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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Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews will have to step up yet again in both the blocking game and through the air as the team travels to Buffalo in freezing cold weather. He only received one target in Week 4 against the Bills because the ground game went wild and they coasted to a win. While they'll look to get going with Derrick Henry, the game won't likely go the same way which means Andrews will have to step up with Zay Flowers (knee) listed as doubtful. Isaiah Likely and Andrews led the team in targets against the Steelers, and they're headed for more of the same in the divisional round.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has produced his best season yet and goes into Buffalo to take on the other MVP candidate in a rematch from Week 4. In that first matchup, Jackson posted 156 yards and two touchdowns on 13-for-18 throwing, and six carries for 54 yards and another touchdown. Both teams have changed considerably since then, but the Ravens' run game definitely hasn't slowed down. The game is supposed to be one of the coldest that Jackson has ever played in which means it could turn to more of a running script again, but it's hard to get better than Jackson in DFS formats. The option should be featured quite heavily while Rashod Bateman can find himself open for a deep strike.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry is fresh off of a ridiculous 186-yard game with two touchdowns in the Wild Card round, and he sets his sights on the Buffalo Bills. The last time these two teams faced off was in Week 4 when Henry registered 199 yards and a score on 24 carries to go along with three catches for 10 yards and another touchdown. He had a ridiculous 8.29 yards per carry average, and he'll likely be heavily involved once again in a freezing game in Buffalo. At kickoff, the temperature should be around 19 degrees Fahrenheit with a windchill that could reach the single digits. Everything about it signals a heavier ground game where Henry can dish out punishment.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen calls running back Ty Johnson "the best third-down back in football." The veteran was utilized that way in the Wild Card victory over Denver, tallying 11 touches for 70 yards and a touchdown. An increase in snaps was, in part, due to running back Ray Davis suffering a concussion. The rookie hadn't cleared concussion protocol as of Friday and is questionable Sunday. The Bills should pass more often to avoid slamming into Baltimore's top rush defense, which could lead to more snaps for Johnson. He's a sneaky DFS player and could see several targets on Sunday.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir continues to be Josh Allen's most-trusted wide receiver but it's not translating to massive fantasy success. The slot receiver led the team with six targets and six receptions in Buffalo's Wild Card victory. However, five other receivers saw three targets. Allen's tendency to spread the love in the passing game has prevented any Buffalo receiver from truly breaking out. Shakir is reliable for a double-digit PPR performance but there isn't a high ceiling for him in the divisional matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills Amari Cooper (back) saw one of his lowest snap shares since he joined the team in mid-October last week. Granted, Buffalo did blow out the Broncos, but the starters played most of the fourth quarter. Cooper played just over one-third of the snaps. That led to two catches for eight yards. The veteran has been below 50% of the snaps in over half of his games as a Bill. As has been the case for the last few weeks, a back issue has placed him on the injury report but he doesn't carry an injury designation into the weekend. He shouldn't be used in any fantasy lineups against Baltimore.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman, who appeared to be separating himself from the pack before his wrist injury, is now a part of the problem. The Bills have a crowded wide receiver room and Josh Allen tends to spread the football around. Coleman has caught eight passes in the last five games, and just one for five yards in the Wild Card victory over the Denver Broncos. Still, the rookie may be the most dangerous downfield threat of the bunch. He is tied for the team lead for receptions longer than 25 yards (six) and trails Mack Hollins in receiving touchdowns (four). Coleman is a boom-or-bust DFS option with a low output more likely.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee) continues to be underutilized in the Buffalo offense. It's a season-long trend, despite the belief the former first-round pick would break out in his second season. Kincaid caught three passes against Denver in the Wild Card round. It's the 12th time he's logged four receptions or fewer this season. Kincaid's recurring appearance on the injury report with a knee ailment is a non-issue. He's fully practiced for weeks. However, it's difficult to envision a spot for him in DFS lineups given his subpar play.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen delivered his worst fantasy football performance of the season against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4. It's the only game this season (and first since Week 9 of the 2021 season) that Allen failed to throw or run for a touchdown. It was also the only game in which he scored fewer than double-digit fantasy points. While Baltimore's pass defense, the league's worst at the time, has improved, it's still smarter for offenses to attack the secondary rather than the front seven. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady should keep the football in Allen's hands more often than not. Allen has a great chance to finish as the QB1 for the week and can be utilized in any fantasy game.
From RotoBaller
The Ravens' dominant run defense has kept running backs in check all season and did just that when Buffalo Bills running back James Cook faced them in Week 4. Cook failed to log double-digit carries in three of 17 games this season, one of which came against the Ravens. The unit has also allowed just eight rushing touchdowns. Cook will need to be utilized in the passing game. The Ravens surrender the fourth-most receiving yards to the position but Ty Johnson has thrived in the pass-catching role for the Bills. Cook is a risky start for DFS lineups.
