primetime matchup vs. the Miami Dolphins in Week 4. The veteran enjoyed a breakout performance in Week 4 with over 70 yards and a score, finally looking back to full strength after dealing with a knee injury for over a month. One week is a tiny sample size, but Hopkins took back over as the lead receiver for the Titans vs. Green Bay and may continue that against Miami. Quarterback Will Levis continues to struggle with a bad offensive line and poor decision making, which hurts Hopkins' value, but it's worth noting that the duo torched Miami last season for 124 yards and a touchdown. Hopkins is back in flex territory as of now, but keep expectations tempered.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. The 25-year-old was able to log a limited practice every day this week and could return to action after missing the previous two weeks. Love was diagnosed with a knee injury following their Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil. Over the past two weeks, Malik Willis has led Green Bay to two straight victories and will get another start if Love is unable to suit up. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to any updates regarding Love, as he should be started in all formats if he is a 'full-go.'
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley faces the Miami Dolphins in Week 4. Ridley put up a near-dud last week with only one-catch for nine yards after torching the Jets lockdown secondary a week prior. Through three weeks it's fairly evident that he will be a boom/bust player given the inconsistencies of quarterback Will Levis, along with the emergence of DeAndre Hopkins last week. While Ridley was looking like the clear-cut top option in this passing attack, he took a clear back seat to Hopkins in Week 3 so that is definitely something to monitor. The way to beat Miami is on the ground so it's likely this upcoming game won't feature a ton of passing volume, making Ridley a risky WR3.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (chest) was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The sophomore wideout suffered a chest injury in last week's game against the Minnesota Vikings and was not able to log a practice throughout the week. Dell will now set his sights on returning in Week 5 when the Texans face the Buffalo Bills. The 24-year-old has had a modest start to the season but did post a season-best 62 yards in last week's game but has yet to find the end zone. Fantasy managers should expect Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs to see the majority of targets this weekend, with Robert Woods and Xavier Hutchinson rotating as the No.3 option.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears faces the Miami Dolphins this coming Monday night in Week 4. The sophomore running back put up his highest yard total of the season last week with 61, and was on the field quite a bit when the Titans were playing catch up vs. Green Bay. He's still been a clear RB2 behind Pollard in terms of opportunities, but with how poor Miami is at defending the run and Spears ramping up in the passing game, he could be a sneaky good option for a flex spot, albeit in deeper leagues.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game with an ankle injury. Mixon suffered the injury in Week 2 against the Chicago Bears and was held out of action last weekend. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to any updates regarding the 28-year-old's status over the weekend. The Texans will already enter this game shorthanded with wideout Tank Dell (chest) and No.2 running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring) already ruled out. If Mixon misses his second-straight game, fantasy managers should expect Cam Akers to lead the backfield again in a favorable matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have allowed the 29th most points to running backs this season.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (shoulder) does not carry an injury designation and is set to play on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Chase opened the week on Wednesday as a limited participant with a shoulder injury but logged a full practice on Thursday and Friday. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable locking the LSU standout in their lineup as a high-end WR1 for the remainder of the season. After starting the season slowly through the first two weeks, Chase broke out in a big way on Monday night as he caught six passes for 118 yards and two scores against the Washington Commanders.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis faces the Miami Dolphins in a Week 4 Monday Night Football road showdown. Levis has been on the front page of every NFL meme account due to his not-top ten plays through the first three games of the year. The young quarterback has seen pressure at one of the highest rates in the NFL which has made moving the ball downfield very difficult for this Titans' offense. On the road against a formidable defense with the lowest over/under on the Week is not a good spot for Levis to bounce back. While he did throw for a career high 327 yards last year in an almost identical spot last season, Levis cannot be trusted in any formats as the QB28 through three weeks.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (hamstring) reportedly suffered a hamstring injury during Friday's practice, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Schefter further noted that the 24-year-old wideout is considered "day-to-day" for the time being. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the injury report later this afternoon, as it should provide clarity on Olave's status for Sunday's game. Olave has posted back-to-back games of at least 80+ yards and scored his first touchdown of the 2024 season last week against the Philadelphia Eagles. If Olave is able to suit up this weekend, he should be viewed as a high-end WR2.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard heads to Miami to face the Dolphins in a Week 4 primetime matchup. After two strong weeks to start the season Pollard took a major step back last week with only 4.4 points in half-PPR scoring. The positives were that he still drew four targets, and managed to out-rush his backfield mate Tyjae Spears for the third consecutive week. With Levis' struggles at the helm of this offense, the Titans may opt to lean on their dynamic RB duo more often, and this coming week against a porous rush defense that just let James Cook go hog-wild, Pollard remains a strong play.
