-2025 NFL Schedule -Strength of Schedule
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Ask the Commish.Com 2025 Draft Kit
Emari Demercado (back) ruled out for Week 15Emari Demercado has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Patriots.Demercado was unable to practice this week. His absence won't mean too much for the Cardinals backfield, though James Conner could see the field on a few more passing downs in his absence.
Emari Demercado has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Patriots.
Demercado was unable to practice this week. His absence won't mean too much for the Cardinals backfield, though James Conner could see the field on a few more passing downs in his absence.
Keaton Mitchell 'remains on schedule'Ravens coach John Harbaugh said RB Keaton Mitchell has "been on schedule."Mitchell saw just 16 total touches last season as he spent most of the year working his way back from a torn ACL. “He’s been on track," Harbaugh said. "That was a really tough injury.” He is likely to take on a much bigger role next season as he enters the offseason healthier.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said RB Keaton Mitchell has "been on schedule."
Mitchell saw just 16 total touches last season as he spent most of the year working his way back from a torn ACL. “He’s been on track," Harbaugh said. "That was a really tough injury.” He is likely to take on a much bigger role next season as he enters the offseason healthier.
Last year, Rachaad White lost his bell-cow role with Bucky Iriving asserting himself and taking over the backfield. It wasn't all doom and gloom for White, though. In Weeks 10-17, he still averaged 13.5 touches and 68.4 total yards as the RB18 in fantasy points per game. While I don't think that he will continue to rock along as an RB2 in 2025, he could easily retain RB3/flex value in one of the best offenses in the NFL. Last year, White did see his efficiency tick up with the decrease in workload, as he ranked 29th in missed tackles forced per attempt, 15th in yards after contact per attempt, and 18th in yards per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). White could easily be Tampa Bay's version of Jaylen Warren.
The Commanders didn't address the running back room this offseason outside of drafting Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. Robinson Jr. is the favorite to reprise his early-down role for Washington again in 2025. He was the RB28 in fantasy points per game last season. He enters a contract year, so for Washington and Robinson Jr.'s sake, I hope he can stay healthy this season. Last season, Robinson Jr. dealt with a hamstring issue and multiple knee ailments. In the ten games he played 40% or more of the snaps, he averaged 17.6 touches and 82.9 total yards. The injuries did impact his per-touch effectiveness as he ranked 35th in yards per touch, 31st in missed tackles forced, and 37th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). In the ten games in the sample above, Robinson had the fourth-most carries inside the ten-yard line (69% of those carries for Washington). If he can stay on the field in 2025, touchdowns could carry him to an RB2 finish, but he's best viewed as an RB2/3.
Tyler Allgeier remains an elite handcuff option with some standalone flex appeal. Allgeier was the RB45 in fantasy points per game, as he finished as the RB36 or higher in 41% of his games last year. Among 46 qualifying backs, he ranked 22nd in missed tackle rate and 20th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). If Bijan Robinson were to miss any time, Allgeier would immediately vault into RB1/2 territory.
Last year was another season dinged by injury for Pacheco. He missed a combined ten games with a rib injury and a broken fibula. The previous season, he was sidelined for three games with a sprained shoulder. Once he returned from injury last year in Week 13, he looked like a shell of himself. We should easily toss those numbers out for Pacheco, as he was clearly not fully healthy, and he failed to play more than 46% of the snaps in any game for the rest of the season (including the playoffs). We got an abbreviated look at their plan for him last year when he opened the season with an 80% snap share and 17 touches (78 total yards). The Chiefs could return to this model with Pacheco being their bell cow, but I doubt that is what happens. The team resigned Kareem Hunt and brought in Elijah Mitchell and Brashard Smith. Each player offers a different skill set and could play a role for the team in 2025. Pacheco could be the lead of a committee approach for the backfield this season. It's tough to consider him as anything more than an RB3 or flex play, but RB2 upside is still here.
Justice Hill (concussion/illness) logs full practice WednesdayJustice Hill was a full participant at practice on Wednesday.Hill was upgraded from being a limited participant. He should be a full-go for this weekend's Wild Card game against the Steelers.
Justice Hill was a full participant at practice on Wednesday.
