This article dives deep into some interesting statistics that may not see the light of day typically, but are worth exploring. We will talk about running backs who play their division six times throughout the season. Statistics like these are important since they impact a third of their games.
These veteran running backs have played in the same division for at least three-plus seasons. These eight running backs have been with their same team for at least three seasons. We will discuss some trends we can find with these RBs.
James Conner – ARI
| Per Game | G | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | FPs (3 Years) |
| Los Angeles Rams | 5.0 | 14.2 | 43.2 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 30.0 | 7.1 | 0.2 | 14.5 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 4.0 | 17.5 | 77.3 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 37.8 | 7.6 | 0.3 | 20 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 5.0 | 14.0 | 61.0 | 4.4 | 0.8 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 20.8 | 8.7 | 0.0 | 16.6 |
Since James Conner joined the Cardinals, he has excelled against the NFC West. The Rams have been the team he has produced the fewest points against in the division. He still manages 73 yards and a touchdown per game. Conner started hot against the Rams, averaging over 20 fantasy points in his first 3 games, but the last 2 could have been better. He stayed under 10 fantasy points, especially in Week 12 last year, where he finished with 5.2. In those early years, the Cardinals played much better as an offense, so perhaps we can see Conner return to glory in 2024.
Conner versus the Seahawks has been amazing to watch. He averages over 100 all-purpose yards and 20 fantasy points per game. He has 19-plus fantasy points in three of his last four games against them. Conner can produce fantasy points for us when he gets over ten carries. Seattle is a team working on their defense, so a healthy Conner should still be able to produce big finishes for us in fantasy.
Surprisingly enough, the 49ers have been a team that Conner does well against. In one of his games in 2021, he overinflated his fantasy points per game in Week 9 with 37 points. Conner scored over 10 fantasy points in 3 of 4 other games. The one game Connor has not done great in is when he couldn’t score. Conner should be a solid RB2 against the NFC West if he can keep up his receiving value.
Nick Chubb – CLE
| Per Game | G | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | FPs (3 Years) |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 10 | 17.5 | 90.3 | 5.2 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 14 | 5.2 | 0.1 | 16.1 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 10 | 13.6 | 64.3 | 4.7 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 8.6 | 4.7 | 0 | 10.1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 10 | 15.1 | 71.7 | 4.8 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 8.4 | 4.8 | 0.1 | 11.5 |
Nick Chubb is one of the few running backs with the same team for several years. Chubb’s situation in 2024 is solely based on his recovery; he has done well against his division. The Bengals have been a team that he has thrived against for fantasy. Chubb averages the most rushing yards of any other divisional opponent (90). He has been over 10 fantasy points in 4 of the last 6 games. Chubb plays the Bengals later in the season in 2024, so you should trust him despite the injury.
The Ravens are a team that Chubb still averages over ten fantasy points in the last three years, but it is the lowest rushing output. Don’t be fooled by the fantasy points since he has only gone over ten fantasy points once in the last three years. It’s hard to trust Chubb to get back to form against this strong run defense in the Ravens.
The Steelers have been a team that Chubb has been hot and cold against. It will be a big game for Chubb since that was the game he had the gruesome injury. When Chubb can score against the Steelers, he does well. The issue with Chubb is his receiving value is not there, so he is capped and has a floor of six fantasy points most weeks. In general, it will be hard to trust Chubb in 2024, coming off that nasty injury.
Ezekiel Elliott – DAL
| Per Game | G | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | FPs (2 Years) |
| New York Giants | 13 | 17.8 | 79.8 | 4.5 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 9.4 | 4.9 | 0.1 | 17.2 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 13 | 18.5 | 87.4 | 4.7 | 0.5 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 28.5 | 6.9 | 0.1 | 15.6 |
| Washington Commanders | 14 | 16.6 | 68.0 | 4.1 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 10.9 | 5.9 | 0.1 | 8.3 |
“Zeke” Elliott is in a weird situation since returning to the Cowboys after one season away from Dallas. His game stats reflect all-time against the NFC East, but his fantasy points only relate to 2022 and 2021 with Dallas. The Giants have been a team Elliott has done well against in fantasy. He averaged 17 fantasy points during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He normally receives big workloads and gets close to scoring a touchdown each time. The Cowboys seem to rely on Elliott to do well on the ground. It will be interesting to see how they fare this year with this offense and an improved Giants run game.
