There is certainly no shortage of analytics and data available to fantasy football enthusiasts. One of the most useful tools available to the well-prepared fantasy drafter is to break down the strength of schedule for each position. FullTime’s 2024 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule: RB looks at the most crucial position to give you a draft-day edge.
While there is plenty of strength of schedule analysis out there, FullTime Fantasy breaks down the data in a unique way. In addition to season-long data, FullTime Fantasy Members get access to all positions including IDP. Also, the data can be sorted by remaining games and broken down into sections. This can be especially helpful for high-stakes and tournament drafters looking for the edge during the fantasy playoffs.
After breaking down quarterbacks previously, here is a deep dive into the 2024 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule: RB and how to take advantage of that data this draft season.
The numbers listed include Weeks 1-17.
Favorable Schedules
Kyren Williams (Los Angeles Rams) – A league-winner in 2023, Kyren Williams is still being discounted in 2024. The addition of Blake Corum factors into that, but Williams was the second-best running back in fantasy football last season in fantasy points per game. Additionally, Sean McVay prefers to feature one back over a committee.
If you don’t like Kyren Williams, you don’t like ball
🔵 95.3 Rushing Yards per Game (1st)
🟡 21.3 PPR Points per Game (2nd RB)
🔵 15 TDs in 12 Games— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) July 10, 2024
Most of the metrics also indicate that Willaims was not a fluke. He excelled at churning out extra yards after contact and led all backs in snaps per game (56.5). The 2024 schedule sets up very favorably for Williams to remain an elite fantasy RB1.
Los Angeles has the league’s easiest schedule for running backs. Williams gets four games against the NFL’s worst two fantasy run defenses (Seattle and Arizona). And that fantasy playoff schedule is 🤌. Williams gets the Jets in Week 16 and the league-worst Cardinals in Championship Week. Each of those two squads surrendered over 20 fantasy points per game to enemy running backs last season.
Joe Mixon (Houston Texans) – Mixon has struggled in zone concepts, which is a bit of a concern in Bobby Slowik’s scheme. Nevertheless, Mixon’s sheer volume and touchdown upside in Houston’s offense make him a borderline RB1. Additionally, Houston’s fantasy-friendly schedule also helps.
The Texans have the league’s second-easiest schedule for running backs. Houston opens the season with a pair of games against bottom-5 fantasy run Ds. They also face the Jets and the Packers and have four games against Indy and Jacksonville.
There is only one potential bad-weather game for Mixon to contend with. Unfortunately, that is a Week 16 trip to Kansas City. Also, that finale at home against the Ravens could be tough. Besides that, Mixon’s high-volume role and Houston’s easy slate look appealing.
Isiah Pacheco (Kansas City Chiefs) – Mixon’s semi-final opponent also should thrive as a feature back with a cushy schedule. Isiah Pacheco won’t lose passing-down reps to Jerick McKinnon. And Kansas City’s 2024 schedule sets up very favorably for a potential breakout.
Starting in Week 10, Pacheco ends the season with nine straight games against lackluster run defenses. Each of KC’s final nine opponents surrendered over 20 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs.
With a reinforced receiving corps and offensive line, Pacheco is poised to thrive as a workhorse with double-digit touchdown upside. Additionally, that second-half schedule should result in plenty of high-intensity Pacheco highlights.
Nick Chubb/Jerome Ford (Cleveland Browns) – No one can fault fantasy managers for fading the Browns’ backfield. But Cleveland will remain committed to the run. The recent viral video of Nick Chubb squatting over 500 pounds months after destroying multiple knee ligaments has caused Chubb’s ADP to shoot up 11 spots.
24 is built different 😤
(via joc.films/IG) | @NickChubb pic.twitter.com/XtzHjIK4qw
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) July 15, 2024
Jerome Ford posted RB20 numbers last season. Regardless of how things shake out, Cleveland boasts the fourth-easiest schedule for the position. Someone is going to produce in this backfield and it is quite easy to snag both of Cleveland’s running backs in the middle-to-late rounds of drafts.
Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas Cowboys) – Another backfield that has yet to be determined is in Dallas. Rico Dowdle had his moments last season. However, our money is on Jerry Jones favorite Zeke Elliott to emerge as the team’s most reliable fantasy option in his return to Big D.
While Elliott has lost a step or two, he still proved he can play a three-down role in New England last season after Rhamondre Stevenson went down. Elliott saw more targets than Joe Mixon and can still be an effective goal-line option. That element was missing for the Cowboys last season.
Additionally, the schedule sets up nicely for the Dallas backfield. The Cowboys have five games against opponents who were inside the bottom 8 against fantasy running backs a year ago. Because of the uncertainty of roles, Elliott and his backfield mates are available late in drafts. That makes them appealing ‘dead zone’ RB targets.
Difficult Schedules
Jonathon Brooks/Chuba Hubbard (Carolina Panthers) – Expectations are somewhat higher in Carolina. However, the Panthers are still projected to win the fewest games in the league. A committee backfield for a perennial loser is not the formula for fantasy success.
Jonathan Brooks is the clear No. 1 running back in this class. But, Brooks is dealing with a torn ACL and could open the season on the PUP list. Hubbard faired well last season but was under four yards per carry. On top of that, Carolina has the toughest schedule for running backs in 2024.
Carolina’s NFC South foes all ranked inside the top 11 in terms of limiting fantasy points to running backs. Additionally, the Chiefs, Eagles, and Cowboys are all on the schedule down the stretch. That gives Brooks and Hubbard a formidable challenge just when fantasy managers need production the most.
Jonathan Taylor (Indianapolis Colts) – Nobody is avoiding Jonathan Taylor because the Colts have a challenging schedule. Taylor averaged 101.8 scrimmage yards and scored six touchdowns in his final five outings of the 2023 season.
However, it should be noted that the Colts have a bye in Week 14. That is the opening week of the playoffs in many formats and having your RB1 unavailable is less than ideal. After that, things ease up considerably in Weeks 16 and 17.
Overall, Taylor faces the league’s top fantasy run D (Lions) and has a trip to New England, Denver, and a pair of trips to New Jersey that could also be impacted by winter weather. In all, Indy faces the second-toughest slate for their running backs.
Travis Etienne (Jacksonville Jaguars) – Etienne’s efficiency dipped severely last season, but sheer volume resulted in an overall RB4 finish in his third NFL campaign. Added competition from Keilan Robinson and the returning D’Ernest Johnson could cut into Etienne’s 73% snap rate, which ranked fourth among running backs.
Jacksonville’s schedule also stands to be an obstacle preventing Etienne from replicating last year’s numbers. September looks particularly tough. Also, two matchups with the Titans (10th-ranked fantasy run D) and Lions (1st) present challenging bookends for the Jags.
On the bright side, an early November trip to Philadelphia is the only potential cold game for a franchise that has historically struggled in sub-40-degree temperatures.
Josh Jacobs (Green Bay Packers) – Josh Jacobs also saw his metrics drop last year. Jacobs missed four games, dropped from 4.9 to 3.5 yards per tote, and rushed for a career-low 805 yards after his breakout 2022 campaign. Now in Green Bay, Jacobs finds himself starting for a coach that religiously features multiple backs.
Matt LaFleur is also a big fan of MarShawn Lloyd, whom the Packers selected in Round 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft. But Lloyd isn’t the only factor that complicates Jacbos’s chances of a rebound.
The Packers play the fourth-hardest fantasy schedule for running backs. Their games include a pair of matchups with the league’s top fantasy run defense (Lions) and an imposing playoff slate. In Week 16, the Packers face the Saints (11th vs. RB), followed by a Championship Week trip to Minnesota to face the Vikings’ fifth-ranked fantasy run defense.
Rachaad White (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – White led all NFL running backs with a 78% snap share. The Bucs had little qualified help behind White last season. However, the addition of fourth-round Oregon RB Bucky Irving changes that. Plus, the schedule makers didn’t do the club many favors.
Tampa plays six games against teams that ranked top 10 against fantasy running backs last season. Conversely, they do get a pair of games against the Panthers in Weeks 13 and 17. But White could get off to a slow start facing the Lions, Eagles, Falcons, and Saints in the first six weeks of the season.
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