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FFL: Week 11 | NFL: Week 11

QB Strength of Schedule

Thu May 23 11:12am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

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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Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 11

Player Notes
Anthony Richardson Nov 13 12:10pm ET
Anthony Richardson

The Indianapolis Colts are going back to quarterback Anthony Richardson as their starter over Joe Flacco for the Week 11 game this Sunday on the road against the New York Jets. Flacco took over for a struggling Richardson in Week 9 and has led the Colts to two straight losses, so Indy will go back to the fourth overall pick out of Florida from last year. The 22-year-old possesses elite rushing ability with his legs, but he's proven very injury-prone early in his career and has had even bigger issues with his accuracy as a passer. Based on his rushing ability alone, Richardson will have QB1 upside for fantasy managers in his return to the starting role this weekend, although the Jets defense isn't the greatest matchup. If you're in need of QB help in Week 11 and Richardson is available, consider scooping him up. Head coach Shane Steichen said Richardson will be the starter for the rest of the season.

From RotoBaller

Miles Sanders Nov 13 9:30am ET
Miles Sanders

Testing revealed that Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (foot/ankle) avoided a major injury, according to a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The Penn State product was carted off the field during the Panthers' victory against the New York Giants in Munich, but he appears to have dodged the worst-case scenarios. Rapoport reported that Sanders will be considered "day-to-day" as the team waits for swelling to dissipate. The Panthers are idle this week, but the veteran back has little fantasy relevance even at full health. Chuba Hubbard has been the clear lead running back in Carolina, while second-round rookie Jonathon Brooks (knee) is close to making his NFL debut.

From RotoBaller

Tanner Conner Nov 13 12:50am ET
Tanner Conner

Miami Dolphins tight end Tanner Conner (knee) has been placed on injured reserve. The 26-year-old injured his knee during Monday night's win over the Los Angeles Rams. Conner has primarily played on special teams this season, registering just three catches for 16 yards along the way. Jonnu Smith, Durham Smythe, and Julian Hill remain the top three tight ends on Miami's offensive depth chart.

From RotoBaller

Ke'Shawn Vaughn Nov 13 12:50am ET
Ke'Shawn Vaughn

The San Francisco 49ers released running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn from their practice squad on Tuesday. He'll be replaced by running back Patrick Taylor Jr., who signed to the Niners' practice squad the same day. Vaughn bounced around with the Buccaneers and Patriots from 2020 through 2023, amassing 384 rushing yards, 81 receiving yards, and three total touchdowns. He had not yet registered a stat with the Niners at the time of his release. Moving forward, the 49ers' running back depth chart will feature Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason, Isaac Guerendo, and Taylor (in that order).

From RotoBaller

Jakeem Grant Nov 13 12:40am ET
Jakeem Grant

The Atlanta Falcons signed veteran wide receiver and special teamer Jakeem Grant to their practice squad on Tuesday. Grant spent a portion of 2024 training camp with Atlanta before being cut loose. He hasn't touched the football in a game since 2021, a year in which he made the Pro Bowl as a returner. The 32-year-old could work his way onto the active roster with his special teams experience, but he's not a dependable offensive weapon and therefore should be left untouched in all fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

George Kittle Nov 12 11:53pm ET
George Kittle

San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle (hamstring) has hamstring irritation and will be monitored throughout the week, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday, Nov. 11.

Fantasy Spin: Any potential injury issue for the top-scoring fantasy tight end is notable, although none of the team's beat reporters seems overly concerned about it yet. While fantasy managers should not be overly concerned yet, Kittle missed a game earlier this year with a hamstring problem. Assuming he practices this week, he should be considered a strong TE1 option in Week 11 versus the Seattle Seahawks.

From TheHuddle

Desmond Ridder Nov 12 11:20pm ET
Desmond Ridder

The Athletic's Vic Tafur writes that the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to make the change to quarterback Desmond Ridder after Gardner Minshew II was benched for a third time this year in the Week 9 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Nothing is official yet, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Raiders go with Ridder under center coming off their bye to face the Miami Dolphins this Sunday. Aidan O'Connell (finger) is on Injured Reserve. Head coach Antonio Pierce is feeling the pressure after losing five straight games to fall to 2-7 before the Week 10 bye. After Ridder took over for Minshew in the loss to the Bengals, he went 11-for-16 for 74 yards and a touchdown while also losing a fumble. The former Falcons QB won't be anything more than a desperation QB2 in superflex leagues if he gets the start against a Dolphins D that just kept the Rams out of the end zone all game on Monday.