Hill was upgraded from being a limited participant. He should be a full-go for this weekend's Wild Card game against the Steelers.
Kenneth Gainwell signs one-year deal with SteelersThe Steelers signed RB Kenneth Gainwell to a one-year contract.Gainwell spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Eagles. The Steelers backfield currently only consists of him and Jaylen Warren. They could land a lead back in the NFL Draft next month.
The Steelers signed RB Kenneth Gainwell to a one-year contract.
Gainwell spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Eagles. The Steelers backfield currently only consists of him and Jaylen Warren. They could land a lead back in the NFL Draft next month.
After his breakout season, sadly, the Cowboys kicked Rico Dowdle to the curb. He signed with the Carolina Panthers and enters the year as the likely handcuff to Chuba Hubbard. Dowdle was awesome last year as the RB24 in fantasy points per game with 274 touches and 1,328 total yards. Dowdle could have had an even better season if Dallas had quit playing around with a rotation and leaned on him as "the guy" all year. In Weeks 9-18, Dowdler averaged 19.9 touches and 95.1 total yards (RB19), and he ranked 16th in explosive run rate and seventh in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). If Hubbard were to miss any time, Dowdle would be a plug-and-play RB2. He's a strong handcuff option this season.
Patrick Ricard signs two-year deal with GiantsFree agent fullback Patrick Ricard has agreed to a two-year contract with the New York Giants. The deal reportedly makes him the highest-paid fullback in the NFL.Ricard spent nine seasons with the Ravens and now reunites with head coach John Harbaugh in New York. Ricard was named to the Pro Bowl for the sixth time in his NFL career last season and also earned All-Pro honors for the third time in his nine seasons. Ricard won't necessarily help fantasy teams with his personal rushing and receiving contributions - he has 11 carries and 49 catches in 132 career games. However, due to his incredible blocking ability, he will provide a boost to quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo, assuming the latter is healthy for the start of the season.
Free agent fullback Patrick Ricard has agreed to a two-year contract with the New York Giants. The deal reportedly makes him the highest-paid fullback in the NFL.
Ricard spent nine seasons with the Ravens and now reunites with head coach John Harbaugh in New York. Ricard was named to the Pro Bowl for the sixth time in his NFL career last season and also earned All-Pro honors for the third time in his nine seasons. Ricard won't necessarily help fantasy teams with his personal rushing and receiving contributions - he has 11 carries and 49 catches in 132 career games. However, due to his incredible blocking ability, he will provide a boost to quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo, assuming the latter is healthy for the start of the season.
Reggie Gilliam signs three-year deal with Patriots The Patriots signed FB Reggie Gilliam to a three-year contract.Gilliam will earn $6 million fully guaranteed and up to $12 million. He'll help the blocking for Drake Maye and the Patriots offense.
The Patriots signed FB Reggie Gilliam to a three-year contract.
Gilliam will earn $6 million fully guaranteed and up to $12 million. He'll help the blocking for Drake Maye and the Patriots offense.
Connor Heyward signs two-year deal with Raiders The Raiders signed fullback Connor Heyward to a two-year, $5.5M max value deal. The contract includes $2 million fully guaranteed. Heyward was reportedly wanted back in Pittsburgh as Rapoport notes, but he lands in Las Vegas where he was wanted by new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak.
The Raiders signed fullback Connor Heyward to a two-year, $5.5M max value deal.
The contract includes $2 million fully guaranteed. Heyward was reportedly wanted back in Pittsburgh as Rapoport notes, but he lands in Las Vegas where he was wanted by new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak.
Kenneth Walker arrives in Kansas City as the Chiefs' new lead back. Walker had a disappointing season in 2025 from a fantasy standpoint as the RB28 in fantasy points per game, but it's easy to see why it unfolded that way. Walker had to split the passing game usage with Zach Charbonnet, and he was shown the cold shoulder by Seattle in the red zone. Last year, Walker had a 31.9% route share versus Charbonnet's 34.7% route share (per Fantasy Points Data). In the games that Charbonnet was active, Walker saw only 34.8% of the running back red zone rushing work (30 red zone carries versus Charbonnet's 51). With a lucrative contract signed and delivered for Walker, I don't see him missing out on the high usage boat in 2026. Talent isn't the problem for Walker; it was just the way that Seattle deployed him. Last year, Walker ranked second in explosive run rate, first in missed tackle rate, ninth in yards per route run, and 12th in first downs per route run. He was a per-touch efficiency marvel. I don't foresee him being a true bellcow with Kansas City, and I don't want that because he has dealt with injury issues in the past. With his salivating mix of talent and efficiency, Walker should be an explosive RB1 in 2026.
