PRO 2016 Fantasy RB Strength Of Schedule and Fast-Start Tool

Here is a tool we’ve designed to aid us in our continued mapping out of V.1 of the 2016 RosterWatch Cheat Sheet for redraft leagues. Use it as a reference and tie-breaker tool when participating mock drafts, MFL10s or in preparing for your fantasy football draft day.

We’ve come to our first version of initial running back matchup rankings for the 2016 season and projected them across the course of the season to get a gauge of overall strength of schedule. These rankings are subject to change through the preseason, but not drastically prior to Week 1 barring injuries to key personnel.

The rankings represented here are derived via a proprietary algorithm which takes into account not only standard “fantasy points against” metrics from 2015, but also weighted averages of separate individual player scouting grades and for members of the entire 2016 front-seven unit the runner faces. Trends to end 2015 are quantified and reflected in the overall matchup rating; as well as a substantial focus on offseason personnel and coaching changes.

BLUE: Best Matchups
LIGHT BLUE: Borderline Top Matchups
LIGHT RED: Borderline Bottom Matchups
RED: Worst Matchups

The tool is sorted by “SOS” which is total strength of schedule on the fantasy season. This number was come to by simply awarding a blue matchup two points, a light blue matchup one point, a light-red matchup minus one point and a red matchup minus two points. The total sum is listed in the “SOS” column. In a complete tie between RBs in a draft, we’d tend to select players ranked with better strengths of schedule according to the initial matchup tool.

The fast start column is the total sum in this manner for the first five games. We love to give a tie-breaking edge in drafts to players who are in position to get off to fast starts in their fantasy season, because we like to be a winning team coming into Weeks 4 and 5 — when losing owners can be dealt with from a position of strength in trade negotiations.

The playoff-schedule (p/o) is much further down the totem pole of tie-breakers and things we should be concerned about as prospective fantasy owners, but it’s always an interesting thing to look at and project.

PRO MEMBERS: Click here to access the shared spreadsheet

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15 Comments

  1. ↓ Post By darkcloud682

    Hey guys,
    When will the draft cheat sheet be available? I saw the rookie one, but I was wondering how close you were to finishing the real thing.

    I have a request too, could you guys maybe draw up a 2QB league cheat sheet? It is so hard drafting in a 2QB league based on the cheat sheet because I’m not sure where to value the QBs. I don’t know how much scrutiny it would take on your part to make this happen, but I would appreciate it so much (and I’m sure others would too)!

    1. ↓ Post By Alex Dunlap

      Thanks DC_ I’m on vacation this week but Byron is the main architect and he’s working on it. We’re going to have a 2QB one this year for sure, you’re not the only one with this request. Our goal is to have them out no later than the start of August, but if we get lucky it could be a little sooner than that.

      1. ↓ Post By darkcloud682

        Awesome!!! That is such a huge weight off of my fantasy football shoulders!

  2. ↓ Post By rw-QzmbMFURK

    I concur with the above post. You guys are the best in the biz and would be sweet to have your input on a 2qb league. 2 qb .5 ppr 2 keepers and 1 red shirt(red shirt not mandatory) I have Julio in the 4th and Freeman in the 12th (thanks to RW nation). Missing my 3rd round pick this year. Hoping to grab Elliot 3rd overall and have 3 picks in the 6th. Do I wait and grab 2 qb’s in the 6th or is it wise to go qb in the 2nd and one in the 6th? This is only the 2nd year of our leagues existence, so no trends to go off of as far as qb adp for our league. That being said qb’s went fast last year and could very well be the case this year. Would love some input.

    1. ↓ Post By Alex Dunlap

      How many people in your league are keeping QBs do you think?

      1. ↓ Post By Deagsdan

        I believe Cam, Rodgers, Bortles, Russ Wilson and Mariotta (red Shirt) will be kept. Also its a 10 team league.
        Thanks

  3. ↓ Post By Deagsdan

    I believe Cam, Rodgers, Bortles, Russ Wilson and Mariotta (red Shirt) will be kept. Also its a 10 team league.
    Thanks

  4. ↓ Post By rw-z0u1lfQ4Y

    I second the motion for a 2 QB league cheat sheet.

  5. ↓ Post By rw-T8JrxF54g

    Hi Guys. I just started using the cheat sheets to do my mock drafts. Would you lean toward Julio or Gurley at #3 overall in a half ppr? Also, I noticed Buck Allen seems to be ranked much higher than I anticipated and compared to his ADP. Any reason why?

  6. ↓ Post By Sunroomking

    Hey guys when will the DFS draft sheet be available?

  7. ↓ Post By green grinch

    do you have a dynasty cheat sheet?

  8. ↓ Post By rw-T8JrxF54g

    Used the cheat sheet and my team started very RB heavy. Picking 12 in a 12 team half ppr my team is Peterson, Bell, Rawls, Maclin, Benjamin, D. Jackson, Lockett, Carr, Bennett, D Henry, D Washington, D Booker, Boyd, Doctson. Should I be concerned that I don’t have a true WR1? I start 2 RBs and a flex. Also I have to drop either Boyd or Doctson for a kicker. Which would you drop?
    Thanks

    1. ↓ Post By Trashman

      i woudn’t be too worried about it. maclin isn’t a sexy pick, but he’s solid as they come and jackson has major upside with cousins this season. you’d probably be thinking the same thing if you’d drafted 3 wr 1s and had mostly rb 2s. either way, you have a well rounded team with an insane rb corps and lots of depth. i’d drop doctson for the time being.

  9. ↓ Post By rw-T8JrxF54g

    Thanks Trashman! Lineup question for Week 1….In light of the Rawls news, would you start D Henry, D Washington, D Booker, or R Kelley as my RB2 this week in a half ppr? I could also pick up James White but unfortunately I would have to go without a K since I used all but 1 remaining add for this week…

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