NFL RODS Rankings: Week 12

The RODS rankings are my self-developed statistical analysis of team performance, looking at all three phases of the game. The Standard RODS is an aggregate of the Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams ratings and is based purely on what happens on the field, taking into consideration no outside factors. Additionally I have taken the standard fantasy point scoring from ESPN and aggregated each team’s total fantasy output so we are able to compare actual performance with their fantasy output. For a further breakdown of how the ratings are derived, you can find the full breakdown of the RODS ratings here.

RODS Rankings Week 12

For the third week out of the last four, we have a different team leading the RODS rankings, with the Eagles leaning on their favorable schedule to take top spot through week 12. The Eagles beat up on the wayward Bears, holding their rushing attack to just 6 (yes 6) yards on the ground, at just 0.4 yards per carry (the third lowest since 2010). Their +70.0% grade for the game was their highest of the season and the best of week 12. You can’t hold it against the Eagles for beating what’s in front of them, but with a season to date opponent win record coming in at 21-32 (0.396), they have had the second softest schedule of my top 10 ranked teams so far this season.

1. Eagles 21-32 (0.396)
2. Saints 31-26 (0.544)
3. Rams 29-26 (0.527)
4. Vikings 29-25 (0.537)
5. Jaguars 21-34 (0.381)
6. Steelers 29-25 (0.537)
7. Falcons 34-24 (0.586)
8. Panthers 26-26 (0.500)
9. Chiefs 23-30 (0.434)
10. Patriots 25-28 (0.472)

Last week’s leaders the Saints dropped out of top spot after their defeat to the Rams, where they posted their lowest rating of 2017 with -28.6%, and their fewest fantasy points since week 1 with 70.74. The Vikings continue their rise with their seventh straight win and are now up to 4th in the rankings. The Vikings are the only team along with the Eagles who have a top 5 offense, defense and are also in the top 5 in fantasy points this season, but face a trip to the Falcons in week 13, who themselves have established themselves as a top 10 team thanks to their 4th rated offense. The Vikings posted their 4th straight game with over 100 collective fantasy points, the longest such streak in the league.

In terms of the playoff picture, of the twelve teams currently slotted for the post-season, eleven of those fill the top-12 places in the RODS rankings, with only the Titans in 17th place, sitting lower than their playoff ranking.

The biggest flip of the week came in the Broncos @ Raiders game where the Raiders posted a +48.6% rating, and rose four places to 19th, where they overtook the Broncos (-55.7%), who drop four places to 20th.

The bottom five has a new entrant, with the Bears joining the party at the wrong end of the table after their -80.0% rating in the defeat to the Eagles. The Dolphins, Giants and Colts are still holding up the rest, with the Dolphins retaining bottom spot and the league’s worst defense and joint worst offense, with the Bears.

After a week as the league’s top fantasy team, the Eagles (94.64 ppg) drop out of first to be replaced by the Patriots, who posted a league high 114.38 points for a season long average of 96.27. The Bears now have the worst fantasy points per game in the league, after managing just 22.18 in the defeat to the Eagles and have a season average of 57.54 points, almost a full point per game behind the Browns (58.49).