Travis Etienne excelled last year as the Jags RB1 with an RB13 finish in fantasy points per game. After a down 2024 season, it was nice to see the new Saints' lead back bounce back. He lands with New Orleans after a season where he was 11th in snap share, 13th in opportunity share, tenth in weighted opportunities, and fifth in red zone touches. Etienne soaked up 296 touches, producing 1,399 total yards. He's set to see a similar workload in 2026 with the Saints. Etienne was disappointing on a per-touch basis, ranking 37th in explosive run rate, 31st in missed tackle rate, and 34th in yards after contact per attempt. Those metrics are worrisome, but Etienne should see enough volume that it won't matter this season. He's a solid RB2 that could outkick that projection if the Saints' offense takes a leap forward and surprises this year.
J.K. Dobbins returns to Denver this season as their early down hammer. It's tough to count on him for a full season at this point, but while he's out there, he should be a nice RB2/flex play this season. Last year, Dobbins did see his season cut short with a foot injury. In Weeks 1-10, he was the RB24 in fantasy points per game, averaging 16.4 touches and 80.6 total yards. The bulk of that work was in the rushing department as he averaged only 1.4 targets and 3.7 receiving yards per game. He had only four games in which he saw more than one target, and he never saw more than two targets in any game. Dobbins was on pace for 260 carries and 1,313 rushing yards before his injury, so his value on early downs is quite nice. Among 49 qualifying backs, he ranked third in explosive run rate and eighth in missed tackle rate (per Fantasy Points Data). Dobbins should return RB2/touchdown-dependent flex value this season.
David Montgomery now finds himself as the Texans's do it all workhorse for 2026. Last year, he was phased out of the Lions' offensive plans as the season moved along, which led to his RB32 finish in fantasy points per game. In Weeks 12-18, he was the RB43 in fantasy points per game with a 32.1% snap rate, 8.2 touches per game, and only 42.8 total yards per game. Montgomery still has the juice to produce as a workhorse this season. Last season, he ranked 30th in missed tackle rate, but he was 12th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). His receiving chops are also still alive and well, as he was also 22nd in yards per route run and 12th in first downs per route run. Many will worry that Montgomery will split Houston's backfield workload with Woody Marks this season, but I don't see that happening. Montgomery should absorb a workload close to what Joe Mixon saw in 2024. In 2024, Mixon ranked fifth in opportunity share, 14th in snap share, and 13th in carries among running backs, finishing with 281 touches. Last season, Montgomery bested Marks in explosive run rate, missed tackle rate, rushing success rate, yards after contact per attempt, and yards per route run. Legit, every per-touch metric that I care about. Montgomery is the superior back, even at this stage of his career, and he'll be a strong volume-driven RB2 that could flirt with RB1 production.
Michael Burton signs with Browns The Browns signed fullback Michael Burton. Burton spent the past two seasons with the Broncos. He'll figure to remain in a similar role with Cleveland.
The Browns signed fullback Michael Burton.
Burton spent the past two seasons with the Broncos. He'll figure to remain in a similar role with Cleveland.
Alec Ingold signing two-year deal with ChargersThe Chargers are signing Pro Bowl fullback Alec Ingold to a two-year, $7.5 million contract.Ingold was recently released by the Dolphins after four seasons with the team, including a Pro Bowl appearance in 2023. The 29-year-old has missed just two regular-season games over the past four seasons and will provide a veteran run-blocking presence in the Chargers' backfield.
The Chargers are signing Pro Bowl fullback Alec Ingold to a two-year, $7.5 million contract.
Ingold was recently released by the Dolphins after four seasons with the team, including a Pro Bowl appearance in 2023. The 29-year-old has missed just two regular-season games over the past four seasons and will provide a veteran run-blocking presence in the Chargers' backfield.