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
Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 10
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki had four catches for 30 yards in Thursday's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The veteran had two touchdowns in the win over the Raiders in Week 9. However, he cooled off significantly on Thursday. Granted, he had nine targets from Joe Burrow. Still, fantasy managers were disappointed with the end result. With the Bengals sitting on a 4-6 record, the team will look to rebound in Week 11 against a capable Chargers defense. Gesicki should be viewed as a risky, high-upside fantasy option for that one, although his outlook won't be as favorable if Tee Higgins (quadriceps) is back on the field.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson had 42 yards and a touchdown off six catches in Thursday's loss to the Ravens. With Erick All Jr. (knee) done for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign, Hudson had a chance to get more involved behind Mike Gesicki. He made the most of his opportunity, although Cincinnati couldn't pull off a win. Hudson easily had his best showing of the season on Thursday. However, the 29-year-old still has more work to do before earning a spot in fantasy lineups moving ahead.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow played well in Thursday's narrow loss to the Baltimore Ravens. While he wasn't as potent as he was when these clubs last met, he still threw for 428 yards and four touchdowns off 34-for-56 passing. Outside of two fumbles, the signal-caller did his part on Thursday night. However, the Bengals defense allowed the Ravens to overcome a 14-point deficit and eventually take the lead halfway through the fourth quarter. But as far as Burrow is concerned, he continues to have an MVP-caliber season. With that in mind, Cincinnati will get some extra time off before taking the field again versus a capable Chargers defense in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had one of the best showings of his career in Thursday's meeting with the Ravens, finishing with 11 receptions (17 targets) for 264 yards and three touchdowns. Unfortunately, the former LSU Tiger's efforts weren't enough, with the Bengals dropping their sixth game of the 2024-25 campaign on Thursday night. With that said, Chase now has 10 touchdowns this season, with fantasy managers hoping for more when the Bengals meet a potent Chargers defense in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown ran for 42 yards and a touchdown off 14 carries in Thursday's one-point loss to Baltimore. He added nine catches for 52 yards. The 24-year-old has been solid of late. Although Brown played better in the Week 9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, he still picked up his seventh touchdown in his last seven appearances. With a tough Chargers defense on the horizon for Week 11, Brown remains a viable fantasy option, even more so with Zack Moss (neck) done for the rest of the 2024-25 campaign.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (ankle) injured his right ankle in the second quarter and will not return in the second half. Hamilton stepped awkwardly with his right foot and went down in a heap before leaving the field under his own power. He went to the locker room to undergo X-rays and won't return for the rest of the game. Until we have the results of the X-rays, we won't have a great idea on how much time the 23-year-old defensive back might miss. Hamilton is one of the best all-around safeties in the NFL, though, so any time he's forced to miss will be significant for a Ravens secondary that has really struggled in 2024. The former 14th overall pick back in 2022 out of Notre Dame was a first-time Pro Bowler in his second season in 2023 and came into Thursday's game with 67 tackles (48 solo), two sacks and five pass breakups in nine games.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards (ankle) was limited in practice on Thursday for the second straight day this week. Edwards' 21-day practice window to return from Injured Reserve was opened when he returned to the practice field on Wednesday, but he's not necessarily guaranteed to be active on game day this Sunday against the visiting Tennessee Titans. And when the 29-year-old does return to the Chargers' backfield, he's expected to return to the clear backup role behind J.K. Dobbins. Edwards had taken a clear back seat to Dobbins, his former teammate in Baltimore, in his four games played, averaging a career-low 3.0 yards per carry on 38 rushing attempts after putting up a career-high 13 rushing scores in 2023 with the Ravens. If Edwards gets the green light to return in Week 10 against Tennessee, he won't be a recommended flex play in fantasy.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (ankle) tweaked his right ankle in the second quarter of Thursday night's divisional game against the Cincinnati Bengals and is questionable to return. One of the best all-around safeties in the game stepped awkwardly with his right foot to cause his ankle injury and was immediately taken to the blue medical tent on the sidelines before eventually being taken to the locker room to undergo X-rays. The injury didn't look good for the 23-year-old, who immediately melted to the ground and did not move, although he was able to walk off the field under his own power. Before departing, Hamilton had four tackles (two solo) and two passes defensed. When healthy, he's an every-week, must-start defensive back in IDP fantasy leagues. Eddie Jackson could finish out the game in Hamilton's place if he cannot return.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (hamstring) was upgraded to a full participant during Thursday's practice. This is a welcoming sight considering Spears hasn't been on the field since Week 6. He was limited to open the week, so an upgrade to full practice is a good sign. Spears hasn't done much damage as the primary backup to Tony Pollard this season. However, Spears could see an increased workload with the Titans wanting to limit Pollard's workload going forward. Regardless, Spears isn't a trustworthy fantasy option against the tough Los Angeles Chargers defense in Week 10.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd (shoulder) was a limited participant during Thursday's practice. This is now back-to-back limited practice sessions for Boyd to start the week. The 29-year-old is coming off a dud where he played a season-low 29 percent of the snaps during last week's win over the New England Patriots. There's no guarantee Boyd does anything on offense even if he's active this weekend. He'll get a tough matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers defense. Jha'Quan Jackson could see more snaps if Boyd sits out, but neither of them are reliable streaming options right now.