QB Strength of Schedule
Thu May 23 11:12am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
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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The Paur Report
Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 9
Dynasty | The Dallas Cowboys have suspended Ezekiel Elliott one game. Dynasty Analysis: Elliott reportedly missed multiple team meetings this week, so the Cowboys had enough. Realistically, he's done next to nothing this season and is more of a luxury than a necessity at this point, and that luxury is more as a figurehead than anything else. Elliott has long since lost his burst and has turned into a bit of a roster clogger at this point.
Dynasty | Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton was a healthy scratch for the Bengals this week. Dynasty Analysis: The rookie wide receiver apparently missed Saturday's walkthough, so the Bengals decided he could miss Sunday's game as well. Burton has been a pretty big disappointment this season as the third round pick has just two catches for 88 yards on the season. He's still a decent hold in dynasty leagues, but any chance he had at contributing this season has long since evaporated and this won't help much.
Dynasty | Saints wide receiver Chris Olave was knocked out of Sunday's game with an apparent concussion. Dynasty Analysis: In what quickly turned into a scary scene, Olave was sandwiched by two defenders and crumpled quickly into the ground. Ironically, Olave went public with his consideration of wearing a guardian cap for today's game, but ultimately chose not to. He was taken to a local hospital but reportedly has movement in all of his extremities. It would be a surprise to see Olave back any time soon after this latest head injury.
New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas caught seven of nine targets for 35 yards during Sunday's Week 9 loss to the Tennessee Titans. After catching just four passes over his last two games, Douglas bounced back with a high-volume showing against the Titans. The 23-year-old isn't a major threat for yardage, but his high target share gives him appeal as a solid WR3/FLEX option in PPR leagues. He's worthy of lineup consideration heading into Week 10 against the Chicago Bears.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton showcased his deep-threat ability again in Sunday's 27-22 loss to the Washington Commanders, catching all three of his targets for 49 yards with a solid 16.3 yards per reception. His longest catch went for 23 yards, giving the Giants a much-needed spark downfield, and he added 11 yards on a lone rushing attempt in the red zone. Slayton finished third on the team in receiving yards. Amid ongoing trade rumors, Slayton posted 7.5 fantasy points, potentially boosting his value to both the Giants and fantasy managers looking for a reliable flex option with big-play upside.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry caught seven of eight targets for 56 yards during Sunday's Week 9 loss to the Tennessee Titans. The veteran pass-catcher has been impressive over the last four weeks, totaling 23 catches, 234 yards, one touchdown, and 52.4 fantasy points (PPR) during that span. He has built a strong rapport with Drake Maye and will rank as a solid low-end fantasy TE1 heading into his Week 10 battle versus the Chicago Bears.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson struggled to make an impact in Sunday's 27-22 loss to the Washington Commanders, recording just three receptions for 10 yards on four targets. Robinson's afternoon could have looked different if not for a penalty that wiped a touchdown off the board, leaving him without a score and frustrating fantasy managers. His 10-yard longest catch accounted for all his receiving yardage, with a disappointing 3.3 yards per reception otherwise. Finishing with just 2.5 fantasy points, Robinson's role remains limited, and he'll need more volume or a trip to the end zone to offer real fantasy value going forward.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins led his team to a 27-21 victory over the Cowboys on Sunday, completing 19 of 24 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception. The interceptions were somewhat of a problem earlier in the season, throwing seven of them over the Falcons' first seven games, but now has a 7:0 TD:INT over the last two contests. Averaging 234 yards passing per game on the season, the 36-year-old will get another favorable matchup in Week 10 versus the Saints who have lost six in a row and allowed no less than 23 points in each of those contests. As such, Cousins figures to be a borderline QB1/2 next Sunday.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne converted six targets into four catches for 41 yards during Sunday's Week 9 loss to the Tennessee Titans. This was easily his best performance through four games this season. While the veteran helped contribute to a team effort, he might have also been boosting his stock on the trade market. Bourne's name has surfaced in trade rumors lately, and a four-catch, 41-yard showing might catch the attention of some rival teams prior to Tuesday's 4 p.m. trade deadline. For now, Bourne lacks significant fantasy appeal, but a trade could change that.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard rushed for 128 yards on 28 carries during Sunday's Week 9 win over the New England Patriots. He also caught each of his three targets for an additional 26 yards through the air. Pollard essentially had the backfield to himself on Sunday, and despite missing all three practices this week, he was able to handle a very heavy workload against New England. The 27-year-old hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 6, but his impressive efficiency, volume, and receiving skills keep him in the fantasy RB2 range for next week's clash against the Los Angeles Chargers.