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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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The Paur Report

Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 7

Player Notes
Rachaad White Oct 17 7:50pm ET
Rachaad White

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (foot) was listed as limited on Thursday in the team's first practice of the week. White was inactive for the team's Week 6 win over the division-rival New Orleans Saints, which allowed rookie Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker to share the backfield in the blowout victory. Both Irving and Tucker went over 100 scrimmage yards in the impressive performance, which has led to the Buccaneers going to a three-man backfield committee once White is able to return to full health. It's bad news for the 25-year-old White, who has easily been the least efficient of the Bucs' three backs through six weeks of the season. Tampa plans to go with the hot-hand approach, so all is not lost for White, but for now, he's on the outside looking in after missing last week's game due to injury. And with Tampa not playing until Monday against the Ravens, White isn't a recommended fantasy play.

From RotoBaller

Cooper Kupp Oct 17 7:40pm ET
Cooper Kupp

Los Angeles Rams wide receivers Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Jordan Whittington (shoulder) were both limited in practice for the second straight day on Thursday. Kupp suffered a left high-ankle sprain in Week 2 and hasn't played since, but he's getting closer to making a return and could be active this Sunday in a great matchup against the floundering Las Vegas Raiders. The 31-year-old veteran is most likely to be listed as questionable on Friday, but he still has one more day to impress the coaching and training staff. Head coach Sean McVay said on Wednesday that Kupp was trending in the right direction. Fantasy managers definitely will want to get Kupp back in their starting lineups if he's able to get the green light to play. He was looking like a league-winner before his injury, catching 18 of 27 targets for 147 yards and a touchdown in two games.

From RotoBaller

Joe Mixon Oct 17 7:40pm ET
Joe Mixon

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) was limited in practice for the second straight day of the week on Thursday. Mixon made his return to the field in the Week 6 win over the New England Patriots after missing three games due to an ankle sprain and saw 13 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown while adding two catches for 30 yards and another trip to paydirt. The Texans are most likely giving the 28-year-old some extra rest this week after his return in Week 6. Unless he suffers a setback, fantasy managers should leave Mixon locked into their starting lineups this week for Sunday's game on the road against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mixon has only played in three of six games in his first year in Houston, but he's averaging 5.5 yards per carry and has scored three times.

From RotoBaller

Kendre Miller Oct 17 7:20pm ET
Kendre Miller

New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (hamstring) is active and will make his 2024 season debut on Thursday night against the visiting Denver Broncos. Miller will be active for the first time all year in his second NFL campaign, but he's likely to operate as the RB3 behind Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams, leaving him completely off the fantasy radar. The 22-year-old third-rounder out of TCU last year has been a bust early in his career and has been injured more often than not. In his rookie season, he appeared in only eight games but was quite productive, going for 156 rushing yards and a touchdown on 41 carries while catching 10 of 11 targets for 117 additional yards. Miller could eventually become the direct backup to Kamara, but he'll need to stay healthy in order to do that.

From RotoBaller

Derek Carr Oct 17 7:10pm ET
Derek Carr

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) has officially been ruled out for Thursday night's contest against the visiting Denver Broncos. Carr will miss his second straight game after suffering a left-oblique strain in the Week 5 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The 33-year-old veteran signal-caller came into this game listed as doubtful, so fantasy managers weren't expecting him to play anyway. We'll have to wait and see if he can return to play in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Rookie QB Spencer Rattler will make his second straight start in Week 7 but will be without receivers Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee). Against a tough Broncos defense, expect the Saints to lean heavily on running back Alvin Kamara and the short passing attack. Rattler will be a low-end QB2, at best, in superflex fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Taysom Hill Oct 17 7:10pm ET
Taysom Hill

As expected, New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (ribs) is inactive for the Thursday night clash against the Denver Broncos. Hill is dealing with fractured ribs and will miss his third straight game. The 34-year-old veteran do-it-all player was listed as doubtful to play this week. The good news is that Hill was limited in practice all week, so he should have a good shot at returning for the Saints in Week 8 versus the Los Angeles Chargers. With Hill out again, it means more playing time for both Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau, but they'll be TE2 sleeper options, at best, even with receivers Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) out in Week 7. Hill has two rushing touchdowns in three games played in 2024, but it's come on only 16 touches. He's a boom/bust TE2 in fantasy when he's active.

