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.
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 6
Dynasty | Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had 95 rushing yards, three catches, ten receiving yards and two touchdowns in a win against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: That's the good news. The bad news is the fact Tyler Allgeier had 18 carries (Robinson had 15) and scored a touchdown of his own. At this point, it is what it is - Robinson is a committee back who is going to be stuck in somewhere around a 60/40 touch-share with Allgeier for the foreseeable future. While he'll have RB1 days like this, he's also a player who has a lower floor than many had expected. Robinson's dynasty value is slipping a touch while Allgeier's is rising.
Dynasty | Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders had five catches for 49 yards in a loss to the Falcons. Dynasty Analysis: Sanders had just eight catches for 41 yards on the season, so today's line (and seven targets) are a good sign for him moving forward. While the Panthers offense can't be trusted on a weekly basis, this should at least put Sanders on the map. He's a solid hold moving forward as Carolina tries to right the ship.
Dynasty | Panthers rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette had three catches for 23 yards and a touchdown in a loss to the Falcons. Dynasty Analysis: Legette still hasn't passed 200 total receiving yards on the season but you can certainly tell he has some talent. The Panthers are a mess and Legette hasn't been given much of a fighting chance all season, so today was a good day. He remains a solid buy candidate as a rookie receiver who hasn't hit his stride but has some solid long-term potential.
Dynasty | Steelers quarterback Justin Fields completed 14-of-24 passes for 145 yards, adding 59 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a blowout win over Las Vegas. Dynasty Analysis: Fields hasn't been very inspiring as a passer this year, but his rushing ability has won Pittsburgh some games and kept his dynasty value afloat. Most importantly, he has just one turnover all season through six games and has done nothing but keep the Steelers in football games. At this point, Fields' dynasty value is stable and it would be a shock to see Pittsburgh turn to Russell Wilson while he keeps winning games.
Dynasty | Steelers running back Najee Harris had 106 rushing yards and a touchdown in a win against the Raiders. Dynasty Analysis: He added 16 receiving yards on two catches and posted his big day on just 14 carries. This was a much-needed big performance from Harris, who was likely benched by a host of dynasty managers this afternoon. While we need to see a lot more before trusting him, Harris still seems like the clear RB1 in Pittsburgh and a threat to score every week.
Dynasty | Raiders tight end Brock Bowers had nine catches for 71 yards in a loss to Pittsburgh. Dynasty Analysis: Bowers now has 37 catches through six games, putting him on pace for more than 100 on the season. While dynasty managers may be frustrated at the lack of touchdowns (he has just one), it's hard to look at Bowers and not see the future TE1 in dynasty leagues. He's locked and loaded in lineups moving forward and a player to build around moving forward.
Dynasty | Lions quarterback Jared Goff completed 18-of-25 passes for 315 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a 47-9 road demolition of the Dallas Cowboys. Dynasty Analysis: Despite going 18-of-18 last week, this was Goff's best game of the season as he simply carved up the Dallas defense and did whatever he wanted. The Lions are rolling and Goff looks like he's hitting his stride. While dynasty managers are always going to complain about the lack of rushing yards, Goff is again in the weekly QB1 conversation as he looks like he's getting into a serious groove. He remains one of the more underrated dynasty quarterbacks and a clear target for contending teams in need of a signal caller.
Dynasty | Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott completed 17-of-33 passes for 178 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in a home blowout loss to Detroit. Dynasty Analysis: Prescott traditionally has some serious ups and downs, but this was a truly awful performance. He routinely missed open receivers and was outdueled by Detroit quarterback Jared Goff on his home turf. With just eight touchdown passes and six interceptions through six games, it's time to start wondering if dynasty teams can truly count on him as a QB1 moving forward this season. In short, it may be time to panic.
Dynasty | Chargers running back JK Dobbins had 96 rushing yards and a touchdown in a win against Denver. Dynasty Analysis: He added two catches for six yards. Dobbins was predictably busy in this one after Gus Edwards was put on IR this week. It's been a big-time bounce-back season for Dobbins, who had a season high 25 carries in this one. While he hasn't had a 100-yard game since the second week of the season, the thought Dobbins was going to be unable to return to his pre-injury form seem to have been put to rest. He'll be a solid RB2 moving forward and dynasty managers need to really look at him as a potential buy or sell depending on where they sit after six weeks.
Dynasty | Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele had four catches for 78 yards in a loss to the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Vele has been talked about a lot as a potential breakout player this year after making the team as a seventh round draft pick. Today was a good start as he returned form a short-term absence to post a decent game. While expectations should be tempered, you could certainly do worse on a waiver wire add this week.
Dynasty | Broncos running back Javonte Williams had 23 rushing yards, three catches and 13 receiving yards while also losing a fumble in a loss against the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: After six games, it's fair to make an assessment about Williams and he just simply hasn't been very good. His 23 yards today put him just over 200 on the season and his 3.7 yards per carry isn't inspiring much confidence moving forward. His 17 catches on the year have helped but Williams has yet to score a touchdown on the season. At this point, the idea Williams was going to have a big year have come and gone and he belongs on dynasty benches as his value sinks each week.
