The Ultimate Zero RB Watch List provides analysis for Zero RB and RB-heavy owners alike. Blair Andrews examines the running back workloads for every NFC backfield from Week 3. Check out Shawn Siegele’s companion piece on AFC backfields.
Almost every fantasy team can use a breakout RB, whether they were drafted as a Zero-RB squad or not. The Ultimate Zero RB Watch List helps to find these breakout stars before they hit. But it also helps you understand which of the high-profile backs you should be buying and selling based on workload shifts.
We’ll use the RotoViz tools to dive deep into the Week 1 advanced stats for every NFC backfield, focusing on expected points (EP), fantasy points over expectations (FPOE), and opportunity (snaps, targets, and carries).
Arizona Cardinals
Through three weeks of 2020, Chase Edmonds has out-targeted Kenyan Drake in every game. However, that role has not proven to be quite as valuable as we hoped. As Kyler Murray has been looking to run more than last year, he has also not been looking to check down to his running backs. He’s thrown to a RB only 16 times this season. To put that in perspective, DeAndre Hopkins also had 16 targets … in Week 1.
Carolina Panthers
Mike Davis is averaging 13.4 receiving EP over the last two weeks. In 2019, Christian McCaffrey averaged 13.3 reEP. He doesn’t have McCaffrey’s efficiency, but when you’re buying discount, you have to give up a little in quality. The good news is the quantity appears to be roughly equal.
