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 6
Indianapolis Colts running back Tyler Goodson ran the ball five times for 26 yards in Week 5, also grabbing three targets for 31 yards through the air. Goodson was involved in the absence of Jonathan Taylor (ankle) but played a secondary role to RB Trey Sermon in last week's loss. With Taylor out again in Week 6, Goodson will remain involved in the backfield once again. He is in for a tougher matchup, facing a Titans defense that has allowed the 11th-fewest fantasy points to opposing RBs this season. While Goodson may see an increase in volume after a nice showing last week, it's too much of a speculation to start him with confidence in most formats. He is currently the RB48 in this week's staff's half-PPR rankings.
From RotoBaller
Indianapolis Colts running back Trey Sermon ran the ball ten times for 38 yards and a touchdown in the team's Week 5 loss. He also reeled in six catches for another 25 yards through the air. Sermon is slated to be Indy's lead back once again when they face the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Although he has replaced Jonathan Taylor (ankle) in his absence, running back Tyler Goodson has also seen a sizable role, getting five carries in the team's Week 5 loss. Sermon will face a tougher defense in Tennessee, as they have allowed the 11th least fantasy points to opposing RBs this season. Given the tougher matchup, and what could potentially be a split in opportunities with Goodson, Sermon doesn't make for a strong start in Week 6. Fantasy managers replacing Taylor can look his way, but he should otherwise be viewed as a RB3 option. He is currently the RB31 in our staff's half-PPR weekly rankings.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos wide receiver Josh Reynolds (finger) has been placed on the injured reserve ahead of the Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. The organization was hopeful that Reynolds would only miss one game after having a minor finger surgery. Clearly that wasn't the case as Reynolds will now sit out the next four weeks. The absence of Reynolds should mean more playing time for Lil' Jordan Humphrey, Marvin Mims Jr. and Troy Franklin. Between the trio, Humphrey has the biggest upside after a 48-yard performance last week.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards (ankle) has been placed on the injured reserve ahead of their Week 6 matchup against the Denver Broncos. Edwards hasn't practiced all week and it doesn't sound like his injury is going to get better anytime soon. That being said, Edwards will head to the IR and miss the next four games. Edwards has taken a backseat to J.K. Dobbins over the last two weeks. The first two weeks Edwards saw 29 carries, but only had nine rushing attempts over the last two games. Dobbins has run away with the lead back gig, which means Edwards' absence won't make a huge impact. Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal could see a few touches, but Dobbins is going to be the primary running back going forward.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (ankle) is currently listed as questionable ahead of the Week 6 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. Despite that, Johnson is expected to suit up for this divisional matchup. He has been limited in practice all week and played through the ankle injury last week. He finished with three receptions for 23 yards last week, so the ankle issue could've hindered his performance. The injury doesn't seem to be serious enough to force him out of action, but his value could take a hit if he's not 100 percent healthy. Fantasy managers should put him in the WR3 range if he does suit up this weekend. Otherwise, Xavier Legette and Jonathan Mingo will see more involvement in the offense.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins faces the Indianapolis Colts in a Week 6 matchup. After an incredibly slow start to the season - likely due to lasting effects from a knee injury - Hopkins has lead the Titans in receiving yards and targets for the last two weeks. That hasn't translated to a ton of fantasy production since this passing offense has been in flux, but it has a massive opportunity ahead of them now facing one of the worst secondaries in the NFL. The Colts have allowed the fourth most yards to WRs this season, and were just gashed by Trevor Lawrence, who threw for a career high 371 yards last week. If the Titans are not able to have success through the air in this one, the outlook of Hopkins will be bleak for the rest of the season, unless he is traded. The former Texans star should be a fine WR3 or flex option in this juicy matchup.
From RotoBaller
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) has been ruled out for the Week 6 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. This seemed likely to happen considering Robinson wasn't able to practice all week. Robinson will sit out at least one game after suffering a knee injury during last week's win. The Commanders will likely split up the backfield duties between Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols. Ekeler has been pretty quiet this season, but did rush for 67 yards on six carries last week. However, McNichols has been seeing more redzone work with three touchdowns over the last two games. The assumption is Ekeler does more of the passing catching while McNicols gets the early work on the ground. The Ravens have done a good job at slowing down running backs on the ground, so Ekeler has more upside between the two.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants running back Devin Singletary (groin) has been ruled out for the Week 6 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Singletary will miss his second straight game after being limited in practice all week. His absence will mean that Tyrone Tracy Jr. will serve as the lead back once again. Last week, Tracy rushed 18 times for 129 yards in the win over the Seattle Seahawks. He figures to once again see heavy usage with the Giants being limited on viable options on offense. Fantasy managers should be able to trust Tracy as a RB2 for Week 6.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin (hip) is listed as questionable on the team's final injury report heading into a Week 6 matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. Conklin practiced on a limited basis all week and could be headed for a game-time decision, meaning fantasy managers counting on him might want to have a backup plan in place. If Conklin does play, he will go up against a Buffalo defense that is allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. Due to the injury and the tough matchup, Conklin lands as a mid-range TE2 in fantasy heading into Week 6.
