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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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson played a crucial role in the passing game, recording five catches for 78 yards in Sunday's 24-23 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Wilson has shown flashes of fantasy relevance this season, but he needed to demonstrate consistency before managers could fully trust him. This week, he did just that, ranking among the top three on the team with six targets. Quarterback Kyler Murray did overthrow Wilson on what could have been a go-ahead 60-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter. It's clear that Wilson has earned Murray's trust, and while he may not yet be a reliable starter, he's a name to watch on the waiver wire ahead of the Cardinals' Week 6 matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed was a major factor in the Packers' victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 5. Reed was second on the Packers in targets (6) while catching four balls for 78 yards, including a 53-yard deep catch in the first quarter through multiple Rams defenders that helped to set up a Josh Jacobs rushing score to cap off the drive. In addition to his receiving, Reed also added two rushing attempts for 19 yards. Despite a solid game without a score, Reed is still the top receiving target for the Green Bay offense and should have some better days ahead. Week 6 brings the Arizona Cardinals to Lambeau Field, where Reed should be considered a high-end WR2 in fantasy.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had ten catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns in a loss against the Ravens. Dynasty Analysis: If you can't understand why the Bengals haven't just made him one of the league's highest paid wide receivers, you're not alone. Chase was as dominant as ever in this one as Baltimore just couldn't cover him. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough as the Bengals fell 41-38 in an overtime classic, falling to 1-4 in the process. Chase remains an elite weekly play and quite possibly the top player in dynasty leagues. However, dynasty managers sure would feel better if an when Chase gets his money.
Dynasty | Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson completed 26-of-42 passes for 348 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions, adding 55 rushing yards in an overtime win against Cincinnati. Dynasty Analysis: Jackson has picked up where he left off last season and this was just the latest epic fantasy performance from last year's MVP. Jackson made some truly dynamic plays and while the Ravens were lucky to win the game, it certainly wasn't because of anything he didn't do. Jackson remains an elite-level QB1 in dynasty leagues and clear trade target for any team in contention.
Dynasty | Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow completed 30-of-39 passes for 392 yards with five touchdowns and one interception in a loss against Baltimore. Dynasty Analysis: Burrow won't care about the stat line as the Bengals lost the game but dynasty managers won't complain. Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase threw everything they could at the Ravens but just couldn't pull off a win as they fell in overtime. This was a solid step forward for this offense as they seem to be hitting their stride now that Tee Higgins (9/83/2) is back in the fold. Burrow remains an easy "set it and forget it" QB1 moving forward.
Dynasty | Bengals receiver Tee Higgins caught nine passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns in a loss against the Ravens. Dynasty Analysis: Higgins has now increased his yardage, targets, and touchdown totals in each of the three weeks since coming back from injury. The Bengals are in real trouble at 1-4 but it's hard to blame the offense. Higgins will look to build on his recent performances and looks like a WR1/2 moving forward this season. He's a solid buy in dynasty leagues.
Dynasty | Panthers receiver Diontae Johnson had three catches for 23 yards, adding six rushing yards in a loss against Chicago. Dynasty Analysis: This was a major buzzkill after Johnson had posted two monster games with Andy Dalton at the helm. Chicago took control of the game rather early and made life miserable for Dalton and the offense most of the day. Johnson should be much better moving forward, but this could open up a quick window to buy in dynasty leagues if you believe he's truly turning the corner.
Dynasty | Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams completed 20-of-29 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, adding 34 rushing yards in a win against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: Here we go. After Jayden Daniels had really outshined Williams over the first month of the season, we finally saw what the Bears could have in Williams today. Sure, it was against Carolina. However, Williams was poised, controlled and accurate all day today. While we need to see him string together a few solid performances before anointing him as the next big thing, this was a huge step in the right direction today. Williams remains a solid hold in dynasty leagues.
Dynasty | Bears running back D'Andre Swift had 73 rushing yards, one touchdown, two catches, and 47 receiving yards in a win against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: After an absolutely dreadful start to the year, Swift now has two decent back-to-back games to his name. While this is hardly enough to start anointing him as the next big thing, it's also hard to ignore. If Swift continues his solid play, there's some RB2 appeal moving forward. Regardless, his plunge down the dynasty rankings should stop for good after this week.
Dynasty | 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had eight catches for 147 yards in a loss against the Cardinals. Dynasty Analysis: The 49ers were stunned at home against Arizona, but it's hard to blame Aiyuk, who had his best game of the year. After only posting 167 receiving yards the first four weeks, this was a huge bounce-back performance for the now very highly paid Aiyuk. He'll remain on the WR2 bubble moving forward but this was a huge step in the right direction for Aiyuk, whose dynasty "buy low" window may have closed.
Dynasty | Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew completed 12-of-17 passes with one touchdown and two interceptions before being benched in the Raiders loss to the Broncos. Dynasty Analysis: The Raiders are 2-3 and really haven't looked good on offense all season. Aidan O'Connell (10-of-20 with an interception) certainly didn't look much better, so we'll have to see what Las Vegas does moving forward. Regardless, Minshew has proven yet again he's more than capable of being a spot starter but hardly someone to rely on for an entire season. He's a weak hold in dynasty leagues and a drop candidate should this benching be permanent.
