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FFL: Week 8 | NFL: Week 8

QB Strength of Schedule

Thu May 23 11:12am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Prescott setup for big success


Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the quarterback position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the quarterbacks with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the quarterbacks that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.

  QB SOS  
1. Miami Dolphins 313.6
2. Cincinnati Bengals 314.77
3. Los Angeles Chargers 317.32
4. Denver Broncos 317.38
5. Pittsburgh Steelers 320.33
6. Houston Texans 320.74
7. Buffalo Bills 321.01
8. Philadelphia Eagles 323.71
9. Kansas City Chiefs 325.08
10. Washington Commanders 325.12
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 326.4
12. Jacksonville Jaguars 328.45
13. New York Jets 329.06
14. New England Patriots 329.64
15. Cleveland Browns 330.31
16. Los Angeles Rams 330.72
17. Arizona Cardinals 331.54
18. Indianapolis Colts 331.69
19. Seattle Seahawks 332
20. Atlanta Falcons 332.73
21. Baltimore Ravens 333.05
22. San Francisco 49ers 333.05
23. Detroit Lions 334.13
24. Las Vegas Raiders 334.38
25. New York Giants 334.72
26. New Orleans Saints 336.27
27. Minnesota Vikings 337.2
28. Dallas Cowboys 339.64
29. Chicago Bears 340.70
30. Tennessee Titans 343.69
31. Carolina Panthers 345.54
32. Green Bay Packers 349.53


The Packers have the easiest fantasy schedule for quarterbacks. Jordan Love already had a breakout season last year and could take his game to an even higher level this season. Love is shaping up to be a really intriguing QB1 this season. He is a player on the rise and seems setup for even more success this year.

A couple second-year quarterbacks have really favorable schedules, Will Levis and Bryce Young. Both seem like good No. 2 fantasy quarterbacks to take a chance. Their teams did well in upgrading the talent around them this offseason and a favorable schedule bodes well for them to take some steps forward this year.

Caleb Williams was the No.1 overall pick and the Bears gave him plenty of firepower to work with in year one. Williams has a lot of good going for him this year and could be the C.J. Stroud of this year’s rookie class. And having a favorable fantasy schedule helps Williams even more.

A couple veterans with favorable schedules are Dak Prescott and Derek Carr. Prescott is the one that stands out the most. The Cowboys are lacking top options at the running back spot, so it would not surprise if the Cowboys are really pass-heavy offensively. Prescott could really rack up the numbers this year.

There are some big-name quarterbacks on the opposite side of things, having very tough fantasy schedules. Tua Tagovalioa has the toughest schedule of all. He struggled a little down the stretch last year and now has the most unfavorable schedule for any fantasy quarterback. This is a little concerning.

Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and whoever is starting in Pittsburgh, likely Russell Wilson, are other veteran quarterbacks that have a top-five unfavorable schedule for fantasy quarterbacks. Burrow is not a huge concern for us because we think they will still have success throwing the ball and he has a ton of talent around him at receiver. Herbert is a concern. The Chargers lost their top two receivers and could be a lot more run-heavy with a new coach in place. Herbert has some red flags for him this coming year, making him a bit of a risky pick for fantasy teams. Wilson is another veteran with a tough schedule. He also has Justin Fields pushing him to play, so Wilson is going to be a boom or bust fantasy pick.

We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy quarterbacks. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the quarterbacks with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big money contests.