From RotoBaller
With Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (ankle) returning to practice on Friday and the Lions playing on Monday night against the Seahawks in Week 4, it makes for a risky proposition to start LaPorta on fantasy teams. The Iowa product has not had a large role in the Lions' offense so far and coming off the injury he could remain a secondary target for Jared Goff against Seattle. LaPorta's season-high in targets was five in Week 1 against the Rams. It is worth monitoring Saturday's practice to make sure he is a participant. If he is, that is a good sign he will be able to suit up after getting in a Friday practice. It is tough to move off of LaPorta and onto another tight end with all the injuries at the position so far this season. It is understandable for fantasy managers to want to pencil in LaPorta for Monday night if he practices on Saturday. But he has yet to show the same target share as last season.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (concussion) will not play this Sunday due to a concussion. The 25-year-old took a hard helmet-to-helmet hit during last weekend's game and will need at least another week to recover from his injury. However, fantasy managers could expect the Alabama product to potentially return in his next game in Week 6 as the Eagles are off next weekend. This weekend, Jahan Dotson and Johnny Wilson should continue to see an increased role in this offense, while No.1 wideout A.J. Brown (hamstring) remains questionable for Sunday's game. Smith has performed very well in the revamped Kellen Moore passing attack this season, averaging 17.0 PPR points per game.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is coming off a lackluster Week 3 performance at Arizona and should continue to be behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, and David Montgomery in the offensive pecking order as far as touches. What Williams brings, however, is the ability to turn one touch into a big play. His deep-ball threat is there in every game but Seattle has two good corners on the outside in Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen. This projects as a tough matchup for Williams as the running back duo figures to be heavily involved and St. Brown should see a majority of the wide receiver targets. So Williams will be reliant on the big play in this matchup making him a somewhat risky option. The upside is certainly there but there is also a low floor.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery should continue his featured rushing role in the team's backfield in a Week 4 matchup against Seattle on Monday night. Star center Frank Ragnow (pectoral) has already been ruled out, but the Lions' talented offense line should still be able to create holes for the powerful back. Jahmyr Gibbs will be involved in the game plan as well but Montgomery is coming off a game of 23 carries with 105 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals in Week 3. He also caught three passes in that game. Montgomery has a rushing touchdown in each of the first three games for the Lions and is a good bet to find the end zone again on Monday. He should be locked and loaded as a starting fantasy running back.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (shoulder) logged a full practice on Friday and does not carry an injury designation heading into Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. Robinson popped up on Thursday's injury report as a limited participant but returned in full on Friday, suggesting this was a very minor injury. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable locking in Robinson as their RB1 this weekend. The Texas standout scored his first touchdown of the campaign last weekend as he ran for 31 yards with a score and added 21 yards off two catches. Robinson remains one of the top running backs in fantasy due to the elite volume he will see both as a runner and a pass-catcher on a weekly basis.
From RotoBaller
After a quiet Week 1, Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has started to make some noise again the past two weeks. He saw 18 targets and caught 11 passes for 119 yards in Week 2 against Tampa Bay. In Week 3 at Arizona, St. Brown hauled in seven of his eight targets for 75 yards and a touchdown. He faces a tough matchup against a talented Seahawks secondary on Monday night. But expect St. Brown to move around the formation and be a target for Jared Goff in the middle of the field. He is starting to pick up steam of late and looks like a good play in Week 4. He is a PPR monster because of his heavy involvement. Against a high-powered Seattle offense, this matchup could be high-scoring so there figure to be plenty of opportunities for St. Brown.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game. The standout wide receiver returned to practice in a limited capacity on Friday after not participating earlier in the week. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to any updates regarding Brown's status ahead of Sunday's game against Tampa Bay. Brown was sidelined over the past two games due to a hamstring injury and would be a welcomed addition to the offense, as DeVonta Smith (concussion) will not suit up this weekend. If Brown is able to play, fantasy managers should view him as a WR1 with upside. If the 27-year-old misses his third-straight game, Jahan Dotson and Johnny Wilson should serve as the starting wideouts on Sunday.
From RotoBaller
