Zone vs. Gap Rushing

Hello again. I can’t believe we’re at Week 9 already. I also can’t believe I lost Cam Skattebo across half of my fantasy teams! I feel for the kid, he was a lot of fun to watch and to roster in fantasy football. Bummer!

I’m also a little under the weather this week so the Week 9 edition of Zone vs. Gap rushing is going to be straight to the point. I’ll trim the past week’s review, since you already know this tool is pretty good at predicting RB success, and get right to it. Brevity isn’t always a bad thing!

As always, you can view the Defensive Zone vs. Gap splits HERE and the RB Zone vs. Gap splits HERE. I’ll add the former table to the bottom of this article. For RB-specific numbers, go to the tool. Remember, it’s FREE!

Also, if you want a short refresher (or tutorial, if you’re new to this tool) on the table, simply go back to my previous article HERE.

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Week 9 Matchups

Zone Matchups

Let’s start with the “best” Zone matchup identified from the tool, Detroit vs Minnesota. The Lions come in as the #4 Zone Offense while the Viking counter with the #28 Zone Defense. We’re all starting Jaymyr Gibbs (57% Zone) anyway, but it also speaks well for Montgomery (64% Zone) getting a nod in deeper leagues or as a Flex option. Recent results tend to agree, as Kimani Vidal (59% Zone) just torched the Vikings for 117 and a TD last week.
The Chiefs 3-headed RB “monster” draws the second-best Zone matchup against the Bills (#29 Zone Defense).The Chiefs are rolling these days, primarily on the backs of that little-known QB of theirs. Isiah Pacheco (74% Zone) leads the way in RB carries but we can’t discount what Kareem Hunt (58% Zone) and Brashard Smith (80% Zone) will log that cuts into it. Pacheco is probably a must-start RB#2 for us now, but we still prefer to have him on the field more than the 55% snap-share he’s averaging over the past couple games.
The Raiders are back in action this week (did we even realize they were away?). Reportedly, Brock Bowers will be back in action as well. That spells good news for Ashton Jeanty (66% Zone) as his #2 Zone Offense faces the #21 Jaguars Zone Defense.
Other Zone matchups I like:
- The Bengals (#9 Zone Offense) have a nice matchup against the Bears #30 Zone Defense. You’d automatically think that favors Chase Brown right? Well, Brown is being utilized as more of a Gap rusher (43% Zone, 49% Gap) while is rushing mate, Samaje Perine (77% Zone, 19% Gap) gets his groundwork done behing Zone blocking. Maybe that’s why the other fantasy “experts” have been touting Perine as a premiere waiver wire pickup this week?
- The Kenneth Walker/Zach Charbonnet usage debate extends another week and unfortunately, I don’t have an answer for you there. Charbs got the majority of snaps (37:32) in their last game but Walker took more handoffs (17:12). What it comes down to then is are both RB#2 or Flex options this week? My thought is yes. Walker (56% Zone) and Charbs (69% Zone) draw the Commanders #24 Zone Defense.
A couple Zone matchups that don’t look so great:
- I mentioned Kimani Vidal earlier torching the Vikings defense. The numbers suggest his success may be a bit quieter this week against the Titans defense. Did I type that right? See the Titans are strong against Zone blocking (#5 Zone Defense) but much weaker against Gap blocking (#25 Gap Defense). On the flip side, Vidal runs much more behind Zone (59% Zone) than Gap (41% Gap). He’s still a must start, but his success may be more tied to how he’s being utilized.
- San Francisco, despite their defensive injuries piling up, still comes in as the #1 Zone Defense in the league. That spells trouble for newly anointed Tyrone Tracy Jr. (60% Zone) and the Giants predominantly Zone blocking offense.

Gap Matchups

Bam Knight’s time in the spotlight may be coming to an end soon with Trey Benson’s inevitable return. To his benefit, he and the Cardinals (#1 Gap Offense) draw a vulnerable Gap Defense in the Cowboys (#28 Gap Defense). The roster actions this week involving Michael Carter also spells good news for Bam (72% Gap) owners.
The numbers suggest Denver should be running early and often against a Texan’s (#31 Gap Defense). Last week, the 49ers didn’t take advantage of this matchup with just 3 Gap rushes by McCaffrey (25 total rushing yards). Will J.K. Dobbins (58% Gap) suffer the same fate?
I’m encouraged by the uptick in use for Tyjae Spears last week. Spears (48% Gap) and Pollard (49% Gap) draw a nice Gap-rushing matchup against the Chargers (#23 Gap Defense).