  QB PLAYOFF SOS  
1. Jacksonville Jaguars 292.02
2. Houston Texans 299.33
3. New York Giants 301.93
4. Miami Dolphins 307.48
5. Los Angeles Rams 308.45
6. Detroit Lions 312.4
7. Arizona Cardinals 313.15
8. Kansas City Chiefs 313.45
9. Buffalo Bills 313.6
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 317.53
11. Cincinnati Bengals 318.03
12. Baltimore Ravens 318.25
13. Green Bay Packers 322.48
14. Indianapolis Colts 322.83
15. Pittsburgh Steelers 328.78
16. Philadelphia Eagles 331.23
17. Cleveland Browns 331.95
18. Minnesota Vikings 334.68
19. Atlanta Falcons 336.18
20. Carolina Panthers 338.62
21. Seattle Seahawks 338.65
22. Las Vegas Raiders 341.18
23. Los Angeles Chargers 341.22
24. New York Jets 344.3
25. New Orleans Saints 346.68
26. Chicago Bears 347.07
27. Tennessee Titans 348.42
28. New England Patriots 355.23
29. Denver Broncos 355.35
30. Dallas Cowboys 359.62
31. Washington Commanders 359.92
32. San Francisco 49ers 363.47


There is just a team that makes both the top-five favorable quarterback schedule for the regular season and playoffs. That team is the Cowboys. So Dak Prescott has the third easiest playoff schedule in addition to having the fifth easiest regular season schedule. Prescott was a player looking pretty good even before seeing these schedules, so you might want to bump him up a few spots in your rankings after seeing this. Prescott could be a league winner in 2024.

The 49ers actually have the easiest fantasy quarterback schedule for the playoffs. So Brock Purdy could have a great run during the fantasy playoffs. He always has a high weekly ceiling, so things are looking great for him this postseason.

Now some rookie quarterbacks round out the team of having top-five fantasy quarterback playoff schedules. Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix and Drake Maye are all likely starting for their teams later in the season, so they should help fantasy teams during the playoffs. They all have some question marks surrounding them but could be worth the gamble, especially if you have a dependable starter already on your roster. These rookies could make some noise late in the season.

On the opposite side of things, the Dolphins are the only team to have both a top-five unfavorable fantasy quarterback schedule for the regular season and playoffs. We already had a few concerns for Tagovalioa even before these schedules were released. And now seeing he has very challenging schedules for both the regular season and playoffs make him a player you might want to avoid come draft day.

Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars have the toughest schedule for the playoffs. Lawrence has not lived up to expectations to date. He could have his best season to date this year, but his schedule during the playoffs is concerning. Lawrence could struggle when it matters most.

C.J. Stroud is the biggest name of any quarterback with a top-five unfavorable playoff schedule. We aren’t too concerned about this because some players can rise above the challenge. Stroud is one of those players. Things will be tougher for him in year two, but he will also progress and get better. Plus, he has Stefon Diggs added to the mix, which should improve that passing game even more.

Daniel Jones is another quarterback with a challenging playoff schedule. He is another fringe draft pick to begin with, so seeing him possibly have struggles down the stretch causes more trepidation when it comes to possibly drafting him. He might be another player to just steer clear of come draft day.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
Mason Rudolph Oct 28 12:20pm ET
Mason Rudolph

Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph had his team looking competitive early on in Sunday's matchup with the Lions, leading two touchdown drives with the score knotted at 14 apiece a minute into the second quarter, but ultimately lost 52-14 after failing to score the rest of the game. The 29-year-old finished 22 of 38 passing with 266 yards, one TD pass, and two interceptions, plus he added four rushes for 29 yards and a rush TD of his own. Much to Calvin Ridley's delight, Rudolph gave him 15 looks and was able to connect on 10 of them for 143 yards. The Titans have a winnable matchup at home versus the Patriots in Week 9, but it is uncertain whether Will Levis will be ready or not by then. Neither one would realistically be a viable streaming option, but for Ridley managers at least, it seems Rudolph would at least be a slight upgrade for his fantasy prospects.

From RotoBaller

Rome Odunze Oct 28 12:10pm ET
Rome Odunze

Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze had a modest performance against the Washington Commanders in Week 8, finishing with three catches for 41 yards and no touchdowns. It's challenging for any receiver to shine when the quarterback manages only ten completions for a total of 131 yards. Odunze's 41 yards unfortunately led all Bears receivers, highlighting the limited offensive production. He was targeted six times, indicating that quarterback Caleb Williams views him as a go-to option, even if some passes were off-target. Odunze will aim to bounce back next week in a favorable matchup against the weaker Arizona Cardinals defense.

