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Factoid

Teams that can't run

Is there fantasy value in going after a seemingly terrible team?

When a team can't run for more than even 20 yards in a game -- as was the case last week with the Dolphins (2 yards) and Colts (18) -- should fantasy leaguers stay away? Or is that a deal where then that team goes into its next game hell bent on fixing that part of the offense?

It's happened 41 times in the last 10 years. And the track record of those teams (in their next game) might surprise you.

Over half of those teams (23 of 41) ran for over 100 yards in their next game. Over a quarter (11 of 41) went over 140.

What the heck? I thought these teams weren't supposed to be able to run?

Kansas City is your all-time leader in this category. It went for only 10 yards in a game against the Raiders last December, then came back and up 352 the next week against the Colts (and still managed to lose that game). Jamaal Charles went for 226 in that game, and Peyton Hillis added 101.

The average of these teams, helped along by KC's 352, is 113 rushing yards per game.

So for this week, look at the matchups. Miami is at home against a pretty ordinary San Diego defense. The Colts play tomorrow night against a Tennessee defense that's been softer than expected against the run. Both of those teams easily could go for about 100 rushing yards.

TERRIBLE RUNNING TEAMS -- THE NEXT WEEK
YearTeamRun YdsNext
2003St. Louis947
2004New England5147
2005Jacksonville12181
2005Minnesota12160
2005St. Louis6138
2005Baltimore14115
2005Buffalo1475
2005Philadelphia1924
2006Miami4186
2006Arizona17137
2006Detroit16132
2006Cleveland1868
2006Detroit-358
2007Kansas City10121
2007Kansas City1689
2007Tampa Bay1730
2007Detroit-1825
2008St. Louis14129
2008Denver14123
2008Tennessee20114
2009Seattle4170
2009Seattle1479
2009San Diego1673
2010Oakland16251
2010Seattle20161
2010Washington18116
2010Detroit20115
2010Arizona13105
2010Denver1939
2011Chicago13224
2011Detroit2063
2012Kansas City10352
2012Carolina10219
2012Miami1997
2012Dallas1965
2012Arizona754
2012Cincinnati1447
2012Tennessee2038
2013St. Louis18143
2013Miami20101
2013Atlanta1827
2013Miami2?
2013Indianapolis18?

--Ian Allan

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