Ultimate Strength of Schedule, Running Backs

Clayton Gray's Ultimate Strength of Schedule, Running Backs Clayton Gray Published 07/15/2020

The advantages offered by Ultimate Strength of Schedule (USOS) when compared to traditional SOS displays are numerous and include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Fantasy Points Driven
    Fantasy football is all about scoring fantasy points, so USOS is based on fantasy points.
  • Removed Bias Of Schedule
    Consider the following scenario: Defense A faced the 16 best offenses while Defense B faced the 16 worst offenses. If both defenses allowed opposing quarterbacks to average 300 fantasy points last season, are they equally strong? Of course not; Defense A is far superior as they faced much better offenses. This bias of schedule has been removed from USOS.
  • Positional Breakdown
    If you are looking for a running back, it's much more relevant to see SOS data for running backs (rather than simply rushing data).

EXPLANATION OF USOS TABLES

Below, you will see tables for each position's USOS. Here is a brief explanation of the make-up of these tables.

The "Team" Column

This is simply the NFL team.

The Values

Each value in the table is the expected number of fantasy points on average or on a per-game basis (depending on the column).

The "2020" Column

This is the average expected fantasy points allowed by each team's opponents for this season.

The "EZ" Column

This is the number of easy opponents each team will face this season. An easy opponent is defined as one of the eight (seven during the bye weeks) worst defenses. Obviously, it is preferred to have players with as many easy games as possible.

The "TF" Column

This is the number of tough opponents each team will face this season. A tough opponent is defined as one of the eight (seven during the bye weeks) best defenses. Obviously, it is preferred to have players with as few tough games as possible.

The "1st3" Column

This is the SOS for the first three weeks of the NFL season. This value can be used to determine how players should be expected to open the season. Players with low values could easily stumble out of the gate.

The "1st5" Column

This is similar to "1st3" except that it covers the first five weeks of the NFL season (note that some teams only play four games in this time frame).

The "Byes" Column

This is the SOS covering the bye weeks. This value can be used to find a complementary player during the byes as you'll need to shuffle players in and out of your starting lineup. A player with an easy schedule during this time would be nice to have.

The "14to16" Column

This is similar to "1st3" except that it specifically covers Week 14 through Week 16.

The "15to17" Column

This is similar to "14to16" except that it specifically covers Week 15 through Week 17.

The "W01" through "W17" Columns

These values are the expected strength of each team's opponent for that particular week (W05 is Week 5, etc). This is very useful when searching for backups for your stud players. The key is to locate players with easy opponents when your star is on a bye.

The Coloring of the Values

The blue values indicate that the team has one of the eight (seven during the bye weeks) best values in that column. The red values indicate that the team has one of the eight (seven during the bye weeks) worst values in that column.

(Note: a green/red combo was considered but some people are color blind between those two colors.)

In short:

  • Blue is a team with a good schedule
  • Red is a team with a bad schedule

ULTIMATE STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE - RUNNING BACKS

