Fanatical Fantasy Analysis: 2009 Running Back Strength of Schedule

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Note: This article was written on the eve of the 2009 NFL Draft. You would have seen it in the opening sentence anyway, but I thought it best to get it out of the way RIGHT away instead of...right away. Okay, yeah, this was a waste of time. Enjoy!

On the eve of the NFL Draft (see?), despite the fact that many of the selections and free agent signings could certainly shake up what the defensive rushing rankings were at the end of the 2009, I’ve decided to take a look (albeit an early one) at each teams' schedules for this upcoming year as they relate to the rushing game.

Again, this is purely for entertainment purposes only, as this will most certainly need to be edited as we get closer to the season and begin to factor in what each team has decided to do repair or further upgrade their rushing defense with free agency and the draft.

Basically, based on the end-of-season defensive rushing stats of 2008, I placed each team’s defensive rushing unit into one of five groups and then gave each of those groups a number ranking relative to the others.

I then tallied up each team’s schedule using these numbers and the help of a spreadsheet and...voila! Each team’s rushing schedule has been placed into one of five groups, with each getting progressively more difficult.

Since I hold all of your intelligence in such high regard, I will not attempt to explain any further. If you’re already confused though, you should probably just leave now and save yourself the trouble.

Also, since each team has apparently decided to adapt a 14-headed-RB system over the course of the last few seasons, this type of information is affecting more potential fantasy players than ever. So there's that.

But now that I’ve attempted to hard sell you enough to the brink of outward rebellion, let’s just go ahead and get this shindig started as I am not much of a fan of rioting...

As always, feel free to leave any feedback, including vehement disagreements in the comments and most importantly, enjoy!

Creampuff schedule:

BAL, JAC, NYJ, WAS

Analysis: With the early lead for easiest opponents to rush against schedule (ORAS...clever, I know!), it’s hard not to come to one SINGLE conclusion about this group IF you look at it and think for long enough. Still don’t have anything? We'll wait a bit longer...

Still nothing? Well...okay, fine! Allow me to spell it out for your unimaginative psyche:

Willis McGahee: 28 years old (will turn 29 in October)

Thomas Jones: 30 years old (will turn 31 in August)

Clinton Portis: 27 years old (will turn 28 on Sept. 1)

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that once running backs edge closer to the magical age of 30 that can no longer be effective. Well, maybe I am but that's only because there is statistical proof in the matter, but regardless, I'm also stating that each of these team’s schedules (by all accounts) are quite light on the rushing defense juggernauts side of things.

Is this a good thing? Of course! How could it not be? (On a side note though, doesn’t discovering that Willis McGahee is almost THIRTY years old make you feel old? It does for me and I’m only 22!)

Maurice Jones-Drew owners or fans should also be doubly happy with this information. Not only is Fred Taylor gone, making MJD the feature back of the team’s offensive attack, but he’s also got a pretty easy run at things this year, unless there are some major changes on the rest of the league’s rushing defense front. Which there definitely could be...so put all the party hats and kazoos away, please!

Easy schedule:

SF, MIN, PIT, ARI, SD, SEA, CHI, NO

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