Fantasy Football News and Rumors

[Shanemansj13]

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said the team’s offense won’t be “reliant” on run-pass options in 2024.
Asked about using Derrick Henry in run-pass option (RPO) plays alongside Lamar Jackson in the Ravens backfield, Harbaugh said the team wouldn’t lean too heavily on RPOs this season. “I think we’re in the right place with our RPOs,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t think it’s something that we’re going to like go wholesale towards, because Lamar has got so many different ways he plays the game, and there are other things we like to do, to be honest with you. ... I don’t see us going towards like [a] specific offense that runs those more than anybody else.


Ok, a little context here- according to Pro Football reference, The Ravens ran 46 rush attempts from an RPO (5th most), and an additional 90 pass attempts (4th most) from an RPO play. Which puts them behind only Philly and LAC for the most RPO plays in the league (Philly 176 times, LAC 139 - And LAC is under new leadership-, Baltimore 136) .
most others were in the lower 100's or below 100 RPO plays.

They're already running "more than anybody else" (more or less), so if they 'think we're in the right place with our RPO's", I would expect a continued heavy dosage of RPO's. Maybe that won't increase, but I can't imagine why it would decrease, that's what works for Lamar, because, it's painfully evident, he cannot win big games from the pocket, period.

Only good things stacking up for King Henry's farewell tour.

I guess they slowed down their RPO rate in December or total offensive plays is just lower bc I saw an article through Dec 7th and BAL's RPO rate is the highest in the NFL.

Jets’ RPO rate is near the bottom



I was curious to see that CLE was top 10 even with Watson missing most of the year, kinda strange with Flacco in there but they also had Walker and DTR so that makes sense.

 

[TREFF]

I guess they slowed down their RPO rate in December or total offensive plays is just lower bc I saw an article through Dec 7th and BAL's RPO rate is the highest in the NFL.

Jets’ RPO rate is near the bottom

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I was curious to see that CLE was top 10 even with Watson missing most of the year, kinda strange with Flacco in there but they also had Walker and DTR so that makes sense.

yea, my data didn't account for total plays or a percentage of total plays, jsut the raw data of how many plays were RPO's and pass vs run out of those RPO's. Obviously Philly ran more plays than Baltimore did, which totally makes sense in my head.

But regardless of which method of math you use, Baltimore definitely one of the biggest users of RPO's

 

[eaglesnut]

Oh fer sure, that's why it was just for S's n G's.

I was pretty surprised that LAC and Herbert ran RPO's at basically the same rate as Lamar though.

And then the Chargers OC came to Philly.

I'm not liking that.

 

[Shanemansj13]

yea, my data didn't account for total plays or a percentage of total plays, jsut the raw data of how many plays were RPO's and pass vs run out of those RPO's. Obviously Philly ran more plays than Baltimore did, which totally makes sense in my head.

But regardless of which method of math you use, Baltimore definitely one of the biggest users of RPO's

Yeah when Harbaugh said "wouldn't lean too heavily" referring to use of RPO's, it didn't make much sense. It doesn't matter what RB you have, RPO and Lamar just makes sense. So if they aren't top 3-5 they will still be top 10 which is still heavily overall imo

 

[TREFF]

Yeah when Harbaugh said "wouldn't lean too heavily" referring to use of RPO's, it didn't make much sense. It doesn't matter what RB you have, RPO and Lamar just makes sense. So if they aren't top 3-5 they will still be top 10 which is still heavily overall imo

well sure, I mean as your chart shows, it's less than %14 of their plays, so it's a factual statement that they don't rely 'too heavily' on the RPO, it's the statement where he said they "wouldn't run them any more than anyone else does" that makes me raise an eyebrow, cuz they very obviously do, and always have. Like you said, doesn't make any damn sense to stray form that now. It works, it's what Lamar is best at, they win with it, I can't imagine they'd change that.

The only difference I could literally even consider as a possibility as to why they might run fewer RPO's, is that once Lamar sticks the ball into Henry's belly, he might not ever get it back

 

[TREFF]

And then the Chargers OC came to Philly.

I'm not liking that.

why? Hurts is obviously good at that style.

 

[eaglesnut]

why? Hurts is obviously good at that style.

It's limiting and the only time it really had success in the playoffs it was Nick Foles running it and Doug Pederson calling the plays. Easier to do over 4 games than 20.

 

[TREFF]

It's limiting and the only time it really had success in the playoffs it was Nick Foles running it and Doug Pederson calling the plays. Easier to do over 4 games than 20.

Considering they ran 180+ of them in '22 and 175+ of them last year, and both years had a top 10 scoring offense (#2 in '22), I think reality disagrees with you.

 

[eaglesnut]

Considering they ran 180+ of them in '22 and 175+ of them last year, and both years had a top 10 scoring offense (#2 in '22), I think reality disagrees with you.

Then why didn't they score in the 2nd half against the Chiefs? Even a few first downs could have won it. But they couldn't move it at all.

 

[SmokingMonkey]

Then why didn't they score in the 2nd half against the Chiefs? Even a few first downs could have won it. But they couldn't move it at all.

easy question, the answer is Spags



you mess with the bull you just might get the horns

 

[TREFF]

Then why didn't they score in the 2nd half against the Chiefs? Even a few first downs could have won it. But they couldn't move it at all.