From RotoBaller

T.J. Hockenson Oct 17 7:00pm ET
T.J. Hockenson

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee), who was limited in practice for the second straight day this week on Thursday, said he has "passed every test by a mile" from a medical standpoint. Hockenson's knee is healed, but he has no predictions on when he'll make his 2024 debut. The likeliest targets are in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night or in Week 9 versus the Indianapolis Colts. The 27-year-old is making progress, but the Vikings aren't going to rush him back too soon. Hockenson must be rostered in all fantasy leagues, as he has the potential to be an immediate TE1 contributor when he returns to the field. However, those expecting him to return this Sunday against the division-rival Detroit Lions will most likely be disappointed.

From RotoBaller

Deebo Samuel Oct 17 6:50pm ET
Deebo Samuel

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (wrist) put in a second straight day with a limited practice session this week on Thursday. Samuel was seen shaking his arm during the Week 6 win over the division-rival Seattle Seahawks last Thursday night, but he played through it and didn't seek treatment during the game. It suggests that he should be just fine to play this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch. The 28-year-old pass-catcher had his second 100-yard receiving game last week and caught his first receiving touchdown in the process. If running back Jordan Mason (shoulder) is limited or out, Samuel should see more work out of the backfield as well. He's tracking as a high-end WR2 for fantasy managers, especially if Jauan Jennings (hip) is unable to play.

From RotoBaller

Marvin Harrison Jr. Oct 17 6:40pm ET
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Arizona Cardinals wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. (concussion) and Michael Wilson (ankle) were both limited in Thursday's practice session. Harrison suffered a concussion in the Week 6 loss to the Green Bay Packers and put up a goose egg for his fantasy managers. Still needing to clear the league's concussion protocol in order to play on Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers, Harrison will be a very shaky fantasy option this week. And with Wilson also banged up, Greg Dortch could be a popular streaming option if one or both of Harrison or Wilson are out or limited. Tight end Trey McBride would also have a much higher fantasy ceiling. The next couple days of practice will give us a much better idea of the statuses of Harrison and Wilson for Monday night. Harrison must get clearance from an independent neurologist in order to play against the Bolts.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Mason Oct 17 6:40pm ET
Jordan Mason

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason (shoulder) was limited in practice for the second day in a row this week on Thursday. Mason has been wearing a non-contact jersey during practices this week after suffering a left AC joint sprain in his shoulder in last Thursday's win over the division-rival Seattle Seahawks. There's a good chance that the 25-year-old will be questionable for Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs. It could cause some difficult decision for fantasy managers with the 49ers playing in the later slate this coming Sunday. Mason has been a must-start RB1 in fantasy with Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) on Injured Reserve this year. If Mason isn't healthy enough to play this weekend, rookie Isaac Guerendo will be a plug-and-play option after nearly rushing for 100 yards after replacing Mason last Thursday.

From RotoBaller

Mike Evans Oct 17 6:30pm ET
Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) missed practice on Thursday with a nagging hamstring issue. It's an injury that gave Evans some problems during the team's Week 6 win over the division-rival New Orleans Saints, but it doesn't sound like anything too serious, with head coach Todd Bowles expecting Evans to return to practice on Friday or Saturday. The Buccaneers play on Monday night this week versus the Baltimore Ravens. The 31-year-old could eventually get a questionable tag on Saturday's final injury report, but as of right now, he appears to be on the right side of questionable. After catching three touchdown passes in Weeks 4 and 5, Evans came back down to earth last week with just two catches for 34 yards. If he's active on Monday night, fantasy managers should consider him a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 against Baltimore.

From RotoBaller

Malik Nabers Oct 17 6:20pm ET
Malik Nabers

New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers (concussion, hamstring) was evaluated by an independent neurologist on Thursday and has cleared the league's concussion protocol. Nabers was also listed with a hamstring injury on Thursday, but he practiced in full after being limited on Wednesday and should be in the clear to play this Sunday against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. It's great news for Nabers' fantasy managers and the Giants offense in general, as the 21-year-old contributed 35 receptions on 52 targets for 386 yards and three touchdowns in his first four NFL games. Nabers, the sixth overall pick in April out of LSU, should be reinserted into starting fantasy lineups on Sunday after missing the last two games with a concussion.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Goedert Oct 17 6:20pm ET
Dallas Goedert

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) missed his second straight practice this week on Thursday. Goedert played just three offensive snaps in the Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns before injuring his hamstring and never returning last Sunday. The 29-year-old has missed two straight practices this week and is looking unlikely to be active this Sunday versus the division-rival New York Giants. Grant Calcaterra played a whopping 92% of the offensive snaps last weekend after Goedert went down and caught all four of his targets for a season-high 67 receiving yards. With Goedert potentially missing more than one week of action due to his hamstring injury, Calcaterra is certainly worth looking at as a tight end streamer in fantasy, starting this weekend against the G-Men.

