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Hello fantasy footballers! Today we will look at running back strength of schedule. Hopefully these numbers will help us make some trades or pickups that might help us navigate the second half of the season. And with some fantasy playoffs starting as early as Week 13, we are now into the second half of the fantasy season.
We’ll be using ESPN’s strength of schedule numbers, which stat guru Mike Clay posted on Tuesday and you can see here. I’ve chosen the adjusted to schedule fantasy points allowed column for this endeavor. The numbers are fairly straight forward, as the higher the number, the harder the schedule for our signal callers. I’ve also compiled SOS using Football Outsider’s DVOA against the pass to give us another perspective. For this post we’ll look at wide receivers.
I’m going to look at the average between the adjusted fantasy points allowed and the overall pass defense DVOA as a way to show the teams whose schedules are considered easy or tough based on both metrics. Not the most scientific way of looking at it probably, but I like to see correlation where I can.
WR SOS (Wk6-16)
| Teams | RB (Adjusted) | DVOA | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | RB (Adjusted) | DVOA | AVG |
| CLE | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| PHI | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| ARI | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| CHI | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| WSH | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| LAC | 12 | 2 | 7 |
| BAL | 3 | 13 | 8 |
| IND | 10 | 6 | 8 |
| SF | 9 | 8 | 9 |
| BUF | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| PIT | 13 | 17 | 15 |
| DAL | 7 | 24 | 16 |
| TB | 16 | 15 | 16 |
| CIN | 7 | 25 | 16 |
| NE | 22 | 10 | 16 |
| LAR | 17 | 16 | 17 |
| NYG | 15 | 18 | 17 |
| NYJ | 20 | 14 | 17 |
| GB | 23 | 12 | 18 |
| SEA | 27 | 9 | 18 |
| JAX | 14 | 23 | 19 |
| KC | 18 | 20 | 19 |
| NO | 21 | 19 | 20 |
| MIA | 24 | 21 | 23 |
| CAR | 18 | 29 | 24 |
| DEN | 30 | 22 | 26 |
| DET | 25 | 27 | 26 |
| HOU | 26 | 26 | 26 |
| MIN | 27 | 28 | 28 |
| ATL | 29 | 32 | 31 |
| LV | 31 | 30 | 31 |
| TEN | 32 | 31 | 32 |
Easy WR schedules
Odell Beckham Jr./Jarvis Landry, Browns
Schedule: @CIN, LV, BYE, HOU, PHI, @JAX, @TEN, BAL, @NYG, @NYJ
Jarvis Landry has a broken rib and we could see Rashard Higgins get a bit more work going forward, but Odell Beckham Jr. should continue to be the main target. He hasn’t been extremely consistent, but has shown good upside
Travis Fulgham, Eagles
Schedule: DAL, BYE, @NYG, @CLE, SEA, @GB, NO, @ARI, @DAL
Fulgham will see competition from his own team as the season moves forward, but he has taken over the No. 1 receiver job and has a great schedule moving forward. This Eagles team isn’t going to become great anytime soon, but Fulgham is seeing a lot of targets and I’m on board with this schedule.
DeAndre Hopkins/Christian Kirk, Cardinals
Schedule: SEA, BYE, MIA, BUF, @SEA, @NE, LAR, @NYG, PHI, SF
Hopkins is going to be too expensive to pry from anyone, but Christian Kirk is someone I’d like to have moving forward with this schedule. Kirk may end up being inconsistent, but he’s a player who can put up big fantasy points on one reception.
Tough WR schedules
A.J. Brown, Titans
Schedule: PIT, @CIN, CHI, IND, @BAL, @IND, CLE, @JAX, DET, @GB
Brown is a beast and when healthy he is going to put up big numbers. But, he plays with such physicality that injuries are going to crop up, especially playing a tough schedule. Brown isn’t someone I’d give up for cheap, but I’d look to see what you can get for him.
Will Fuller, Texans
Schedule: GB, BYE, @JAX, @CLE, NE, @DET, IND, @CHI, @IND, CIN
Will Fuller has been on a tear this season with four straight games with touchdowns and three 100+ yards games. But, he has some tough matchups coming up and there’s always a risk of his hamstring keeping him out a few games. I would look to trade for Odell Beckham Jr. straight up if possible.