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FFL: Week 7 | NFL: Week 7

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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Player Notes
Ja'Marr Chase Oct 20 10:00pm ET
Ja'Marr Chase

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had five catches for 55 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Browns. The former LSU Tiger was relatively quiet in Week 6 against the Giants. While Tee Higgins was more productive in this one, Chase still found the end zone for the sixth time in the Bengals' previous five contests. With Cincinnati picking up another win, the team will look to get to .500 with a win over the Eagles in Week 8. Fortunately for fantasy managers, the Eagles have struggled to stop opposing wideouts this season, making Chase one of the top fantasy options.

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Cedric Tillman Oct 20 10:00pm ET
Cedric Tillman

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman caught eight of his 12 targets for 81 yards in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. In his first game as a starter after the Browns traded away Amari Cooper, Tillman led the Browns in receiving yardage while finishing second in targets and catches in the close loss to the Bengals. The Week 7 performance easily goes down as the best of Tillman's two-year career. Fantasy managers in dynasty leagues should be checking the waiver wire this week to see if Tillman is still floating around out there as he could be Cleveland's No. 1 receiver for the remainder of the season. He will be worth a look as a flex against a leaky Baltimore Ravens pass defense in Week 8.

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Jerry Jeudy Oct 20 10:00pm ET
Jerry Jeudy

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy caught one of his five targets for 18 yards in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Jeudy appeared to be in line for a larger role with Amari Cooper traded to the Buffalo Bills earlier in the week but he instead remained an afterthought in the Cleveland offense while Cedric Tillman caught eight balls for 81 yards. Jeudy has shown flashes with the Browns this year but he will be tough to trust in fantasy going forward, even with a plus matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on tap in Week 8.

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Mecole Hardman Oct 20 10:00pm ET
Mecole Hardman

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman had one catch for 17 yards, two carries for 38 yards, and a touchdown in the 28-18 win against the San Francisco 49ers. Hardman did not command many targets, but he capitalized on his opportunities with a score on the ground. With fellow wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster sidelined with a hamstring injury in this contest, Hardman had more opportunities to get involved. This matchup marked his second game back from injury, and Hardman's role will likely increase as the season goes on and he gets healthier. Hardman is familiar with Mahomes and the offense, so it shouldn't be long before we see more involvement from him. The Chiefs will take on the Raiders in Week 8. The Raiders are not a cakewalk matchup for wide receivers since they rank ninth in fantasy points allowed, but Kansas City gets their playmakers involved in unique ways, so Hardman could see some volume. Despite scoring in this week's contest, Hardman's role in the offense is undetermined, and he should be viewed as a desperation flex play until we get more information about his usage.

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Chase Brown Oct 20 10:00pm ET
Chase Brown

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown ran for 44 yards off 15 carries in the win over the Browns on Sunday. He added two catches for nine yards. The 24-year-old scored in each of his last three appearances. While he cooled off in this one, he still outperformed teammate Zack Moss, who didn't have a quality afternoon. It appears Brown will continue to lead the backfield, keeping him a starting fantasy option for Week 8 against the Eagles, but the continued presence of Moss in this backfield will cap Brown's fantasy upside.

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Tee Higgins Oct 20 9:50pm ET
Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins caught four of his eight targets for 82 yards in Sunday's win over the Browns. He also scored a touchdown, finding the end zone off a 25-yard throw from Joe Burrow in the third quarter. The wideout has looked great since returning from the hamstring injury that kept him off the field for the first two games of the 2024-25 campaign. But he's looked even better of late, scoring three times in the Bengals' previous three contests. Fantasy managers should keep him rolling for Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Jameis Winston Oct 20 9:50pm ET
Jameis Winston

Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston completed five of his 11 passes for 67 yards and a touchdown in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Winston opened the game as the Browns' emergency quarterback but was pressed into service after both Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson got injured in the contest. Watson suffered what is believed to be a season-ending Achilles injury, while Thompson-Robinson's finger injury is not considered serious. It remains to be seen whether it will be Winston or DTR under center when the Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens at home in Week 8 but both quarterbacks should be added in superflex and two-quarterback formats this week as Watson's season appears to be over.