From RotoBaller

Jerome Ford Oct 17 5:00pm ET
Jerome Ford

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (hamstring) remained sidelined during Thursday's practice, according to Scott Petrak of The Chronicle-Telegram. This is not a good sign for Ford's availability this weekend. Fantasy managers should monitor his status during Friday's injury report, as he will need to at least return to practice in some capacity to have an opportunity to suit up on Sunday. The 25-year-old left last weekend's game early with a hamstring injury. Running back Nick Chubb (knee) is set to return on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals and could see a larger-than-expected workload if Ford is unable to play.

From RotoBaller

Rashid Shaheed Oct 17 4:50pm ET
Rashid Shaheed

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (knee) will miss the remainder of the 2024 season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Shaheed was placed on the injured reserve earlier on Thursday but now faces a four-to-six-month recovery, which will keep him out for the remainder of the season. This is a significant loss for the New Orleans passing attack, as Shaheed was enjoying a breakout campaign. Across the first six weeks, Shaheed eclipsed 15.0 PPR points four times and averaged 58.2 yards per game. Fantasy managers should expect Chris Olave to be the top option once he returns from his concussion. On Thursday evening against the Denver Broncos, Bub Means and Mason Tipton will likely operate as the top two pass catchers.

From RotoBaller

Russell Wilson Oct 17 4:50pm ET
Russell Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson expressed that he will return to the field this weekend against the New York Jets. The veteran quarterback told Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, "It's the first game of the year for me. But I've been fortunate to be in a lot of first games. So the confidence is there, obviously." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor who is taking first-team reps during practice, but this suggests that Wilson has claimed the top spot on the depth chart over Justin Fields and will return to the field for the first time this season. Wilson faces a tough task in his season debut as the Jets have allowed the second-fewest points to opposing quarterbacks this season. Last season, Wilson threw for a career-low 3,070 passing yards with 26 scores.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Jones Oct 17 4:40pm ET
Aaron Jones

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (hamstring) returned to practice, according to Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the injury report later Thursday afternoon as it should provide clarity on Jones' level of participation during the session. Nonetheless, seeing him back on the field after not participating on Wednesday is a good sign. The Vikings were off last week, which gave Jones additional time to recover after sustaining an injury in their Week 5 victory over the New York Jets. If Jones can suit up, he should be locked into all lineups as a solid RB2. If not, Ty Chandler and Cam Akers should split the opportunities, and both could be low-end flex options facing a tough Detroit defense.

From RotoBaller

Dalton Kincaid Oct 17 4:30pm ET
Dalton Kincaid

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (collarbone) remained a limited participant during Thursday's practice. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to Friday's injury report, as it will likely clarify his status heading into the weekend. The 24-year-old enjoyed his best outing of the campaign last week as he caught a season-high six passes for 51 yards en route to defeating the New York Jets. If Kincaid were to miss Sunday's game, fantasy managers should expect wideouts Khalil Shakir and newly acquired Amari Cooper to see increased opportunities. In addition, No. 2 tight end Dawson Knox will likely see more snaps. If Kincaid can play, he should be locked into all lineups as a low-end TE1.

From RotoBaller

James Cook Oct 17 4:20pm ET
James Cook

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (toe) was a full participant during Thursday's practice session, according to Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN. This is a great sign for the 25-year-old, who was sidelined during Week 6 and limited during Wednesday's practice. Fantasy managers should monitor his status on Friday's injury report, but seeing him return to full participation on Thursday suggests he should be ready to return to action this weekend. No.2 running back Ray Davis (calf) was a limited participant during Thursday's practice, which could set Cook up for increased opportunities on Sunday if he cannot play against the Tennessee Titans.

From RotoBaller

Rashid Shaheed Oct 17 4:20pm ET
Rashid Shaheed

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (knee) was placed on the injured reserve on Thursday, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. Shaheed is set to undergo meniscus surgery and will now have to miss at least the next four games. However, given the potential extended recovery period due to the operation, the 26-year-old could be sidelined for a longer period. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his progression, as he would be eligible to return during Week 11. Shaheed enjoyed an excellent start to the campaign, scoring at least 15.0 PPR points in four of the six games he played. With Shaheed and Chris Olave (concussion) ruled out on Thursday evening, rookie Bub Means will likely lead the New Orleans passing attack.

From RotoBaller