From RotoBaller
According to Sarah Barshop of ESPN, Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee (chest) is off the injury report and good to go for Sunday's playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Higbee exited Monday's wild-card game against the Minnesota Vikings early. Before exiting, Higbee caught all five of his targets for 58 yards. He opened the week as a limited participant and was able to upgrade to a full participant during Friday's session. The 32-year-old made his season debut during Week 16 due to a torn ACL and MCL. Over his first four games, Higbee has scored twice and averaged 31 yards per game. He should be viewed as a low-end option in DFS formats this weekend, as the Eagles have allowed the second-fewest PPR points to opposing tight ends this season.
From RotoBaller
According to the team, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (knee) is off the injury report prior to their playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams. Brown saw out during the initial session on Wednesday and upgraded to limited participation on Thursday. The top wideout was able to log a full session on Friday and does not carry a designation into the weekend. The 27-year-old has had his practice sessions monitored over the past month due to a lingering knee injury. Last weekend, during their wild-card victory over the Packers, Brown caught just one of his three targets for ten yards. However, Brown scored three touchdowns during Weeks 15 through 17 while averaging 81 yards per game. Fantasy managers should view him as a WR1 in all DFS competitions this weekend despite facing a Los Angeles defense that has allowed the 14th-fewest PPR points to opposing wide receivers.
From RotoBaller
According to the team, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (illness) is good to go for Sunday's playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams. Goedert popped up on the injury report on Thursday as a non-participant. He was able to log a limited session on Friday but does not carry an injury designation on the final report. The veteran tight end returned from a knee injury during Week 18 and brought in four of his six targets for 55 yards. Last weekend, during their victory over the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round, Goedert caught four passes for 47 yards and a score. Even though he has missed time throughout the season when on the field, the 30-year-old has tallied a solid 10.4 PPR points per game. Facing the Rams, who have allowed the third-most PPR points per game to opposing tight ends, makes Goedert a viable TE1 in DFS competitions.
From RotoBaller
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (knee) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. Flowers has been sidelined since suffering this knee injury during their Week 18 victory over the Cleveland Browns. During the week, Flowers could not return to practice, which is not a positive sign for his status. However, head coach John Harbaugh noted earlier on Friday that his top wideout will "have a chance" to suit up. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status leading up to Sunday's kickoff. Flowers posted his first 1,000-yard campaign and found the back of the end zone four times this season. If Flowers were to remain sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews to operate as the top pass-catchers.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) is currently listed as questionable ahead of Saturday's Divisional Round matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite that, Al-Shaair is expected to suit up for this weekend. Al-Shaair was able to get through limited practice sessions this week after picking up a knee injury during last week's win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The 27-year-old has missed a handful of games this season, but is an impactful player when healthy. He recorded 70 tackles, two sacks, and four passes defended in 11 games in the regular season. If Al-Shaair sits, Devin White would likely see an increased role this weekend.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is reportedly expected to play during Saturday's Divisional Round against the Kansas City Chiefs. The star back suffered an ankle injury and was unable to practice on Thursday. As a result, Mixon is tagged as questionable for this weekend, but it's hard to imagine him sitting out this important contest. The Texans are likely being cautious with Mixon, which is why he missed Thursday's practice. If he sits, Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale would be the primary options in the backfield. Pierce is the better fantasy option between the two backs, but if Mixon plays then neither back would be worth a look. If healthy, Mixon would be one of the best backs for DFS contests for this weekend.
From RotoBaller
The Seattle Seahawks have reportedly interviewed Byron Leftwich for their vacant offensive coordinator job. Leftwich hasn't coached in the NFL since the 2022 season when he was the offensive coordinator with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Leftwich saw plenty of success during his time in Tampa Bay, including a Super Bowl victory in 2020. He recently interviewed for the New England Patriots head coaching job, but the team decided to go with Mike Vrabel instead. Leftwich had some top ranked offenses during his time in Tampa Bay, but it declined during his final year with the team. Leftwich was a pass-heavy coach in Tampa Bay, which might not exactly fit with Seattle, but we'll see what happens.
From RotoBaller
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (illness) is back on the practice field on Friday. That is good news after Goedert was unable to practice on Thursday due to an illness. Luckily, it sounds like a minor issue that shouldn't impact his status for Divisional Round matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Goedert hauled in four of his seven targets for 47 yards and a touchdown during last week's win over the Green Bay Packers. If healthy, Goedert is a fairly reasonable option for DFS contests for this weekend.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis (concussion) is currently listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's playoff matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Davis still remains in concussion protocol on Friday, which doesn't bode well for his chances of playing this weekend. The absence of Davis would likely mean an increased role for Ty Johnson in the backfield. Last week, Johnson rushed nine times for 44 yards while hauling in two receptions for 26 yards and a touchdown through the air. James Cook figures to see a majority of the carries after getting 23 touches last weekend. It's hard to imagine Johnson or Davis being reliable DFS options.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (knee) has been unable to practice this week, but that doesn't mean he won't suit up this weekend. Head coach John Harbaugh said Flowers has a chance at suiting up for Sunday's divisional round matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Flowers hasn't played since the regular season finale, but the Ravens were able to get the job done last week without him. Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews figure to be the focal point on offense if Flowers is unable to go. There's a chance that Flowers could be limited, assuming he's active for this weekend. The uncertainty around his status makes Flowers a risky DFS option.
From RotoBaller