Dynasty | Broncos quarterback Bo Nix completed 19-of-27 passes for 206 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a win against Las Vegas. Dynasty Analysis: This was a much needed solid game for Nix, who has had his fair share of ups and downs so far this season. Nix played mistake-free football and while he didn't have a huge number of big plays, he looked much more poised in the pocket and very much in control all day. We'll need to see more from Nix before recommending him in lineups but you could do worse for a backup or QB2 on your dynasty league team at the moment.
Dynasty | Raiders tight end Brock Bowers had eight catches for 97 yards and a touchdown in a loss against Denver. Dynasty Analysis: The rookie is quickly emerging not only as a TE1, but perhaps THE TE1 as we move forward this season. Bowers has yet to post a 100-yard performance but today was the latest in a string of very consistent performances and his first touchdown clearly shouldn't be his last. With 36 targets in five games, it's hard to currently find a tight end with higher upside at the moment. Oh yeah. he's a rookie.
Dynasty | Giants running back Tyrone Tracy had 129 rushing yards, one catch and one receiving yard in a win against Seattle. Dynasty Analysis: With Devin Singletary inactive, Tracy stepped up in a huge way. After posting just 29 rushing yards over the first month, Tracy finally showed what dynasty managers hoped to see after a solid off-season - a player who simply looks like a possible starter in fantasy and reality. While Singletary's job isn't in jeopardy, this performance is likely going to create a bit of a timeshare in New York moving forward. The chance to acquire Tracy on the cheap in dynasty leagues is now long gone.
Dynasty | Packers tight end Tucker Kraft had four catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns in a win against the Rams. Dynasty Analysis: Jordan Love is beginning to develop a reputation of spreading the ball around and Kraft was the beneficiary today as he made the most of his five targets. While this was by far his best game of the season, it also can't be ignored as it seems he's becoming a bigger part of the offense each and every week. He'll be a TE1/2 moving forward, though his floor remains pretty low.
Dynasty | Rams rookie wide receiver Jordan Whittington had seven catches for 89 yards in a loss to the Packers. Dynasty Analysis: With Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua both out for the foreseeable future, the Rams are going to need a variety of players to step up and Whittington did just that today. This may be his best game all year, but we've seen enough to clearly recommend him as a solid roster stash in just about any dynasty league.
Despite facing what was expected to be his toughest matchup of the season, Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner had a solid performance, racking up 100 total yards from scrimmage and scoring a crucial two-point conversion against the San Francisco 49ers. The 29-year-old rushed 19 times for 86 yards and caught two of three targets for 14 yards in Sunday's win. After a challenging first half, the Cardinals shifted their offense to lean on Conner, giving him a total of 21 touches. He showcased his strength, breaking tackles and consistently pushing forward for tough yards. Notably, the Cardinals did not give any other running back a single carry in this game. With Conner firmly entrenched as the workhorse, he's a must-start against the Green Bay Packers next week in Week 6.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (concussion) returned to the lineup after missing last week's loss to the Commanders due to a concussion. He had a solid outing in the victory over the San Francisco 49ers, recording six catches for 53 yards in Sunday's 24-23 victory. Quarterback Kyler Murray targeted McBride in the corner of the end zone, but he couldn't secure the catch, which would have capped off his day with a touchdown. It's clear that McBride is Murray's most trusted target, often receiving passes on third downs and when under pressure. With his performance, McBride is arguably the top fantasy tight end and a must-start against the Green Bay Packers next week in Week 6.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (thigh) was forced from the team's 29-20 loss to the New York Giants and did not return. He would end his outing in the second quarter after recording three total tackles (two solo). Nwosu was making his first regular-season appearance in nearly a year after a pectoral injury derailed his 2023 season in Week 7, and a preseason knee injury delayed the start of his 2024 campaign. The severity of the injury is unknown, but Seattle is getting thin on the defensive side of the ball -- already down third-year outside linebacker Boye Mafe (knee) and additionally losing Derick Hall (foot) in the contest. We'll get an update on these athletes over the next few days, but if the trio mentioned above can't play in Week 6, linebackers Dre'Mont Jones and Trevis Gipson would be in line for more playing time. Seattle will host their division-rival San Francisco 49ers at home on Thursday Night Football.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray delivered an impressive performance in Sunday's 24-23 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. He completed 19 of 30 pass attempts for 195 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 83 yards and another touchdown. From the first drive, it was clear Murray was ready for a bounce-back game, highlighted by a spectacular 50-yard rushing touchdown. He showed composure in the pocket, effectively taking what the defense offered, even though he fell short of 200 yards passing. He nearly added another touchdown through the air but was thwarted by a dropped pass from tight end Trey McBride. Fantasy managers should be optimistic, as it appears the Cardinals will focus on more designed runs for Murray moving forward. Next week, the Cardinals will face the Green Bay Packers, making Murray a must-start option in Week 6.
From RotoBaller