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson reeled in 6-of-10 targets for 78 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 38-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Johnson scored his third touchdown in the last four games in this one and led his team in every significant receiving category. Since quarterback Andy Dalton took over as Carolina's signal-caller in Week 3, the 28-year-old has done as such in 3-of-4 contests and is the PPR WR5 over that stretch. He'll look to keep it rolling in an enticing Week 7 road matchup against the Washington Commanders. Their defense has registered just one interception on the season and entered Week 6 tied with the Panthers for the most passing touchdowns let up to opposing offenses (11).
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard rushed 18 times for 91 yards in the team's 38-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, adding 11 yards through the air and five receptions on eight targets. It was another effective day for Hubbard, while the only thing missing from his stat line was a trip to the end zone. It's the fourth-straight game for the 25-year-old with at least 92 yards on the ground and the fifth in a row with at least four receptions. Since Week 3, the Oklahoma State product's 82.8 PPR fantasy points are second only to Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry. Hubbard has a favorable Week 7 matchup against the Washington Commanders and can continue to be fired up as a strong RB2 while Carolina's backfield is his.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton completed 26-of-38 passes for 221 yards in Sunday's 38-20 loss to their division-rival Atlanta Falcons. He threw two touchdowns and two interceptions and rushed three times for 21 yards. It was another underwhelming performance for the Red Rifle, who has thrown at least one pick in his last three outings, leading Carolina to its third-straight loss. The more of a sample we see from him, the more that his 300-yard, three-touchdown performance in Week 3 looks like the anomaly. He'll have a chance to turn it around in a solid Week 7 road matchup against the Washington Commanders. Still, one has to wonder how much longer it is until we see second-year QB Bryce Young regain control of the offense.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers recorded one sack, one interception, two forced and recovered fumbles, and a blocked punt while surrendering 13 points to the Las Vegas Raiders in a Week 6 win. Once again, it was DPOY candidate T.J. Watt leading the charge, forcing both fumbles by Las Vegas ballcarriers. Defensive back Donte Jackson logged his third interception of the campaign on an overthrow by quarterback Aidan O'Connell in the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh was still missing linebackers Alex Highsmith (groin) and Nick Herbig (hamstring) but is expected to have the former back in time for a Week 7 clash with the New York Jets. Fantasy managers should continue to roll with the Steelers DST in most weeks this season.
From RotoBaller
Detroit Lions star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson (tibia) will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after undergoing emergency surgery Sunday to repair a compound fracture, per Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. Hutchinson suffered the injury while sacking quarterback Dak Prescott in the Lions' 47-9 win over the Dallas Cowboys. The third-year defensive standout completed the sack but immediately grabbed his leg upon hitting the ground and was carted off the field in an air cast. He'll now spend the night in a local Dallas hospital. It's a massive blow to Detroit's defense, as the 24-year-old led the league in sacks (6.5) entering Week 6 and is a formidable game-breaker off the edge. Defensive end Isaac Ukwu figures to pick up snaps with the injury to Hutchinson, and Detroit may seek help elsewhere with no other healthy defensive ends on the roster. The Lions will get a road matchup in Week 7 against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker made all five of his kicks in a Week 6 win over the Denver Broncos. Dicker tried three field goals, making them all while also adding two extra points. His field goals came from 20, 33, and 46 yards out. He remains one of the most consistent kickers inside 50 yards and with the way the Chargers offense is going, he could continue to get several chances to score per game. He'll be a top-12 option more weeks than he won't be, and should be rostered in most formats that still have a K spot in the lineup.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Kimani Vidal scored the first touchdown of his NFL career in a Week 6 win over the Denver Broncos. Vidal ran the ball four times, gaining 11 yards. He was targeted twice in the passing game and made the most of it, scoring a 38-yard touchdown and gaining 40 yards total through the air. Vidal only got six touches total, but his workload should be going up after this solid performance and with Gus Edwards (ankle) now on IR. J.K. Dobbins will clearly be the RB1 on the Chargers offense, but Vidal should work his way into the main backup role before long. He should be picked up off waivers wherever he's available.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey was in and out of Week 6's win over the Denver Broncos, but appears to have escaped the game without a serious lasting injury. Several times, McConkey was forced to the sideline only to return to the game later on. In total, he was targeted eight times, making four catches for 43 yards. He led the team in targets and catches, falling one yard behind the team lead in receiving yards. McConkey has proven to be the WR1 on this offense, but it will continue to be a run-first unit that severely limits the upside of any pass catcher on the roster.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell drilled four field goal attempts and converted on both of his extra-point tries in a 32-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Boswell followed up a quiet showing in Week 5 with his best fantasy performance since Pittsburgh's season opener. He nailed his longest field goal of the day, a 52-yarder, on the Steelers' first possession of the contest and proceeded to hit from 49, 37, and 36 yards out. The 33-year-old is in the midst of a stellar campaign with 16 field goals on 17 attempts and 10 extra points on as many tries. Although he is producing like an every-week fantasy starter, there will likely be more games in which Boswell is limited by Pittsburgh's offense. One such outing could be in Week 7 against a tough New York Jets defense.
From RotoBaller