From RotoBaller

Cole Kmet Oct 28 12:10pm ET
Cole Kmet

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet had a tough outing against the Washington Commanders in Week 8, finishing with just one reception for 14 yards and no touchdowns. It's challenging for a tight end to have a productive game when the quarterback completes only ten passes for a total of 131 yards. After some strong performances recently, it was disappointing to see Kmet's lack of production. He was even out-targeted by backup tight end Gerald Everett, who had two targets compared to Kmet's one, which is discouraging for fantasy owners who expected Kmet to dominate the tight end targets. On National Tight End Day, when many tight ends across the league excelled, the Bears unfortunately fell short. Kmet will aim to bounce back next week in a favorable matchup against the weaker Arizona Cardinals defense.

From RotoBaller

D.J. Moore Oct 28 12:00pm ET
D.J. Moore

In Week 8, Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore had a quiet performance against the Washington Commanders, finishing with just two catches for 27 yards and no touchdowns. It's tough for a receiver to shine when the quarterback completes only ten passes for a total of 131 yards. Moore also contributed with two rushes for seven yards as the Bears tried various ways to get their star wideout the ball in space. He briefly left the game due to pain after a hard landing while making a catch but fortunately returned. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his injury status this week. Moore aims to rebound next week in a promising matchup against the weaker Arizona Cardinals defense.

From RotoBaller

Keenan Allen Oct 28 12:00pm ET
Keenan Allen

Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen had a lackluster outing against the Washington Commanders this Sunday, finishing with just two catches for 39 yards. It's challenging for any receiver to excel when the quarterback completes only ten passes for a total of 131 yards. Coming off his best performance of the season in Week 6 against the Jaguars, it was disappointing to see Allen unable to build on that momentum. Quarterback Caleb Williams did target Allen a team-high seven times, but many of those passes needed to be more on-target or uncatchable. Allen will aim to rebound next week in a promising matchup against the weaker Arizona Cardinals defense.

From RotoBaller

Caleb Williams Oct 28 11:40am ET
Caleb Williams

This Sunday, Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams struggled in his game against the Washington Commanders. In Week 8, he completed just ten of 24 passes for 131 yards without any touchdowns. It was disappointing to see him regress after a productive recent stretch and following the bye week to prepare. While it seemed like Williams and the offense were starting to find their rhythm, they instead took a step back this week. He had some inaccurate throws and was also hampered by an injury to his left tackle, which led to poor offensive line performance. On a positive note, Williams added 41 rushing yards on ten attempts, demonstrating his ability to evade defenders and pick up first downs when given the chance. Fans hope Williams and the Bear's offense can bounce back next week against a more favorable matchup with the Arizona Cardinals defense.

From RotoBaller

D'Andre Swift Oct 28 11:40am ET
D'Andre Swift

On Sunday, Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift had an outstanding game against the Washington Commanders, recording 18 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown. He made a game-changing 56-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, sparking a stagnant Bears offense at a crucial moment. Swift demonstrated his ability to create explosive plays when provided with solid blocking and space to operate. Although it was disappointing that he finished without any receptions, given that Caleb Williams only completed ten passes overall, there's optimism that Swift will see more opportunities in the passing game moving forward. Additionally, it was concerning for Swift's fantasy owners to see Roschon Johnson take goal-line carries, which must be monitored. Swift will aim to maintain his momentum against a vulnerable Arizona Cardinals defense next week.

From RotoBaller

Roschon Johnson Oct 28 11:40am ET
Roschon Johnson

On Sunday, Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson made the most of his limited chances against the Washington Commanders. He recorded just two carries for 6 yards but found the end zone on a goal-line carry. Johnson was also in on the previous possession's goal-line attempt. However, the Bears opted for a handoff to a backup lineman playing fullback, which resulted in a fumble and a Washington recovery. While it was disappointing that Johnson missed out on scoring in that moment, it was encouraging to see him establish himself as the Bears' goal-line back, indicating a defined role in the offense. Johnson is a valuable fantasy handcuff with flex potential going forward. Given his red-zone usage, if the Bears find themselves in a high-scoring game, he could be a viable option. Next week, facing a weaker Arizona Cardinals defense could present an excellent opportunity to utilize the Bears' backup, especially if injuries and bye weeks complicate your lineup.

