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 11
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (left hand) was a full participant in Wednesday's walk-through. Allen is battling a left hand injury that is clearly not bothering him very much given his full participation in practice. Allen's injury is also to his non-throwing hand so there is not much cause for concern here. Allen is enjoying another excellent season in 2024. He currently sits as the QB5 in fantasy football through Week 10. Most importantly, Allen only has six turnovers this season after giving the ball away 22 times in 2023. He will face a tall task in Week 11 when the annual Bills vs. Chiefs game is played. This game will be played in Buffalo, and while the Chiefs have an excellent defense, Allen should still be a QB1 in fantasy.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (right hand) was limited during Wednesday's practice. Darnold picked up the injury after throwing an interception during Sunday's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The fact that Darnold was estimated as a limited participant and not a DNP suggests that the hand injury should not be too serious. Darnold has experienced a resurgent season as the Vikings' quarterback in 2024. He has thrown for 2,141 yards and 17 touchdowns in nine games. However, Darnold has faltered in recent weeks as opposing teams appear to be figuring him out. He has thrown six interceptions since the Vikings' Week 6 bye. He has only thrown six touchdowns in that same timeframe. Still, Darnold is the Vikings' best option so hopefully his injury does not affect him or the Vikings' skill position players too much.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (quadriceps) was listed as a limited participant during the team's walkthrough practice on Wednesday. Allgeier apparently isn't 100 percent coming out of the team's Week 10 loss to the division-rival New Orleans Saints, but his injury doesn't sound serious enough to put him in danger of missing a Week 11 tilt against the Denver Broncos on the road. The 24-year-old has taken a back seat to Bijan Robinson in Atlanta's backfield this year, as expected, but he's seeing enough weekly volume to put him in the RB3/flex tier of RBs more often than not. Plus, all three of his double-digit carry games have come in three of the last five games. Allgeier even has a 100-yard rushing game in 2024. Denver's defense has been strong against the run this year, but they've also allowed the fifth-most half-PPR points per game to RBs in the last three weeks.
From RotoBaller
After injuring his ankle in the Week 10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby (ankle) was listed as a non-participant in Wednesday's practice. In addition, fellow back D'Ernest Johnson (hamstring) was limited. After re-entering the game on Sunday, Bigsby only saw two offensive snaps the rest of the way and could be in danger of sitting out this Sunday versus the Detroit Lions. The 23-year-old second year back has been more efficient than backfield mate Travis Etienne Jr. this year, averaging 5.5 yards per carry while putting up 519 rushing yards and four TDs in 10 games. However, his injury is now a concern this week and the fantasy upside of all of Jacksonville's offensive weapons will take a pretty big hit as long as quarterback Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) is out. Bigsby is currently lining up as a shaky RB3/flex this week for fantasy managers.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis (shoulder) remains on the team's injury report for Week 11 and was listed as limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Although Davis' shoulder is still an issue, it hasn't caused him to miss any games in recent weeks. The 25-year-old's rest-of-the-season fantasy value saw a boost when Christian Kirk (collarbone) was ruled out for the rest of the season, but quarterback Trevor Lawrence's recent shoulder injury has put a damper on all of the Jaguars' offensive skill players with Mac Jones taking over in last week's loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Davis caught just one of his four targets for a 19-yard pickup in that game and will be a boom/bust with minimal upside in Week 11 on the road against the physical Detroit Lions defense after the Jaguars already ruled out Lawrence.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist) missed the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Hill was questionable for the Monday night win over the Los Angeles Rams but ended up playing and catching three of four targets for 16 yards and his first touchdown since the season opener. It's an injury that Hill has dealt with since training camp, but he said he aggravated it when he was arrested in September and is actually dealing with a torn ligament. The 30-year-old speedster should continue to play through his wrist injury in Week 11 against a vulnerable Las Vegas Raiders pass defense. Hill's season was partially derailed when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa landed on the Injured Reserve due to a concussion, but now that Tagovailoa is back, Hill's fantasy appeal is back. His 9.0 half-PPR points per game (tied for 42nd among receivers) shows just how disappointing Hill has been in 2024.
From RotoBaller
Updating a previous report, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (quadriceps) was officially listed as limited in the first practice of the week on Wednesday. Higgins has missed the team's last three games, but head coach Zac Taylor said the 25-year-old has taken "steps in the right direction" towards a potential return in Week 11 to face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night. A return to a limited showing to start the practice week is a good sign, but Higgins still isn't in the clear and could be a very risky fantasy play this weekend if he turns up a questionable tag on the final injury report on Friday. Higgins has missed five games already this year due to injury, but when healthy, he's been a must-start for fantasy managers while averaging 13.3 half-PPR points per game, which ties him with DK Metcalf for 12th-most at the position.
From RotoBaller
The Miami Dolphins claimed tight end Jack Stoll off waivers from the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday and waived linebacker David Long Jr. in a corresponding move. Stoll became expendable for the Eagles when Dallas Goedert returned from a hamstring injury in the Week 10 win over the division-rival Dallas Cowboys after missing the previous three games. Stoll operated behind Grant Calcaterra with Goedert sidelined and wasn't really involved in the offense (only 17 snaps and no targets). In Miami, he'll serve as TE depth behind starter Jonnu Smith, Julian Hill and Durham Smythe. The former Nebraska Husker has just 22 receptions on 30 targets for 193 yards and no touchdowns in his three-plus NFL seasons in 57 games (28 starts).
