Baltimore and Seattle had the league’s two best rushing offenses at the end of last year. They also, as luck would have it, project to play the easiest schedules against the run in the upcoming season.

Below find strength of schedule, but based not on points or wins but how teams play against the run. You take the rushing yards and TD runs allowed by each defense last year, plug them into the 2019 schedule, and get an idea what teams might be more likely to play easier schedules.

I’m not a huge fan of specialized strength of schedule, but some are, so I like to get these numbers posted in the dogs days of June.

According to how defenses played last year, Baltimore, Seattle, San Francisco and Pittsburgh project to play the easiest schedules against the run. Presumably that could maybe slightly help the running backs on those teams (like Chris Carson, who’s pictured).

Kansas City, Green Bay, Minnesota and Washington project to play the hardest schedules against the run.

On these, teams are ranked by standard fantasy points, with 6 for touchdowns and 1 for every 10 yards.

I ran the same numbers for passing a few days ago. Kansas City ranks the hardest in both charts. The Ravens and 49ers are the only teams projecting to have top-5 (easy) schedules against both the run and the pass.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE, Rushing (Weeks 1-17)
TeamYardsTDRPoints
Baltimore122.3.9517.9
Seattle117.8.9717.6
San Francisco119.4.9417.6
Pittsburgh120.1.9217.5
New England116.6.9517.4
Cincinnati118.1.9217.3
NY Jets117.6.9017.2
LA Rams114.5.9116.9
Buffalo117.7.8516.9
Cleveland117.0.8516.8
Detroit114.4.8716.7
Denver115.5.8516.7
Carolina113.5.8816.6
LA Chargers116.7.8216.6
NY Giants113.6.8616.5
Tennessee112.0.8816.5
Arizona113.8.8516.5
New Orleans113.7.8516.5
Chicago113.4.8416.4
Miami112.1.8616.4
Indianapolis113.3.8316.3
Philadelphia113.7.8216.3
Tampa Bay111.6.8416.2
Houston112.8.8216.2
Dallas111.8.8316.2
Atlanta110.3.8616.2
Jacksonville112.8.8116.2
Oakland113.8.8016.2
Washington110.6.8416.1
Minnesota111.4.7815.8
Green Bay109.8.7715.6
Kansas City110.5.7115.3

—Ian Allan