From RotoBaller

Daniel Carlson Oct 28 10:40am ET
Daniel Carlson

Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson hit both of his field goal attempts and two extra points in the Raiders' 20-27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8. He nailed attempts of 54 and 32 yards and was perfect on both of his extra point attempts. It was a solid fantasy performance, and he remains one of the better kickers in the NFL due to his accuracy and range, but remains limited in ability to score points due to the ineffectiveness of the Raiders offense. Carlson has now hit 15 of 17 FG attempts this season, an 88.2% clip, and has yet to miss an XP try. He's a decent starting option in deeper leagues when Las Vegas takes on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9. They boast a much softer defense.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Allgeier Oct 28 10:40am ET
Tyler Allgeier

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier recorded double-digit carries for the second time in three weeks in Sunday's 31-26 win over the Buccaneers, but was able to gain just 33 yards on his 12 totes. His 2.8 yards per carry was a far cry from the 5.7 YPC he averaged heading into the game and it was the first time since Week 3 that he failed to attract even a single target in the passing game. Bijan Robinson was the preferred option there, hauling in all six of his targets for 37 yards while gaining 63 yards on the ground on 13 attempts (4.8 YPC), just one more carry than Allgeier. The involvement in the rushing game is promising, but unless he finds the end zone, the 24-year-old back is nothing more than a low-end Flex option and handcuff for Robinson managers.

From RotoBaller

Jakobi Meyers Oct 28 10:30am ET
Jakobi Meyers

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers looked healthy against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8, his first game back from a two-week absence due to an ankle injury. He was targeted seven times by his quarterback, Gardner Minshew II, and hauled in six of those passes for 52 yards and the game's only non-garbage-time touchdown. He played reasonably well in the WR1 role left vacant by the departure of Davante Adams. He's the clear lead receiver for the team moving forward, though he faces substantial target competition from tight end Brock Bowers. He's a solid WR3/FLEX option with WR2 upside, depending on how the offense fares overall, ahead of a Week 9 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.

From RotoBaller

Tre Tucker Oct 28 10:30am ET
Tre Tucker

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker touched the ball just three times in his Week 8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He was targeted only three times, catching two passes for 26 yards, while rushing one time for seven yards. It was a brutal matchup against one of the league's best defenses in which his team mustered just 158 yards of offense outside of a garbage-time touchdown drive. Tucker is the clear second wide receiver on this offense, but his upside is capped by target-hogging tight end Brock Bowers. He should be viewed as a bench-stash in deeper leagues in his upcoming Week 9 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. They're a much softer defense, but Tucker is a risky start for now.

From RotoBaller

Alexander Mattison Oct 28 10:20am ET
Alexander Mattison

Las Vegas Raiders running back Alexander Mattison seemed to have wrested control of the lead running back role for his team in their Week 8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He was highly inefficient with his touches, though. He carried the ball 14 times for 15 yards (a paltry 1.1 yards per carry), and caught five passes on five targets for 29 yards. Most notably, he rushed for two yards, no gain, and negative-two yards after Las Vegas took possession due to an interception by opposing QB Patrick Mahomes II. The goal-line stand took away Mattison's best chance at scoring a touchdown. The majority of his fantasy value appears to be tied to PPR points from high target volume, but he'll have an easier matchup in Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals and profiles as a FLEX option in deeper leagues.