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (shoulder) was upgraded to a full participant during Thursday's practice session. Levis hasn't played in a game since Week 6, so it's nice to see him back on the practice field. Head coach Brian Callahan said he's hopeful that Levis can play this weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers. Before going down, Levis was struggling with seven interceptions and only 699 passing yards across five contests. He won't be a recommended fantasy option even if he's healthy and ready to start in Week 10.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (foot) was absent from Thursday's practice session. Pollard missed two practices last week, but still managed to play against the New England Patriots. He rushed for 128 yards during the overtime victory. Afterwards, head coach Brian Callahan said he plans to reduce Pollard's workload because they don't want him to get overworked. That being said, it's not shocking to see the Titans being light with Pollard in practice. He should be fine ahead of the Week 10 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Although, fantasy managers should check back on Friday to see what Pollard does in practice. His fantasy value is likely to take a hit with the Titans limiting Pollard going forward.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants kicker Graham Gano (hamstring) was able to get through a limited practice session on Thursday. Gano has been out since suffering an injury during the opening kickoff in Week 2. Since then, the Giants have been using Greg Joseph (abdomen) at kicker, but he was placed on the injured reserve last week. Jude McAtamney took over the kicking duties in Week 9 and connected on his lone field goal attempt. Afterwards, McAtamney headed back to the practice squad with Gano possibly returning in Week 10. Whoever is the kicker for the Giants might actually have streaming appeal against the terrible Carolina Panthers defense this weekend.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (finger) was once again limited in practice on Thursday. The veteran back has now opened the week with back-to-back limited practice sessions due to a finger injury. Conner is coming off his third 100-plus yard rushing game of the season. He has been tough to stop on the ground and will be an important piece of this offense against the New York Jets in Week 10. If he sits, Trey Benson and Emari Demercado would split up the carries in the backfield. Although, it seems like Conner should be good to go and should be a solid RB2 this weekend.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson (knee, back) was a limited participant during Thursday's practice session. This marks back-to-back days that Johnson has been limited due to multiple injuries. Normally, Johnson isn't much of a factor in the offense, but he's coming off his best game of the season last week. He hauled in three of his six targets for 51 yards and a touchdown during the Week 9 loss to the Washington Commanders. The Giants are banged up right now, so Johnson could continue seeing more targets going forward. He could be on the TE2 radar if active for the Week 10 matchup against the Carolina Panthers.
From RotoBaller
The New York Giants have officially ruled out wide receiver Darius Slayton (concussion) for Sunday's game in Munich, Germany, in Week 10 against the Carolina Panthers and he won't travel with the team to Europe. Slayton was unable to clear the league's concussion protocol after suffering a concussion in the Week 9 loss to the division-rival Washington Commanders and will now hope to after the Week 11 bye to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 12. Rookie Malik Nabers and Wan'Dale Robinson will continue to serve as quarterback Daniel Jones' top targets, with Jalin Hyatt and rookie tight end Theo Johnson also having more opportunities this weekend in the passing game with Slayton out. However, the Panthers defense has stiffened against opposing wideouts in the last three weeks, allowing the fourth-fewest half-PPR points per game.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams WR Demarcus Robinson (hip, toe) did not participate in practice Thursday, Nov. 7.
Fantasy Spin: Fantasy players should monitor the situation to see if Robinson is in any danger of missing the Week 10 game. He has caught four touchdowns over the last two games and should still see some targets with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua back in the lineup. He can be a possible flex option in all fantasy leagues.
From TheHuddle
After being limited in Wednesday's practice, Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (quadriceps) returned to a full practice a day later on Thursday. Hunt was also limited by a quad injury last week but ended up playing in the Monday night overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and went over 100 rushing yards with the walk-off touchdown. There shouldn't be any concerns over whether the 29-year-old will suit up as KC's lead back for a big divisional matchup against the visiting Denver Broncos. The Broncos defense has been pretty stingy against RBs in 2024, but they did give up over 100 rushing yards and two scores to Ravens RB Derrick Henry in Week 9. Because of significant volume that he's been receiving as the Chiefs' lead back with Isiah Pacheco (leg) on Injured Reserve, Hunt has been a solid RB2 for fantasy managers.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie running back Bucky Irving (toe) remained a limited participant in Thursday's practice. Irving is dealing with a toe injury that he could have to manage for the rest of his first season the NFL, but he should be good to play this Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 10. Tampa's three-headed backfield that also includes Rachaad White and Sean Tucker limits Irving's weekly upside as an RB3/flex. However, the 22-year-old has the most fantasy upside of the trio and is extremely dangerous in space as a runner and pass-catcher. With receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) expected to miss a third straight game this weekend and with Chris Godwin (ankle) out for the year, look for Tampa to try and lean more heavily on their trio of RBs against San Francisco. Irving has averaged 5.0 yards per carry and 7.6 yards per catch in his nine games in 2024.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) is expected to be available for the Week 10 game as long as he does not suffer a setback, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Fantasy Spin: McCaffrey has not played yet this season because of the injury, so he probably will see a limited workload if he is cleared to play. He likely will be involved in both the running and passing game and should still be a starting option in all fantasy leagues.
From TheHuddle