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. led the team in carries once again in Sunday's 27-22 loss to the Washington Commanders, solidifying his role as the primary back over Devin Singletary. Tracy Jr. rushed for 66 yards on a steady 4.1 yards per carry, with a long run of 10 yards that showcased his ability to gain tough yards. Although he didn't find the end zone and caught only one pass for 3 yards, Tracy Jr.'s workload suggests he's entrenched as the starter. Finishing with 7.4 fantasy points, he may not have hit high-scoring numbers, but his consistent touches make him a solid option for fantasy managers seeking reliable volume.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph completed 20 of 33 passes for 240 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception during Sunday's Week 9 win over the New England Patriots. He also took one sack and rushed for 19 yards. Rudolph wasn't perfect, but he had his first game this year with multiple passing touchdowns and has also thrown for over 200 yards three weeks in a row. With that said, Rudolph may lose his starting job if Will Levis (right shoulder) is healthy enough to play against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 10.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers provided a second-half spark in Sunday's 27-22 loss to the Washington Commanders, finishing with nine receptions for 59 yards on 11 targets. After being shut out with zero receiving yards in the first half, Nabers became a reliable target in the final two quarters, helping the Giants stay competitive down the stretch. Although he averaged a modest 6.6 yards per catch with a 16-yard longest reception, his volume was crucial as the Giants tried to close the gap. Nabers ended the day with 10.4 fantasy points, showing value as a high-floor option despite missing the end zone in this outing.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson was highly inefficient on the ground Sunday, rushing for just 16 yards on 10 carries against the Tennessee Titans. However, he was able to salvage his fantasy performance with one rushing touchdown, one receiving touchdown, five catches, and 38 receiving yards. Stevenson was responsible for both of the Patriots' touchdowns Sunday, one of which was a score as time expired in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Stevenson now has seven touchdowns this year, including four over the last two weeks. If he can continue to catch passes and score points, the 26-year-old will be a respectable RB2 option in fantasy football. He faces the Chicago Bears next week.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz took the backseat in Week 9 as he brought in his lone target for five yards. This was his lowest output of the season, and snapped a three-game streak where he topped double-digit PPR points in each outing. Fantasy managers should not be overly concerned, as the Commanders were in the lead the entire afternoon and did not need Jayden Daniels to push the ball downfield as often. The veteran tight end remains a low-end TE1 heading into Week 10 as he has averaged 7.3 targets in his past four games entering Week 9.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert continued his excellent campaign by going 2-for-2 on attempts and a perfect 3-for-3 on extra points in their Week 9 victory over the New York Giants. Seibert's leg was not tested in this one, as his longest field goal came from 31 yards out. The 27-year-old has now made at least two field goals in every game since Week 4 and missed only two attempts in this span, both from 50+ yards out. Fantasy managers should continue to confidently start Seibert weekly, given how impressive the Washington offense has been.
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Atlanta Falcons defensive end Grady Jarrett (Achilles strain) exited during Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys and did not return. He finished Week 9 with two tackles and one sack. Through nine games this year, he has totaled 30 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Kentavius Street and Ta'Quon Graham should earn more snaps on the defensive line for the duration of Jarrett's absence.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones delivered his best fantasy performance of the season in Sunday's 27-22 loss to the Washington Commanders, throwing for 174 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Jones struggled early, going into halftime with zero passing yards, but rebounded in the second half with 20 completions on 26 attempts and an efficient 6.7 yards per attempt. Adding to his fantasy value, Jones rushed for 54 yards and scored a rushing touchdown, showcasing his dual-threat ability despite being sacked twice. Finishing with 24.36 fantasy points, Jones posted his highest output of the season, making him a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing Giants loss.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 29 of 41 passes for 206 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions during Sunday's Week 9 loss to the Tennessee Titans. He also took four sacks and rushed eight times for an additional 95 yards on the ground. Furthermore, Maye coughed up two fumbles, including one that was recovered by the defense. While turnovers continued to be an issue for Maye, there was a lot to be excited about, too. Not only did he come close to 100 rushing yards, but he also led an improbable scoring drive to force overtime that was capped off by a miraculous scrambling passing touchdown. Maye's passing and rushing upside will keep him in the high-end fantasy QB2 tier for Week 10 against the Chicago Bears.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston completed 26 of his 46 passes for 235 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions while adding five carries for 27 yards in a 27-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. It was a much different outing for Winston than his 2024 debut last week as he struggled with his efficiency and took six sacks in the lopsided loss to LA on Sunday. All three of his picks came after halftime while his lone touchdown pass came in garbage time with 44 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Browns will be on bye in Week 10 before a road matchup against the New Orleans Saints in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