From RotoBaller

Michael Pittman Jr. Oct 28 10:20am ET
Michael Pittman Jr.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) was able to corral just one of his six targets in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Texans, gaining a measly 16 yards in the contest. Fellow wide receiver Josh Downs was the only Colt who snared more than one pass from quarterback Anthony Richardson, who completed just 10 of 32 passes in the game. Pittman was a DNP at practice on Friday, but it was Richardson's inefficiency that was more to blame than his lingering back issue as the six targets were the most he'd seen since Week 5. Unless Joe Flacco gets back under center for the Colts, this receiving corps looks poised to be very volatile for the foreseeable future and it will be hard to predict which one of the pass catchers will lead the team each week. Having a Week 9 date with the Vikings on the road in Minnesota likely won't make things any easier near-term, although several receivers have posted solid fantasy performances against that group, but with Richardson at the helm, the 27-year-old is probably nothing more than a boom/bust WR3/4.

From RotoBaller

Brock Bowers Oct 28 10:20am ET
Brock Bowers

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers had a quieter day than usual in his team's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8 after he caught all five of his targets for 58 yards. He caught two of those passes, totaling 19 yards, during the garbage-time drive the Raiders put forth near the end of the game. It was a relatively pedestrian day for the breakout superstar. The Chiefs appeared to make it a priority to slow him down, and rightly so, as he's their best offensive weapon. He'll still be a must-start top-5 TE in all fantasy leagues heading into a softer Week 9 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals and their struggling defensive unit.

From RotoBaller

Daniel Jones Oct 28 10:10am ET
Daniel Jones

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was pulled from the game in the fourth quarter of the Week 7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Heading into Week 8, however, Jordan Raanan reports that the starting QB is not expected to be on a short leash and participated in all of the first-team reps at practice in preparation for this game. Fellow teammates weren't pushing for a change either, but some did note that "it might be different if Tyrod Taylor was still on the roster." Jones will look to get back on track in a tough game on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

From RotoBaller

Gardner Minshew II Oct 28 10:10am ET
Gardner Minshew II

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II completed 24 of 30 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown in the Raiders' 20-27 loss to the rival Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8. He also lost one fumble on a sack. In typical Raiders fashion, they drove down the field and scored on their first drive of the game before their offense stalled. They couldn't get much of anything else going until a garbage-time drive for another touchdown near the end of the game. Minshew looked better than he did in Week 7, when he turned the ball over four times, but he didn't give Las Vegas a spark and padded his stats in the fourth quarter. He'll start again in Week 9 when the Raiders take on the Cincinnati Bengals, and he'll still profile as a starting option in fantasy football only for 2QB leagues.

From RotoBaller

Zamir White Oct 28 10:10am ET
Zamir White

Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White wasn't a significant part of the game plan in the Raiders' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8. He carried the ball just two times for negative-one yard and was not targeted. Las Vegas' coaching staff is likely responding to his ineffectiveness this season by severely restricting his total touches in an effort to help the offense. He now averages just three yards per carry on the season, and it looks like he slid from a bench stash in extremely deep leagues to not worth rostering. While game script could have had something to do with his lack of involvement, he should not be started in any leagues going into his Week 9 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. It looks like the starting job now belongs to Alexander Mattison.

From RotoBaller

Drake Maye Oct 28 9:50am ET
Drake Maye

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (concussion) was forced to leave Sunday's game with a head injury. Head coach Jerod Mayo said on Monday that the rookie signal-caller has entered the NFL's concussion protocol so his status for their Week 9 matchup against the Titans is now in doubt. Jacoby Brissett stepped in as the QB for Maye and led the team to a 25-22 win over the Jets. If Maye is unable to make it back in time, Brissett will likely be under center again.

From RotoBaller

Christian McCaffrey Oct 28 9:30am ET
Christian McCaffrey

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) is currently "ramping up" and set to take part in practice during the team's Week 9 bye. According to Ian Rapoport, McCaffrey has targeted Week 10 for his return and he is currently on track to hit that date. The superstar back hasn't played in a regular season game yet this year, and with Jordan Mason (shoulder) getting banged up, it's the perfect time to rejoin the backfield. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status through the bye week and into Week 10 before committing to him in their starting lineup.

From RotoBaller