The Eagles are also a team that Elliott has done well in fantasy. He averages the most rushing yards and sees the most targets against Philly. The Cowboys and Eagles have always been a great match-up for fantasy with scoring opportunities. He has over 12 fantasy points in 3 of the last 4 games against the Eagles. If Elliott is healthy, he should have no problem doing well in these matchups.
For the Commanders, Elliott seems to struggle against them, but it’s not always his fault. He does average the fewest yards and fantasy points against the Commanders. The Cowboys passing offense has always dominated Washington’s secondary, so it may leave little for Elliott to do. He has one game over 10 fantasy points in his last 4 games versus the Commanders. Nonetheless, Elliott should be a good play versus the NFC East in 2024.
Javonte Williams – DEN
| Per Game | G | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | FPs (3 Years) |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4 | 18.0 | 71.3 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 26.8 | 4.0 | 0.5 | 14.2 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 5 | 10.0 | 35.4 | 3.5 | 0.4 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 14.0 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 9.0 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 4 | 15.0 | 47.8 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 25.3 | 3.2 | 0.0 | 11.6 |
Javonte Williams has played decently against his division. The Chiefs have been a team that Williams does the best against. He averages close to 100 total yards per game. He has two games over 17 plus fantasy points in five career games. Williams tends to do better when he gets some of his receiving work in the offense, which is very possible to have in 2024. Hopefully, the Broncos offense will lean on Williams to bounce back after a down season.
Surprisingly, the Raiders have held strong against WIlliams. He doesn’t run well against them, but his passing value has kept him from having truly terrible games. His best game was in Week 18 of last season, where Williams was able to get over the fantasy points for once against them. It’s hard to take Week 18 seriously, where it’s a meaningless game for both teams. The Raiders’ defense seems to be getting better, so Williams may not be a great play in 2024 versus the Raiders.
Javonte Williams has only played the Chargers four times since he missed playing them in the 2022 season. The Chargers are another division foe that when Williams can get his receiving work, he can do well. He has never run over 70 rushing yards yet, but his receiving value has given him a boost. Last year, Williams split games as one game was over 15 and one that was under 10. We can only hope that Williams can step up to the talent many believe he has.
Jonathan Taylor – IND
| Per Game | G | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | FPs (3 Years) |
| Houston Texans | 6 | 22.7 | 135.2 | 6.0 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 15.2 | 6.5 | 0.2 | 26.3 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 6 | 15.3 | 90.2 | 5.9 | 0.5 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 25.2 | 6.9 | 0.0 | 12.1 |
| Tennessee Titans | 6 | 11.5 | 44.0 | 3.8 | 0.2 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 21.5 | 8.6 | 0.0 | 9.6 |
Jonathan Taylor has dealt with some injuries in the last two years but has a good history with his division. The Texans are a team that Taylor knows how to beat down. He averages over 135 rushing yards in six career games, which is outstanding. He has only played the Texans four times in the last three years, but he averages 26 fantasy points per game. While it was Week 18, Taylor would run 30 times for 188 yards against the Texans. The Texans look like an improved team, especially on defense, so it will be interesting to see how Taylor does.
Taylor, playing against the Jaguars, has also been excellent in his career. He averages over 100 all-purpose yards in six career games. He has failed to get over ten fantasy points compared to the Jaguars. The Colts have struggled on offense with bad quarterback play, so it has hurt Taylor from getting an opportunity. During Taylor’s 2021 breakout season, he would combine for 33 fantasy points in both games. If Taylor can stay healthy, there is some good hope he can bounce back in 2024.
Taylor plays the worst against the Titans. He averages around 65 total yards in six career games. Taylor has been under ten fantasy points in three of his last five games against the Titans. His last game over 13 fantasy points versus the Titans was during his 2021 season. Last year, Taylor would only play the Titans once, but he was limited in his touches after returning to the team. I wouldn’t be too eager to have Taylor do well against the Titans, but the change in offense may change his fate.
Rhamondre Stevenson – NE
| Per Game | G | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | FPs (3 Years) |
| Buffalo Bills | 4 | 12.3 | 55.0 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 25.8 | 6.1 | 0.0 | 10.2 |
| Miami Dolphins | 6 | 7.7 | 32.0 | 4.2 | 0.2 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 7.2 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 5.8 |
| New York Jets | 3 | 16.7 | 52.0 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 5.7 | 4.7 | 43.7 | 9.4 | 0.0 | 11.9 |
Rhamondre Stevenson‘s numbers are the fewest data set among this list’s running backs. Stevenson has played the Bills four times in his career. He has done well, averaging ten fantasy points against a tough Bills team in the last three years. His ability in the passing game has done well with his fantasy points. Stevenson has five receptions in his previous three games against the Bills. His rushing has been decent, but he’ll need to keep up with his receiving ability in 2024.