From RotoBaller

Siran Neal Nov 12 10:00pm ET
Siran Neal

Miami Dolphins defensive back Kendall Fuller (concussion) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to head coach Mike McDaniels. Fuller suffered a concussion during Monday's win over the Los Angeles Rams. This is his second concussion of the season and as a result he'll be held out in Week 11 while he works to clear concussion protocol. Either Siran Neal or Cam Smith will take over as the opposite corner to Jalen Ramsey. The loss of Fuller will hurt, but the Dolphins defense should still be fine against a struggling Raiders offense.

From RotoBaller

Will Grier Nov 12 10:00pm ET
Will Grier

The Dallas Cowboys have signed quarterback Will Grier to their practice squad on Tuesday. Grier was recently cut off the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad, but it didn't take him long to find a new home. He figures to join the team as depth with Dak Prescott (hamstring) done for the season. The former third-round pick has done very little since being drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2019. He played in two games as a rookie and hasn't done anything since then. Grier is likely brought in as depth in case Cooper Rush or Trey Lance suffer an injury at some point. The 29-year-old figures to remain on the practice squad going forward.

From RotoBaller

Patrick Taylor Nov 12 9:40pm ET
Patrick Taylor

San Francisco 49ers running back Patrick Taylor Jr. was waived by the team last week to make room for Christian McCaffrey on the active roster. However, Taylor is back with the organization less than a week later. It appears Taylor was decided to rejoin the practice squad after clearing waivers this week. This move doesn't mean much right now considering Taylor has seven carries for 25 yards on the season. He's nice depth to have given the how often running backs get injured in San Francisco. He figures to fall behind Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo in the pecking order for backups, so fantasy managers can ignore Taylor.

From RotoBaller

Austin Seibert Nov 12 9:30pm ET
Austin Seibert

Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert (hip) was unable to participate during Tuesday's practice session. Seibert sat out last week's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a hip issue. It seems that Seibert is still dealing with that problem after missing Tuesday's practice. He's trending in the wrong direction ahead of Thursday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Zane Gonzalez figures to be asked to take over the kicking duties if Seibert sits out during this short week. Gonzalez knocked down both his field goal attempts and three extra point kicks during last week's game. The 29-year-old could be worth streaming if Seibert is unable to play.

From RotoBaller

Darius Slay Nov 12 9:20pm ET
Darius Slay

Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Darius Slay Jr. (ankle) was able to get through a limited practice session on Tuesday. His return to the practice field is a good sign heading into Thursday's game against the Washington Commanders. Slay was forced to exit early during last week's game against the Dallas Cowboys due to an ankle issue. He did return in the second half, but sat out of Monday's practice, which was a bit concerning. However, Slay is back to practicing now which means he should be fine ahead of this Thursday Night matchup. His absence would leave a big hole in this secondary, so fantasy managers planning to stream the Eagles defense should check on Slay's final status before doing that.

From RotoBaller

Daniel Jones Nov 12 7:40pm ET
Daniel Jones

ESPN's senior inside Adam Schefter said on Tuesday that he "would guess Daniel Jones never plays another snap for the New York Giants" after losing to the Carolina Panthers in Week 10 in Munich, Germany. The Giants currently have the worst record in football at 2-8 and would be in line to have the first overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft. Head coach Brian Daboll has stood behind Jones as the starting QB this year, but Schefter notes that Daboll's tone was different after Sunday's loss to Carolina in which Jones missed several open receivers and made questionable decisions. Going into their Week 11 bye, the Giants are evaluating everything and could head into Week 12 with some notable changes. If the G-Men bench Jones, who has a $23 million injury guarantee, to avoid him getting hurt to close things out, Drew Lock would be thrust into the starting role in the Big Apple.