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Tyler Boyd Oct 20 9:50pm ET
Tyler Boyd

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tyler Boyd caught five passes on as many targets for 43 yards in a 34-10 loss to the Bills on Sunday. On a day in which the downfield passing attack was stymied by Buffalo, Boyd was a reliable short area target for new starting quarterback Mason Rudolph. The Titans ability to stretch the field is next to none, and if Rudolph continues to start for Tennessee, he may have to rely on quick-hitter throws to Boyd in an attempt to move the ball downfield. The longtime Bengal will still be behind Ridley and Hopkins in the receiving pecking order (as long as the latter is in Nashville), but he is trending up heading into a tough matchup with the Detroit Lions next week.

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Jauan Jennings Oct 20 9:50pm ET
Jauan Jennings

Per head coach Kyle Shanahan, the San Francisco 49ers hope to get wide receiver Jauan Jennings (hip) back for their Week 8 home matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. San Fran had a rough go on Sunday in their 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, losing wideouts Deebo Samuel Sr. (illness) and Brandon Aiyuk (knee) in the first half. While Samuel was sick coming into this one, he'll have a good chance of being able to suit up next Sunday so long as the illness does not linger. Aiyuk, on the other hand, is feared to have suffered a torn ACL via initial reports. It isn't yet confirmed, but he'd be a long shot to suit up in Week 8 regardless. With the 49ers wide receiver corps suddenly depleted, Jacob Cowing, Ricky Pearsall, Chris Conley, and Ronnie Bell are the only active wideouts without a designation.

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Travis Kelce Oct 20 9:50pm ET
Travis Kelce

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had four catches for 17 yards on five targets in the win against the San Francisco 49ers. Kelce had the second-most targets among Chiefs pass catchers in this contest but could not eclipse 20 receiving yards or find the endzone. After the departure of Rashee Rice from the wide receiver corps, Kelce was vacuuming up targets across the middle of the field, but the Niners tried to eliminate him. Kelce should be the favorite to lead the team in targets every week moving forward, which should be the case in Week 8. The Chiefs take on the Las Vegas Raiders on the road next week. Kelce saw seven targets in each game against the Raiders last season, so he is one of the safest bets for volume at the tight end position. Fantasy managers should continue to view Kelce as a TE1 despite the poor showing this week.

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Nick Chubb Oct 20 9:50pm ET
Nick Chubb

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb carried the ball 11 times for 22 yards and a touchdown while adding a 10-yard catch in a 21-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. Chubb was playing for the first time since he tore his ACL in Week 2 of the 2023 season and received a thunderous ovation from the home crowd before the game. The veteran tailback did not disappoint as he punched in a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Cleveland went away from him in the second half as they went very pass-heavy, giving Chubb just one carry after halftime. The veteran running back should see his workload ramp up in the coming weeks as he works his way back into game shape. He will be an RB3 heading into Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens.

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Daniel Jones Oct 20 9:40pm ET
Daniel Jones

According to head coach Brian Daboll, New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will remain the team's starter moving forward. The sixth-year QB finished up his day completing 14-of-21 passes for 99 yards, adding 20 yards on the ground over his five carries. The news comes after Jones was benched in the fourth quarter of the Giant's 28-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles for Drew Lock. "Made a change in the fourth quarter when it was 28-3," said Daboll. "We had 100 yards, just to create a spark." It's worth mentioning that spark did not occur, as Lock led the team to three punts on his possessions, fumbling the ball twice. While the 27-year-old will garner most of the blame, there wasn't much good for the G-Men at all on Sunday. Additionally, the loss of starting left tackle Andrew Thomas (Lisfranc) was a massive blow to the team, and Jones was taken to the turf on seven separate occasions. Better days are ahead for the Duke product, but he'll get another staunch test in Week 8 when his team takes on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football.

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Jameson Williams Oct 20 9:40pm ET
Jameson Williams

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams was nearly a non-factor in the team's 31-29 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7. Williams saw just one target, which resulted in a catch for negative four yards, as Amon-Ra St. Brown had a big day and Kalif Raymond took on a more significant role. Coming off a two-game touchdown streak and consistent yardage production, Williams' minimal output was disappointing for fantasy managers. Despite this being his second one-catch performance of the season, Williams' speed and big-play potential make him a candidate for a bounce-back effort when the Lions host the Tennessee Titans in Week 8.

