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Top 5 Rushing Matchups

San Francisco vs NY Giants

Kyle Shanahan's 49ers have built their reputation on a strong ground game, and the start of the 2023 season has been no exception. They currently rank second in rushing yards through two weeks, only behind the Eagles, and they lead the league in yards per carry, averaging 5.6. Christian McCaffrey has been the driving force behind this success, with impressive performances against the Steelers (152 yards and 1 touchdown) and the Rams (116 yards and 1 touchdown), featuring several big runs. However, McCaffrey isn't the only weapon in their arsenal. The 49ers can deploy a trio of talented backs in McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and Eli Mitchell, making their ground game even more potent. Additionally, they have a top-10 offensive line, as rated by Footballguys' Matt Bitonti.

On the flip side, the Giants' defense has proven to be extremely vulnerable against the run in the first two weeks of the season. They've allowed running backs like Tony Pollard to gain significant yardage, with Pollard accumulating 70 yards on 14 carries before the game got out of hand. Even James Conner, playing behind one of the league's weakest offensive lines, managed to record a 100-yard game against the Giants last week. The Giants' struggles in run defense extend beyond just the running backs, as even quarterback Josh Dobbs had a long touchdown run. Defensive linemen Dexter Lawrence and A'Shawn Robinson, who were expected to anchor the run defense, have been consistently pushed around. This has been particularly surprising in the case of Robinson, who has had a reputation as a dependable run-stopper. The Giants' addition of linebacker Bobby Okereke was meant to bolster their run defense, but he has also struggled to make a significant impact.

Jacksonville vs Houston

Travis Etienne has shown his explosiveness in the 2023 season, reminiscent of his 2022 performances, where he excelled at forcing missed tackles at a top-five rate. In a matchup against the Colts, Etienne shined by gaining 77 yards, consistently picking up significant chunks of yardage throughout the game. He capped off his performance with a 26-yard touchdown run. Despite the game script shifting against them late, Etienne was on the brink of breaking several big runs, and his production could have been even more impressive if he hadn't experienced cramps that caused him to miss the Jaguars' final two possessions. Etienne's elusiveness is an asset behind the Jaguars' average offensive line. With Trevor Lawrence able to utilize three viable wide receivers and a dynamic tight end, the field opens for Etienne, who thrives in open space. Rookie running back Tank Bigsby, known for his powerful running style, has yet to make a significant impact, tallying just 13 yards on 7 carries. However, the Jaguars seem committed to utilizing Bigsby as the No. 2 back and in short-yardage situations, with him receiving 28 of the 35 non-Etienne snaps and even getting a couple of goal-line carries.

Looking back at the 2022 season, the Texans' run defense was porous, as they were consistently gashed by opposing rushing attacks, allowing an average of 170 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry, ranking among the bottom three in the league in both categories. Not much has changed to start the 2023 season, as in Week 1, the Ravens, while running with less enthusiasm due to their banged-up offensive line, still found success on the ground. Then, in Week 2, the Colts' backup running back, Zack Moss, amassed 88 yards on 18 carries against the Texans, demonstrating that their struggles against the run continue. Moss particularly excelled in the second and third quarters, racking up 51 yards on just 7 carries during that time frame. Sheldon Rankins, a former Saint who now plays for the Texans, is on the field for about two-thirds of the defensive snaps but has struggled against the run. He, along with former Cowboy Maliek Collins, faced difficulty against the Colts' offensive line. Linebacker Denzel Perryman, formerly with the Chargers and Raiders, is a serviceable player but hasn't been known for making impactful plays.

Las Vegas vs Pittsburgh

Josh Jacobs, coming off an All-Pro season, has experienced a difficult start to the 2023 season. In the first two games, he has only managed to accumulate 46 yards rushing on 28 carries. Jacobs' struggles were particularly evident last week when he finished with negative 2 yards rushing against a Bills team that had a porous run defense in Week 1 against the Jets. Several factors could contribute to Jacobs' slow start, including his limited participation in the preseason due to a contract dispute and issues with the offensive line, notably on the interior with guard Dylan Parham and center Andre James. The Raiders had just 39 offensive plays in Week 2, a significantly lower number compared to the typical range of 60-70 offensive plays for most teams. This suggests that Jacobs could see more carries moving forward, especially considering he has been on the field for 78% of the snaps this season.

However, there isn't much reason for optimism when it comes to Pittsburgh's defense. They have allowed 167 yards to opposing running backs through the first two weeks, ranking as the worst run defense in the NFL. The primary issue for Pittsburgh lies in their defensive line, as they have been missing Cameron Heyward, who was placed on Injured Reserve earlier in the season. DeMarvin Leal has struggled to fill Heyward's void effectively. Additionally, the Steelers have been vulnerable to big plays, with Christian McCaffrey and Jerome Ford both breaking off long touchdown runs in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively. While the schedule may get easier for the Steelers, their run defense has yet to show signs of improvement in the early part of the season.

Pittsburgh at Las Vegas

The situation in Pittsburgh's running game appears to be a bit of a low-volume and inefficient mess, largely due to challenges with the offensive line. Jaylen Warren, known for his explosiveness, has seen limited opportunities, averaging just 4.5 carries per game with little success, managing only 2.9 yards per carry. In contrast, Najee Harris has been slightly more efficient, averaging 4.6 yards per carry, which is an improvement over his career average of 3.9. However, Harris has only averaged 8 carries per game, and it has been suggested that Jaylen Warren will see more work in the upcoming game. Given the current situation, it's difficult to have confidence in either running back's ability to find success on the ground.

The Raiders' defense, on the other hand, has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing running backs and ranks third in yards allowed to the position, giving up an average of 136 yards per game through the first two weeks of the season. This is surprising, considering they've faced teams like Denver and Buffalo, which were not expected to feature elite running backs. The root of the issue seems to be on the defensive line, with players like defensive tackle Bilal Nichols and veteran John Jenkins struggling. While the linebacker position, led by Divine Deablo, has some talent, they are shouldering a heavy load to make plays due to the overall struggles of the defense. The combination of a porous run defense and the potential for increased usage for Jaylen Warren could provide an opportunity for Pittsburgh's running game to find some success.