From RotoBaller

Tyreek Hill Nov 12 7:30pm ET
Tyreek Hill

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (wrist) told ESPN's Lisa Salters that he has a torn ligament in his left wrist but has been playing through it. The ligament has bothered Hill since training camp, but it became an issue when he was detained by police and thrown on the ground back in September. The 30-year-old All-Pro pass-catcher was listed as questionable to play in Week 10 on Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams, but he was ultimately active for the 23-15 victory and caught three of his four targets for 16 yards and just his second touchdown of the year. He added two carries for 11 yards. The TD was nice, but the Cheetah had his second-lowest yardage total of the year on Monday night, and his wrist could bother him the rest of the way. Miami's offense has yet to find its stride with QB Tua Tagovailoa back, but that could happen in a juicy Week 11 matchup against the Raiders.

From RotoBaller

Vinny Curry Nov 12 7:23pm ET
Vinny Curry

Free-agent DE Vinny Curry will retire as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, Nov. 12.

From TheHuddle

Deommodore Lenoir Nov 12 7:20pm ET
Deommodore Lenoir

The San Francisco 49ers and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir reached an agreement on Tuesday on a five-year, $92 million contract extension. Lenoir was in the final year of his rookie deal in 2024 but will now stick around in the Bay Area for the long term after becoming one of the most underrated players on the Niners' defense in recent years. The former fifth-round selection in 2021 out of Oregon had a career-high 84 tackles (58 solo), a career-high three interceptions and 10 pass breakups in 17 regular-season starts for the team last year and currently has 53 tackles (33 solo), two interceptions, six pass breakups and a forced fumble in nine games in 2024 heading into the Week 11 game against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks. The 25-year-old defensive back has become an every-down player for the 49ers defense and a key member of their secondary.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Matthews Nov 12 7:13pm ET
Jordan Matthews

Carolina Panthers WR Cameron Johnson and TE Jordan Matthews were waived on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

From TheHuddle

Tua Tagovailoa Nov 12 7:10pm ET
Tua Tagovailoa

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores suggested that he would like another crack at a head-coaching job during his appearance on the Adam Schefter podcast on Tuesday. Flores has led a serious turn around of the Vikings' defense over the last couple of years. The Vikings have the No. 2 rush defense in the NFL in 2024. Their pass defense is No. 26 in yards allowed per game. However, that statistic is likely due to the fact that the run defense is so dominant and the Vikings' offense generally forces opposing teams to play from behind. Flores was once a head coach for the Miami Dolphins and had an infamously poor relationship with young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He was eventually fired which resulted in his filing of a lawsuit against the league for injustice in head coach termination. Flores' name is sure to come up again over the next couple of head coaching cycles. His success with the Vikings is eye popping considering their defense was so poor prior to his arrival. For now, he will continue to lead one of the best units in the NFL as the Vikings find themselves in a surprisingly excellent position in the NFC playoff race through 10 weeks.

From RotoBaller

Marshon Lattimore Nov 12 6:40pm ET
Marshon Lattimore

Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) was listed as a DNP on Tuesday's practice estimation. Lattimore has not practiced or played since he was traded to the Commanders ahead of the trade deadline last week. The Commanders are clearly going all in on this season with the addition of Lattimore and are surely eager to get him on the field to bolster their secondary. Lattimore has not played since Week 8 when he was still a member of the New Orleans Saints. In seven games played in 2024, Lattimore has recorded just two passes defensed and no interceptions. The Saints were struggling as a whole and Lattimore was not immune to those struggles. For the Commanders' sake, hopefully Lattimore finds himself again in Washington. Either way, he should be an upgrade over their current secondary. Lattimore's lack of participation on Monday and Tuesday does not bode well for his chances of suiting up on Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles. This is a situation to monitor for fantasy managers who roster Eagles wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Both players would likely be negatively impacted by the presence of Lattimore on the field.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Goedert Nov 12 6:30pm ET
Dallas Goedert

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (ankle) was a limited participant in practice on Tuesday. Goedert returned from injury in Week 10 against the Dallas Cowboys and scored a respectable 10.5 fantasy points. He also scored his first touchdown on the season in Week 10. Prior to his injury, Goedert had been one of the best tight ends in fantasy so his return to the lineup is a welcome one for fantasy managers. Goedert draws a solid matchup in Week 11 against the Washington Commanders. Both teams' defenses have improved as the season has gone on but both offenses are potent and should generate a lot of passing attempts. That bodes well for Goedert who is the third option on his team behind wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Although Goedert was listed as a DNP on Monday, his activity on Tuesday suggests that he should suit up once again in Week 11. He should be a solid fantasy option if healthy.

From RotoBaller