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Wan'Dale Robinson Oct 20 9:40pm ET
Wan'Dale Robinson

New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson had a quiet performance in Sunday's 28-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Robinson led the team with nine targets and six receptions, but he managed just 23 yards, averaging 3.8 yards per catch with a long of six yards. Despite leading the team in both targets and receptions, the Giants' passing game struggled, totaling only 105 yards from their quarterbacks. Robinson finished with 5.3 fantasy points, as the offense was stifled throughout the game.

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Joe Burrow Oct 20 9:40pm ET
Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 181 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's win over the Cleveland Browns. The signal-caller was relatively quiet in the Week 6 win over the New York Giants. However, things were different in Week 7, with Burrow completing his fifth game this season with at least two touchdown passes. He's been one of the top fantasy quarterbacks all year, so there's no reason why he shouldn't be featured in fantasy lineups in Week 8 versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Kareem Hunt Oct 20 9:30pm ET
Kareem Hunt

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt had 22 carries for 78 yards and two touchdowns in the 28-18 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Hunt also had two receptions for five yards in this contest. Despite practicing fully this week, Clyde Edwards-Helaire was declared inactive in this game, which led to another Hunt takeover. Rookie Carson Steele had the second-most carries for the Chiefs with six, which he turned into 17 rushing yards. Hunt is the undisputed lead back for the Chiefs until the eventual return of Isiah Pacheco, making him an extremely valuable fantasy asset for the foreseeable future. Hunt will look to dominate again next week against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders rank 26th in fantasy points allowed to the running back position, so Hunt should have no issues in that contest. Hunt should be ranked as a solid RB2 every week.

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David Montgomery Oct 20 9:30pm ET
David Montgomery

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (knee) was limited in Week 7 due to an early knee injury but returned in the 31-29 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Montgomery finished with nine carries for 31 yards and added three receptions for 39 yards, as second-year back Jahmyr Gibbs handled most of the workload. This marked Montgomery's first week without reaching double-digit fantasy points this season. Despite the setback, it's expected that Montgomery won't miss any time moving forward, and he should remain a crucial part of the Lions' offense as they prepare to face the Tennessee Titans in Week 8.

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Malik Nabers Oct 20 9:30pm ET
Malik Nabers

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers returned from a two-game absence due to a concussion in Sunday's 28-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Nabers caught four of eight targets for 41 yards, averaging 10.3 yards per reception, with a long of 14 yards, and started the game strong with a 13-yard catch on the first offensive play. Despite leading the team in receiving yards, Nabers couldn't find the end zone and was part of a lackluster Giants passing attack that totaled only 105 yards. He finished with 6.1 fantasy points.

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Jayden Daniels Oct 20 9:20pm ET
Jayden Daniels

Per Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels (ribs) is set for more testing on Monday to assess the extent of his injury further. The rookie QB participated in just one series of the team's 40-7 dismantling of the Carolina Panthers before getting knocked out with a rib injury. Quinn also noted that it's unclear what play the injury occurred in. While Daniels was ruled out from the contest, he returned to the sidelines with a big smile, potentially indicating it was not a severe injury. Even if that's the case, expect Washington to play it cautiously with their young franchise quarterback. Marcus Mariota performed well in relief and would be presumed to be under center again if the 23-year-old can't suit up for their Week 8 home tilt against the Chicago Bears.

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Patrick Mahomes Oct 20 9:20pm ET
Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 16 of 27 pass attempts (59%) for 154 yards and zero touchdowns in the 28-18 win against the San Francisco 49ers. Mahomes threw two more interceptions in this contest, bringing his total to a league-leading eight interceptions despite already having his bye week. Mahomes found the endzone on a rushing touchdown against the Niners, but that was the only silver lining. Mahomes has been one of the worst draft picks at the quarterback position this season, and there is not much optimism that it will change since the Chiefs remain undefeated after six games. This game also marks his second straight game with zero passing touchdowns. Mahomes will look to right the ship against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8. The Raiders rank 26th in fantasy points allowed to the quarterback position this season, so it will be an advantageous situation for the Chiefs quarterback. That said, Mahomes has not been good for fantasy, and benching him is reasonable at this point.

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