Team
2020
EZ
TF
1st3
1st5
Byes
14to16
15to17
Arizona
23.7
4
3
24.1
25.3
25.3
20.5
20.2
Atlanta
23.8
4
5
24.9
26.0
24.3
23.1
19.9
Baltimore
25.1
7
4
26.8
27.2
23.8
27.5
27.6
Buffalo
23.5
3
5
24.5
24.9
23.5
20.4
22.5
Carolina
22.7
3
7
22.7
22.6
22.5
24.6
24.3
Chicago
24.1
4
3
24.0
22.0
23.2
26.1
25.8
Cincinnati
24.5
5
3
24.7
25.1
25.2
23.9
22.3
Cleveland
24.3
4
4
25.4
24.8
24.2
22.8
22.8
Dallas
23.3
4
5
22.5
23.8
23.4
21.7
20.5
Denver
24.1
3
5
20.8
21.3
24.6
26.9
25.3
Detroit
24.1
3
3
24.9
23.6
24.7
22.4
21.1
Green Bay
23.5
4
6
22.9
22.2
21.7
27.8
26.9
Houston
24.9
6
3
22.6
24.1
25.5
24.8
25.1
Indianapolis
25.6
5
1
25.3
25.6
25.6
24.0
25.7
Jacksonville
24.7
4
2
24.7
25.5
25.0
23.6
22.4
Kansas City
23.2
2
7
24.1
23.7
23.8
22.2
22.0
LA Chargers
24.1
6
6
28.4
24.2
22.9
22.1
24.4
LA Rams
22.9
2
4
23.5
24.6
23.2
22.8
24.2
Las Vegas
23.6
6
6
23.4
24.3
24.0
24.9
24.4
Miami
24.0
3
4
25.2
23.3
23.3
24.3
23.4
Minnesota
24.7
4
3
24.2
24.6
25.5
20.3
24.0
New England
24.0
4
3
25.5
24.8
23.1
24.7
24.9
New Orleans
23.1
4
6
22.4
24.1
22.7
23.1
26.3
NY Giants
23.4
4
4
20.6
22.1
23.4
24.2
24.5
NY Jets
23.7
4
4
20.9
21.6
24.4
25.0
23.6
Philadelphia
24.1
4
4
26.3
23.2
23.0
23.3
26.1
Pittsburgh
24.9
6
2
23.5
23.4
25.8
24.6
25.7
San Francisco
23.9
2
2
24.2
24.0
23.1
26.1
24.8
Seattle
22.8
1
4
22.0
22.8
23.2
25.0
22.6
Tampa Bay
24.1
4
5
23.5
24.2
24.9
23.1
22.6
Tennessee
24.8
5
3
24.2
23.5
24.1
27.9
26.2
Washington
24.0
4
2
24.3
23.3
24.2
23.7
25.1
NFL Average
24.0
4
4
24.0
23.9
24.0
24.0
24.0