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) was listed as a full practice participant for the first walkthrough session of the week on Wednesday. It's a bit surprising that Pittman was a full-go on Wednesday after missing the Week 10 loss to the Buffalo Bills with a back injury that he's been dealing with for a while now. As long as the 27-year-old doesn't suffer any setbacks with his back injury later this week, he appears to be primed to play in Week 11 against the Detroit Lions on the road. However, he'll still be a pretty shaky fantasy option with second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson returning to the starting role under center this weekend. Pittman is averaging just 7.1 half-PPR points per game in 2024 and has gone over 100 receiving yards in a game just once (back in Week 4). The emergence of Josh Downs as a more consistent receiving threat for the Colts hasn't helped Pittman's cause.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (chest) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice, according to Demetrius Harvey of Jax.com. The LSU standout has been dealing with this chest injury for a few weeks but has yet to miss any time. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during the week in case he faces a setback. Last weekend with quarterback Mac Jones under center, Thomas tallied a season-low 12 yards on just two catches. Despite his two weak outings over the past two weeks, Thomas has averaged a stellar 15.2 PPR points during Weeks 1 through 8. Given his recent output, fantasy managers should view the 22-year-old as a WR3/flex with risk heading into a Week 11 tilt against the Detroit Lions with Jones making a second straight start.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers (hamstring, knee) fully participated in practice Wednesday, Nov. 13.
Fantasy Spin: Rodgers is coming off one of his worst games of the season last week but was playing well in the previous two games. He can be a starting option in two-quarterback leagues but should be avoided in standard leagues.
From TheHuddle
New York Jets CB Brandin Echols (concussion), OG Jake Hanson (hamstring), LB C.J. Mosley (neck), OT Tyron Smith (neck) and DE Solomon Thomas (knee) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Nov. 13. CB Michael Carter II (back), OT Morgan Moses (knee), CB D.J. Reed (hip), LB Chazz Surratt (heel) and OG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) were limited during practice. S Chuck Clark (ankle) fully participated in practice.
From TheHuddle
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (shoulder, elbow) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Raimondi noted that even though this is the first time Cousins has been on the injury report this season, "nothing seems to be concerning" regarding his availability for this weekend. In addition, seeing him participate in a limited capacity is already a promising sign. Last weekend in their loss to the New Orleans Saints, Cousins threw for 306 yards, his second-highest total of the season, but he could not find the end zone. Throughout his first season in Atlanta, the veteran QB has averaged 20.0 PPR points per game and should be viewed as a low-end QB1 in Week 11 when he faces a tough Denver Broncos defense.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (quadriceps) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice according to Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated. Fantasy managers should not be overly concerned but should continue to monitor his status throughout the week. However, seeing him already participate albeit in a limited capacity is a promising sign for his availability for this weekend. Throughout his first season in Green Bay, the former first-round selection as averaged a solid 14.7 PPR points per game with 84.7 rushing yards per game. If he is able to suit up this weekend to face the Chicago Bears, Jacobs should be viewed as an RB2 with upside.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers WR Van Jefferson (quadriceps), CB Donte Jackson (hamstring), LB Alex Highsmith (ankle), OG Isaac Seumalo (non-injury), TE MyCole Pruitt (knee) and DE Cameron Heyward (non-injury) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Nov. 13. LB Nick Herbig (hamstring) fully participated in practice.
From TheHuddle
Philadelphia Eagles LB Nakobe Dean (groin), DE Bryce Huff (wrist), OT Jordan Mailata (hamstring) and CB Darius Slay (ankle) fully participated in practice Wednesday, Nov. 13, and are not on the injury report for Week 11.
From TheHuddle
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. Fantasy managers should continue to pay close attention to his status throughout the week, as he could be in danger of missing Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens if he misses another session. Last weekend in their victory over the Washington Commanders, Harris eclipsed double-digit PPR points for the fourth straight contest. Through nine games this season, the Alabama product has averaged 71.7 yards per game with 17.4 attempts and 2.7 targets per game. Fantasy managers should view Harris as a solid RB2 heading into a divisional tilt against the Baltimore Ravens, who have allowed the eighth-fewest PPR points to opposing RBs.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles TE Dallas Goedert (ankle) fully participated in practice Wednesday, Nov. 13, and is not on the injury report for Week 11.
Fantasy Spin: Goedert returned to the lineup last week and finished with 25 yards and a touchdown. He should see a handful of targets this week and can be considered a low-end No. 1 tight end in deeper leagues.
From TheHuddle
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) will be a limited participant during Wednesday's practice, according to Tracy Sandler of FGSN. Sandler noted that his previous injury did not act up at all after the game and this is "part of the plan." McCaffrey made his 2024 season debut last weekend after sitting out the entire first half due to tendinitis in both of his Achilles. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during the week, but this could simply be a way to manage his workload given the time he missed. The 28-year-old looked sharp last weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and tallied 39 rushing yards and 68 receiving yards on 19 total touches. Fantasy managers should continue to view him as an elite RB1 going forward given his integral role on one of the best offensive units in football.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts DT DeForest Buckner (foot) and OT Bernhard Raimann (knee) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Nov. 13. LB E.J. Speed (knee) was limited during practice, while S Julian Blackmon (shoulder) fully participated in practice.
From TheHuddle