Stevenson has played the Dolphins the most in his career. He does very poorly against them in fantasy. He averages around 40 total yards in six career games. Thanks to a touchdown, he got over seven fantasy points in the second week of the 2023 season. Stevenson has been under seven fantasy points in the other five games versus the Dolphins. Hopefully, Stevenson can do better with an improved offense, but I’d be hesitant to start him against Miami.
The Jets are a team that Stevenson does decently against, except it only has three games. During his 2022 breakout season, he scored 11 and 17 fantasy points versus the Jets. He did that thanks to 13 receptions for over 100 yards in two games. Last year, Stevenson only played them once but finished with just 60 yards. The Jets have a good run defense, which continues to improve. Stevenson needs to get back to his receiving ability to have success. In 13 division games, Stevenson has one total touchdown.
Alvin Kamara – NO
| Per Game | G | Att | Yds | Y/A | TD | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | FPs (3 Years) |
| Atlanta Falcons | 13 | 13.4 | 61.7 | 4.6 | 0.2 | 5.8 | 4.2 | 33.7 | 8.0 | 0.0 | 13.4 |
| Carolina Panthers | 11 | 11.7 | 54.6 | 4.7 | 0.6 | 5.9 | 4.5 | 30.5 | 6.8 | 0.1 | 11.1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 13 | 11.7 | 45.1 | 3.9 | 0.5 | 7.1 | 5.7 | 41.6 | 7.3 | 0.2 | 8.9 |
Alvin Kamara, looking at his average game stats, does pretty well against this division, but the fantasy points per game have been up and down over the last three years. The Falcons were a team that Kamara has thrived the best against. He has over fantasy points in four of these last five games. While he only has one touchdown in the previous five games, he intends to run on the ground well. With the Falcons improving on offense, we could see more shootouts, allowing Kamara to do well in fantasy.
The Panthers have been a team that has kept Kamara in check slightly in recent years. He has been under 13 fantasy points in half-point PPR in his last five outings. The Panthers are another team that Kamara has only scored twice in his previous five games. Last year, Kamara finished with 12 fantasy points in only one game played. He would finish under 50 yards but scored a touchdown to keep his week alive.
The Buccaneers have been a team that has given Kamara trouble in recent years. He has been under six fantasy points in three of the last five games. One of his two solid outings was that game, in which he had 13 receptions for 33 yards. Kamara is not producing as he once did, with under 75 total yards in five of his last six games. Kamara is on the decline due to bad offensive play and age. Kamara would be a riskier start against the Buccaneers.
Najee Harris – PIT
Najee Harris has done well against this division since coming into the league. The Bengals have been a team that Harris plays well against despite poor Steeler offenses. He has four over the last six games over 12 fantasy points. Harris managed 14 and 16 fantasy points this past season in two games against the Bengals. When Harris plays the Bengals at home, he averages almost 20 fantasy points per game. Harris should be a good start versus the Bengals.
Harris was doing well in these first two years against the Browns, averaging 19 fantasy points per game in 2021 and 2022. Last season, Brown’s elite run defense stepped up, and Harris performed poorly. He finished with under five fantasy points in both games. It seems that the Browns improved run defense was able to stop Harris. It could be that backup Jaylen Warren scored 129 yards in Week 11, while Harris finished under 40 yards. It could be a bounce back for Harris, but proceed with caution.
Harris does the worst against the Ravens, coming into the division. He averages the fewest yards and fantasy points per game. Harris has his best games, where he gets over 20 carries against the Ravens. He has over 20 carries in four games, producing solid fantasy numbers. His fantasy numbers are skewed since his best game ever against the Ravens was in week 18 last year, where he had 21 fantasy points. Harris should be fine for fantasy if he can see the workload.
Thank you for reading! For further fantasy advice, hit me up on X @CoachStevenP or on the Dynasty Nerds Discord! My content is aimed for those in the #NerdHerd wanting easily-digestible information to help them win a dynasty championship.