Week-By-Week Look

Team
W01
W02
W03
W04
W05
W06
W07
W08
W09
W10
W11
W12
W13
W14
W15
W16
W17
Ari
16.7 28.1 27.5 30.3 23.7 25.5 24.3 - 26.7 24.3 24.3 20.4 23.2 24.2 20.7 16.7 23.2
Atl
24.3 25.5 24.8 25.2 30.3 21.5 27.5 30.3 20.4 - 19.7 25.6 19.7 26.0 16.3 27.0 16.3
Bal
27.4 25.9 27.0 28.1 27.7 20.7 20.4 - 21.9 20.4 25.6 20.4 25.5 27.4 30.9 24.2 27.7
Buf
23.7 26.7 23.2 25.6 25.6 27.0 23.7 20.4 24.3 24.6 - 26.0 16.7 20.4 20.4 20.4 26.7
Car
25.6 16.3 26.0 24.6 20.2 24.8 19.7 20.2 27.0 16.3 27.5 21.5 - 20.4 25.2 28.1 19.7
Chi
27.5 24.2 20.2 21.9 16.3 30.3 23.2 19.7 25.6 21.5 - 25.2 27.5 25.9 21.5 30.9 25.2
Cin
26.0 27.4 20.7 30.9 20.5 21.9 27.4 25.6 - 20.4 28.1 24.2 26.7 25.5 20.4 25.9 20.5
Cle
20.5 27.7 28.1 25.5 21.9 20.4 27.7 25.6 - 25.9 20.7 30.9 25.6 20.5 24.2 23.7 20.4
Dal
23.2 20.2 24.3 27.4 24.2 24.6 28.1 20.7 20.4 - 21.5 28.1 20.5 27.7 16.7 20.7 24.2
Den
25.6 20.4 16.3 23.7 20.4 26.7 27.0 - 20.2 25.6 26.0 19.7 27.0 30.3 24.3 26.0 25.6
Det
24.8 25.2 24.6 19.7 - 30.9 20.2 21.9 21.5 28.1 30.3 25.9 24.8 25.2 25.6 16.3 21.5
GB
21.5 27.5 19.7 20.2 - 16.3 25.9 21.5 16.7 30.9 21.9 24.8 20.7 27.5 30.3 25.6 24.8
Hou
27.0 20.5 20.4 21.5 30.9 25.6 25.2 - 30.9 27.4 20.4 27.5 21.9 24.8 21.9 27.7 25.6
Ind
30.9 21.5 23.7 24.8 27.4 27.7 - 27.5 20.5 25.6 25.2 25.6 25.9 25.6 25.9 20.4 30.9
Jac
21.9 25.6 26.7 27.7 25.9 27.5 - 26.0 25.9 25.2 20.4 27.4 21.5 25.6 20.5 24.8 21.9
KC
25.9 26.0 20.5 20.4 25.6 24.3 20.4 23.7 30.3 - 25.6 16.3 20.4 26.7 19.7 20.2 26.0
LAC
27.7 27.0 30.3 16.3 19.7 23.7 26.7 30.9 25.6 - 20.4 24.3 20.4 20.2 25.6 20.4 27.0
LAR
25.5 20.7 24.3 24.2 28.1 16.7 24.8 26.7 - 24.3 16.3 16.7 24.6 20.4 23.7 24.3 24.6
LV
30.3 19.7 20.4 24.3 27.0 - 16.3 27.4 26.0 20.4 27.0 20.2 23.7 21.9 26.0 26.7 20.4
Mia
20.4 24.3 30.9 24.3 16.7 20.4 26.0 23.2 24.6 23.7 - 23.7 27.7 27.0 20.4 25.6 24.3
Min
25.2 21.9 25.6 25.9 24.3 20.2 - 25.2 27.5 24.8 25.5 30.3 30.9 16.3 24.8 19.7 27.5
NE
26.7 24.3 25.6 27.0 20.4 - 16.7 24.3 23.7 20.5 25.9 24.6 26.0 23.2 26.7 24.3 23.7
NO
16.3 25.6 25.2 27.5 26.0 - 30.3 24.8 16.3 16.7 20.2 20.4 20.2 20.7 27.0 21.5 30.3
NYG
20.4 24.8 16.7 23.2 25.5 28.1 20.7 16.3 28.1 20.7 - 27.7 24.3 24.6 27.4 20.5 25.5
NYJ
24.3 16.7 21.9 20.4 24.6 26.0 24.3 27.0 20.4 26.7 - 26.7 25.6 24.3 23.2 27.4 20.4
Phi
28.1 23.2 27.7 16.7 20.4 20.5 24.2 25.5 - 24.2 27.4 24.3 25.2 19.7 24.6 25.5 28.1
Pit
24.2 20.4 25.9 25.6 20.7 27.4 20.5 - 25.5 27.7 30.9 20.5 28.1 24.3 27.7 21.9 27.4
SF
24.6 23.7 24.2 20.7 26.7 23.2 20.4 24.3 25.2 19.7 - 23.2 24.3 28.1 25.5 24.6 24.3
Sea
20.2 20.4 25.5 26.7 21.5 - 24.6 16.7 24.3 23.2 24.6 20.7 24.2 23.7 28.1 23.2 16.7
TB
19.7 30.3 20.4 26.0 24.8 25.2 25.6 24.2 19.7 30.3 23.2 27.0 - 21.5 20.2 27.5 20.2
Ten
20.4 30.9 21.5 20.4 24.3 25.9 - 27.7 24.8 21.9 20.5 21.9 27.4 30.9 27.5 25.2 25.9
Was
20.7 24.6 27.4 20.5 23.2 24.2 25.5 - 24.2 27.5 27.7 25.5 20.4 16.7 24.3 30.3 20.7
Avg
24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 23.8 24.2 23.8 24.1 23.9 23.9 24.1 24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0 24.0
Photos provided by Imagn Images

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