We are two weeks into the season and we're starting to get some clarity, which is always a good thing, no matter if it's good news or bad. It's the unknown and making important decisions involving the unknown, which make this hobby a challenge. The more we know, the better off we are.
So What Do We Know? A Lot, Actually
The first three weeks of the season are my favorite. So much is being learned at this time. The cream is rising to the top. Opportunities are being presented to players and several have answered the bell with a successful first two games. Injuries are starting to mount, especially for quarterbacks. With every injury comes an opportunity for someone else to fill the void, and the cycle continues. Winning your league is about having key performers and knowing who to target before they rise to power. Although it's not a must, players on winning teams are generally more successful fantasy options.
- Teams that are 2-0: Buffalo, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Miami, NY Giants, Tampa Bay
- Teams that are 0-2: Atlanta, Carolina, Las Vegas, Cincinnati, Tennessee
What Makes a Successful Running Back?
1. Opportunity - There is more of a chance to have success if the opportunity for carries is high. The following teams lead the way in running plays per game. You want to have running backs on these teams. These are also the backs you should target for proactive waiver claims, if available.
- 41.0 San Francisco (Jeff Wilson, Tyrion Davis-Price, Jordan Mason)
- 38.0 Cleveland (Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, D'Ernest Johnson, Jerome Ford)
- 32.5 Atlanta (Cordarrelle Patterson, Damien Williams, Tyler Allgeier)
- 32.5 NY Giants (Saquon Barkley, Matt Breida)
- 32.0 Chicago (David Montgomery, Khalil Herbert)
- 31.5 Tampa Bay (Leonard Fournette, Rachaad White, Keyshawn Vaughn)
- 29.5 Cincinnati (Joe Mixon, Samaje Perine, Chris Evans)
- 28.0 Green Bay (Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon)
- 27.5 LA Chargers (Austin Ekeler, Josh Kelley, Sony Michel)
- 27.5 Jacksonville (James Robinson, Travis Etienne)
- 26.5 New England (Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson)
The more plays a team runs the greater chance of having positive fantasy success. Understanding which teams run more plays per game and which teams run fewer will give us a better indication of which players to target when it comes to setting a lineup.
Total Plays Per Game
Teams in green run more plays per game so naturally, the chances are higher for more production. The opposite is true for teams in red.
- 80.5 CIN
- 73.0 NYJ
- 71.0 WAS
- 70.5 ARI
- 70.0 PHI
- 69.5 CLE, LAC
- 69.0 IND
- 68.5 SF
- 64.5 JAC, LAR, DEN
- 64.0 MIA, NYG
- 63.5 DET, ATL, TB, GB, HOU
- 61.5 BUF, NO, DAL
- 60.0 KC, MIN, NE
- 59.5 PIT
- 58.5 LSV
- 56.5 TEN
- 53.5 BAL
- 52.0 CAR
- 48.5 CHI
- 48.0 SEA
Total Plays Allowed Per Game
The teams are allowing the fewest plays per game. It would stand to reason that you would want to target your players who are playing against the teams in green and shy away from players who are playing the teams in red.
Continue reading this content with a PRO subscription.
"Footballguys is the best premium
fantasy football
only site on the planet."
Matthew Berry, NBC Sports EDGE