Why didn't the Seahawks 'run the damned ball' with Marshawn? why didn't the Titans give the ball to Henry every single play? Sometimes they get too cute, sometimes the defense wins

can't grab one tiny little sample and extrapolate that the entire system doesn't work.

I think you'd be supremely disappointed if they tried to turn Hurts into a strict pocket passer.

Kellen Moore did wonders for the Dallas offense, I can't explain WTF happened in LAC other than injuries to key players jsut couldn't be overcome, but I think him as the Eagles OC will be great for Hurts, Brown, Smith and Barkley

 

[averagejoe]

If I am being honest, i dont understand RPO.
Isnt every single play called a run-pass option based on defensive alignments and audibles?

 

[SmokingMonkey]

If I am being honest, i dont understand RPO.
Isnt every single play called a run-pass option based on defensive alignments and audibles?

maybe in the huddle and at the line pre-snap
RPOs are about what goes on after the snap, where in-the-moment decision-making combines with athletic ability, add a dash of trickery/sleight of hand sprinkled on top.

I could be wrong, but a real threat of QB taking the ball and running has to be present for it to be considered an RPO vs play-action pass

 

[SmokingMonkey]

maybe in the huddle and at the line pre-snap
RPOs are about what goes on after the snap, where in-the-moment decision-making combines with athletic ability, add a dash of trickery/sleight of hand sprinkled on top.

I could be wrong, but a real threat of QB taking the ball and running has to be present for it to be considered an RPO vs play-action pass

I looked it up - the difference between RPO and play action is how the OL blocks.

play action = pass block
RPO = run block - OL supposed to strike first/forward like a normal running play but not go downfield in case it ends up being a passing play

 

[Bandit]

If I am being honest, i dont understand RPO.
Isnt every single play called a run-pass option based on defensive alignments and audibles?

If you watch the Manningcast on Monday nights, Peyton Manning hates RPO's. Every time they run one and there's a penalty for a lineman blocking downfield because they thought it was a running play, it drives Peyton crazy. He says that he like R's and he like P's, but they should always be separate otherwise your offensive line doesn't know what the hell you're doing. It's not fair for the lineman to get that penalty. It should be on the quarterback or the coach, but he's just doing his job and he gets flagged for it.

 

[TREFF]

If you watch the Manningcast on Monday nights, Peyton Manning hates RPO's. Every time they run one and there's a penalty for a lineman blocking downfield because they thought it was a running play, it drives Peyton crazy. He says that he like R's and he like P's, but they should always be separate otherwise your offensive line doesn't know what the hell you're doing. It's not fair for the lineman to get that penalty. It should be on the quarterback or the coach, but he's just doing his job and he gets flagged for it.

I'm %100 in agreement with him. But this fascination with QB's who can only excel at playground football..that's where we are. When one of them wins a Super Bowl or two, perhaps I'll revisit my thoughts on it. Until then, Lamar, Hurts, Feilds..etc..they can win fantasy titles, maybe they can win a regular season MVP with their video game numbers, but they can't win a Lombardi.

 

[eaglesnut]

Why didn't the Seahawks 'run the damned ball' with Marshawn? why didn't the Titans give the ball to Henry every single play? Sometimes they get too cute, sometimes the defense wins

can't grab one tiny little sample and extrapolate that the entire system doesn't work.

I think you'd be supremely disappointed if they tried to turn Hurts into a strict pocket passer.

Kellen Moore did wonders for the Dallas offense, I can't explain WTF happened in LAC other than injuries to key players jsut couldn't be overcome, but I think him as the Eagles OC will be great for Hurts, Brown, Smith and Barkley

The RPO doesn't win in the playoffs with Lamar either. Hurts and the Eagles aren't the only example. You need some other bread and butter. Something that can get the defense on 3rd and 7.

 

[TREFF]

The RPO doesn't win in the playoffs with Lamar either. Hurts and the Eagles aren't the only example. You need some other bread and butter. Something that can get the defense on 3rd and 7.

oh well THAT I %100 agree with, see above.

But it does make for great fantasy football enjoyment throughout the season.

QB's have to win form the pocket to bring home a Lombardi, period. Doesn't mean they can't be a great, fun, exciting football team that is a pleasure to watch every week, on the side.

 

[eaglesnut]

I'm %100 in agreement with him. But this fascination with QB's who can only excel at playground football..that's where we are. When one of them wins a Super Bowl or two, perhaps I'll revisit my thoughts on it. Until then, Lamar, Hurts, Feilds..etc..they can win fantasy titles, maybe they can win a regular season MVP with their video game numbers, but they can't win a Lombardi.

Hurts was close as shit. Fumbled away the ball on the first drive and was still leading at halftime. Needed the game to come down to a ticky tack penalty to lose it.

 

[eaglesnut]

oh well THAT I %100 agree with, see above.

But it does make for great fantasy football enjoyment throughout the season.

QB's have to win form the pocket to bring home a Lombardi, period. Doesn't mean they can't be a great, fun, exciting football team that is a pleasure to watch every week, on the side.

I hate watching it. I hate what it's done to fantasy football. Basically ruined it.

Make every QB yard the same value. Instant fix.
But no one anywhere wants to do it.