A couple Gap matchups that don’t look so great:

I already mentioned Vidal’s 41% Gap rushing matching up against the Titans (#25 Gap Defense).
Pittsburgh faces the upstart Colts this week. Indy Defense is much better against Gap rushing (#9 Gap Defense) than Zone rushing (#25 Zone Defense). This shouldn’t affect Warren too much (22% Gap), but I worry about those who plan to start Gainwell (45% Gap).

That’s All Folks

Do you take advantage of all our free tools? If you don’t, why not? All of the RazzballNFL staff is here to help so get on the ball. Be sure to read our daily articles and especially join us on gameday morning for the Razzball Sunday Start/Sit show. We had another great turnout last Sunday with excellent (i.e., tough) lineup questions to talk through. Keep bringing it!

As always, the show airs LIVE on the Razzball YouTube channel this Sunday from 11:00 am EDT (8:00 PDT) right up right up to gametime. Sky – @SkyGuasco, Matt – @Stiles08, Dave – @Crewser128, Jeff – @Jefferson__21 and I will be there to answer all your fantasy football questions. Don’t miss it.

As always, look for my articles right here each week and be sure to follow me on Twitter/X @Derek_Favret. I’m also on BlueSky as well (@dfavret.bsky.social).

Until next time, my friends.

Download Table as CSV	popup	download
Note: Filters and sorting in the table below apply to the output

Team	Def_Designed Rush Yds/Gm	Def Zone Yds/Gm	Def Gap Yds/Gm	Def Zone%	Def Gap%	Def Undesigned Scr Yds/Gm	Next Opponent	Off Rush Yds/Gm	Off Zone%	Off Gap%	Off Scr%
ARZ	106	65.1	32.1	62%	31%	15	SF	105	68%	12%	8%
ATL	60	29.3	21.0	49%	35%	3	GB	63	41%	57%	0%
BLT	76	43.6	19.6	58%	26%	8	DAL	49	45%	34%	12%
BUF	84	36.9	35.9	44%	43%	11	LAC	85	54%	32%	11%
CAR	178	102.1	34.7	58%	20%	48	CLV	47	41%	32%	14%
CHI	103	49.5	41.2	48%	40%	19	PHI	80	52%	27%	12%
CIN	38	14.2	12.0	38%	32%	30	PIT	70	56%	33%	4%
CLV	113	36.8	53.7	33%	48%	14	CAR	77	48%	36%	8%
DAL	118	58.1	32.4	49%	27%	49	BLT	119	56%	27%	11%
DEN	144	63.3	61.0	44%	42%	14	LA	137	26%	60%	3%
DET	122	48.1	32.3	40%	27%	27	NYJ	86	38%	46%	9%
GB	67	23.3	29.0	35%	44%	14	ATL	122	61%	29%	6%
HST	75	43.5	23.5	58%	31%	11	IND	97	58%	34%	6%
IND	148	89.0	41.0	60%	28%	28	HST	64	35%	50%	9%
JAX	70	30.8	26.6	44%	38%	15	NE	91	24%	50%	11%
KC	77	36.2	25.8	47%	34%	5	MIA	65	37%	45%	13%
LV	77	36.3	33.5	47%	44%	21	NO	71	54%	13%	7%
LA	100	59.2	23.5	59%	24%	13	DEN	70	43%	35%	3%
LAC	79	38.5	24.2	49%	31%	8	BUF	110	34%	38%	9%
MIA	94	54.9	21.2	58%	23%	17	KC	163	51%	37%	8%
MIN	87	60.6	19.2	70%	22%	14	TB	80	35%	39%	14%
NE	82	52.3	20.4	64%	25%	11	JAX	110	46%	41%	2%
NO	119	59.7	47.1	50%	40%	18	LV	90	43%	37%	3%
NYG	108	41.2	47.9	38%	44%	8	TEN	82	37%	42%	14%
NYJ	53	16.5	29.7	31%	56%	11	DET	111	49%	40%	6%
PHI	110	60.0	37.1	55%	34%	17	CHI	170	69%	12%	12%
PIT	118	47.3	54.4	40%	46%	10	CIN	93	51%	35%	2%
SEA	64	17.7	32.2	28%	50%	26	WAS	100	66%	19%	13%
SF	104	30.8	63.3	30%	61%	7	ARZ	84	43%	41%	4%
TB	68	24.0	27.9	35%	41%	10	MIN	106	39%	44%	6%
TEN	104	47.5	40.1	46%	39%	11	NYG	96	43%	40%	4%
WAS	65	28.5	17.2	44%	27%	36	SEA	121	68%	24%	2%
NFL Average	94	45.1	33.1	47%	36%	17	NFL Average	94	47%	36%	8%