From RotoBaller
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (ankle) was removed from the injury report and will play in Week 6's Monday night game against the Buffalo Bills. After injuring his ankle in a Week 5 loss, Rodgers practiced on a limited basis on Thursday and Friday before getting upgraded to a full session on Saturday. He will draw a tough matchup against a Buffalo defense that is allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to the quarterback position this season. Rodgers has been a very mediocre fantasy quarterback this season and the tough matchup does not help. Treat him as a mid-range QB2 in fantasy heading into Week 6.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (ankle) is listed as doubtful ahead of the Week 6 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is bad news for the Raiders offense with Davante Adams (hamstring) already being ruled out. It could be an extremely busy day for tight end Brock Bowers. The absence of both Adams and Meyers would turn Tre Tucker into the WR1 on this roster. He figures to see heavy usage as well, so he should be a solid streaming choice. DJ Turner and Tyreik McAllister would be behind Tucker and Bowers on the pecking order.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is expected to play on Sunday according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Mixon has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury in their Week 2 victory over the Chicago Bears. After opening the week missing practice on Wednesday, Mixon was able to log a limited session on both Thursday and Friday which is also a very good sign. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status ahead of kickoff in case he faces a setback. The 28-year-old looked sharp in his Houston debut as he ran for 159 yards and a score on 30 attempts and should be locked into all lineups as a solid RB2 facing the New England Patriots.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram (hamstring) is expected to play on Sunday according to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Engram has been sidelined since Week 2 after suffering a hamstring injury during warmups of that week. The tight end was able to log three consecutive limited practice sessions this week. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status ahead of kickoff in case he faces a setback. Engram enjoyed a career-year last season as he caught an impressive 114 receptions for 963 yards and four touchdowns. Engram remains a solid TE1 when he travels to Tottenham and faces the Chicago Bears who have allowed the 10th-fewest points to opposing tight ends this season.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman should be viewed as a low-end flex option this week as he faces the New York Jets on Monday evening. Coleman saw a season-high five targets last weekend but was only able to bring in one of them for a 49-yard TD reception. Since scoring 0.0 PPR points in Week 2, Coleman has gone on to score at least 8.0 PPR points in each of the past three weeks. On Monday, the Bills could be without No.1 wideout Khalil Shakir (ankle) as he did not practice on Thursday and Friday. If Shakir is unable to play, Coleman could be worth a look as a flex option in all standard formats facing a tough New York defense who has allowed the seventh-fewest points to opposing wide receivers.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (knee) is expected to play on Sunday according to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald. Bourne opened the campaign on the PUP list and made his season debut last weekend against the Miami Dolphins. In this game, the 29-year-old logged only 15 total snaps, which was the lowest among New England wideouts. This week, Bourne was a limited participant during all three practice sessions. Fantasy managers should leave Bourne out of their lineups this weekend until he is able to emerge as a proven starter in the passing attack.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills rookie running back Ray Davis could see increased usage on Monday evening. No.1 running back James Cook (toe) did not practice on Thursday and Friday and could be in danger of missing Monday's game depending on his practice status on Saturday. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the injury report as it could provide clarity on Cook's injury designation. From Weeks 2 through 4, the rookie saw at least seven carries in each game. However, last weekend, Davis did not see an attempt but did catch his lone target. If Cook is unable to suit up, fantasy managers should expect Davis and Ty Johnson to split backfield duties with Johnson likely seeing more pass-catching work and Davis seeing the short-yardage opportunities.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen remains a high-end QB1 despite the difficult matchup on Monday evening against the New York Jets who have allowed the second-fewest points to opposing quarterbacks this season. Allen got off to a hot start this season as he topped 30.0 PPR points in two of the first three games. During this span he scored nine total touchdowns. However, over the past two weeks, Allen has been in a bit of a slump as he has averaged just 13.6 PPR points per game with just one total score. In addition, he could be without running back James Cook (toe) and No.1 wideout Khalil Shakir (ankle) who did not practice on Thursday and Friday. Despite this, fantasy managers should feel confident starting Allen in all formats given his incredible track record.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Roman Wilson is expected to be active in Week 6 on Sunday on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to source, which will be his NFL debut. An ankle injury slowed Wilson to start the year, but he'll rejoin them now and give quarterback Justin Fields another option in the passing game moving forward. Despite not being on the injury report, Wilson was a healthy scratch in the last three contests after being out with his ankle injury in the first two weeks of his rookie season. The 23-year-old third-rounder has an opportunity in Pittsburgh's thin receiving corps, but for now he'll likely be mixed in as depth behind George Pickens, Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III. Eventually, Wilson profiles as a medium-volume deep threat for a Steelers offense that doesn't really stretch the field much, at least with Fields under center. At best, Wilson is a watch-list candidate in 12-team fantasy leagues right now. Stash him in dynasty formats.
From RotoBaller
The Indianapolis Colts signed running back Evan Hull from the practice squad to the 53-man active roster on Saturday with Jonathan Taylor (ankle) missing his second straight game due to a high-ankle sprain this Sunday against the division-rival Tennessee Titans. The Colts need extra RB depth this weekend behind Trey Sermon, who will be starting for the second straight week, and Tyler Goodson. The 23-year-old was on the active roster last week as well in the Week 5 loss to the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars but didn't play a single offensive snap. The former fifth-round selection in 2023 out of Northwestern played in just one game in his rookie campaign and had one carry for one yard and caught his only target for a gain of six yards. Hull remains well off the fantasy radar and may only play if one of Sermon or Goodson get injured on Sunday against the Titans.
From RotoBaller
The New York Giants will place linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (wrist) on Injured Reserve on Saturday, according to source. Thibodeaux broke the scaphoid bone in his wrist in last week's win over the Seattle Seahawks and will now miss at least the next four games. A source said Thibodeaux has a four- to six-week timeline. If he only misses the required four games, Thibodeaux could return for a Week 10 date against the Carolina Panthers. But with the Giants having their bye in Week 11, there's a better chance that we don't see him again until Week 12 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 23-year-old had surgery on his wrist on Wednesday. The former fifth overall pick in 2022 out of Oregon had only 12 tackles (eight solo), two sacks, three tackles for loss and seven QB hits in five games into his third NFL season before getting injured. Azeez Ojulari and Patrick Johnson will be expected to step up with bigger workloads with Thibodeaux out for the G-Men.
From RotoBaller
