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FFL: Week 2 | NFL: Week 2

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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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 2

Player Notes
Miles Sanders Sep 15 9:30am ET
Miles Sanders

Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders was the leading rusher for this offense during the Week 1 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Being the leading rusher sounds nice, but Sanders only finished with 22 yards on five carries. He served as the second string back to Chuba Hubbard, but neither back got anything going last week. To be fair, it was a blowout and the Panthers needed to abandon the passing game in the second half of the contest. Regardless, neither player has a good outlook heading into the Week 2 matchup against the Las Vegas Chargers. It looks like both backs are going to split the workload, which is bad news for values as a whole. Sanders could be a deep or dynasty stash, but he isn't worth rostering in most fantasy formats.

From RotoBaller

Tua Tagovailoa Sep 15 9:20am ET
Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) is reportedly scheduled to meet with neurologists early next week. This news comes after Tagovailoa was diagnosed with a concussion following an early exit from Thursday's game against the Buffalo Bills. The meeting with the neurologists should give Tagovailoa better input on his situation and whether or not it's safe for him to play football again. The young quarterback has already been diagnosed with four concussions over the last five years. Dolphins' head coach Mike McDaniel said he wants Tagovailoa to focus on his health, which basically means there's no timetable for his return. Skylar Thompson figures to be the starting quarterback unless the team makes a trade or signs a free agent. The Dolphins are likely going to wait until they get more information on Tagovailoa's status before they make any significant moves.

From RotoBaller

Tee Higgins Sep 15 8:50am ET
Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) is expected to be inactive for Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Higgins had been listed as doubtful and was trending toward missing his second consecutive game. His absence isn't official yet and won't be confirmed until 90 minutes before kickoff, but fantasy managers should still start making lineup adjustments and finding players to replace Higgins. Internally, Andrei Iosivas and Trenton Irwin are candidates for more volume, but neither of them should be deployed in typical 12-team leagues.

From RotoBaller

Rome Odunze Sep 15 8:40am ET
Rome Odunze

Chicago Bears wide receivers Keenan Allen (heel) and Rome Odunze (knee) are both expected to be game-time decisions on Sunday night, according to NFL Network. As the Bears face the Houston Texans on national television, it sounds like there's a chance they could be without their Nos. 2 and 3 receivers. If only one of the two receivers sit out Sunday's contest, the other would jump to the WR3/FLEX range. If they are both inactive, DeAndre Carter would figure to earn more snaps, but he'd remain off the radar. As of Sunday morning, Schefter notes that Odunze is trending toward playing while Allen will test his injury pregame and could be limited even if he does play.

From RotoBaller

Kyle Van Noy Sep 15 8:40am ET
Kyle Van Noy

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy (eye) is optimistic that he'll play in Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. He had fractured an orbital bone just over one week earlier against the Kansas City Chiefs and is currently listed as questionable. Baltimore is expected to run him through a series of pregame tests to confirm that he can play. The 33-year-old offers a veteran presence on defense. However, his production was cut short in Week 1 as he exited after playing 20 percent of defensive snaps and recording just one tackle.

From RotoBaller

Tua Tagovailoa Sep 15 8:30am ET
Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) will meet with neurologists early this week, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Tagovailoa suffered what is at least the fourth known concussion of his career on Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills. The former first-round pick is likely mulling whether to retire, much like he did during his last concussion. Assuming he's out for a few weeks at the very minimum, Skylar Thompson is slated to start at quarterback for Miami. He's struggled at times and cannot be trusted to support elite or near-elite fantasy production from Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Thompson himself is merely a mid-range QB3 going forward.

From RotoBaller

Puka Nacua Sep 15 8:30am ET
Puka Nacua

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (knee) could miss between five and seven weeks depending on how fast and how well his PCL recovers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Nacua is coming off a historic rookie season and caught four passes for 35 yards early in last week's season opener. Now, he'll be forced to miss some time while Cooper Kupp commands an even greater share of targets on offense. Tight end Colby Parkinson and receivers Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson should help fill the void left by Nacua heading into a pivotal stretch of games.

From RotoBaller

Josh Palmer Sep 15 8:30am ET
Josh Palmer

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (knee) is "tracking to play" against the Carolina Panthers in Week 2 despite being listed as questionable, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 24-year-old receiver played 81 percent of snaps in last week's season opener but caught just two of his four targets for 15 yards through the air. He'll look to make a bigger contribution this week against a Panthers defense susceptible to surrendering points. Palmer ranks as a low-end WR3/FLEX, but his floor is a little worrisome.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Reed Sep 15 8:20am ET
Jayden Reed

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (calf, shin) is expected to suit up against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2 despite being listed as questionable, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The 24-year-old is coming off a phenomenal season opener in which he totaled 138 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, Reed's value takes a significant step back this week with Malik Willis filling in for Jordan Love (knee). Reed is still the Packers' top receiver, but he's merely a WR3/FLEX play on Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Marshon Lattimore Sep 15 8:20am ET
Marshon Lattimore

The New Orleans Saints will proceed with caution when deciding whether to make cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hip, hamstring) active for Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "He's pushing to play, but it's a long season and him being healthy is paramount," Rapoport noted. "He'll work out this morning to see." The 28-year-old was available for just 32 percent of snaps last week, registering two tackles along the way. His presence would go a long way toward slowing down the Cowboys' passing attack, but it sounds like New Orleans is leaning toward holding him out of action.

From RotoBaller

Josh Downs Sep 15 8:10am ET
Josh Downs

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (ankle) "is considered 50-50" to play on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The second-year pass-catcher had logged a full practice on Friday, but the Colts will still be cautious with him and allow him to test his injury pregame before making an official decision on his availability. A Downs absence would lead to more opportunities for Alec Pierce and Adonai Mitchell, but Michael Pittman Jr. is still the only Colts receiver we can trust in fantasy football. He's a low-end WR2 this week.

From RotoBaller

Adam Thielen Sep 15 2:30am ET
Adam Thielen

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen caught three of his four targets for 49 yards in the team's Week 1 loss to the Panthers. Although he did lead the team in yards, his target share wasn't encouraging, falling behind WRs Diontae Johnson, Xavier Legette, and Jonathan Mingo in total targets. Now the Panthers gear up for a matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers, a team that allowed WRs Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers less than 65 yards each in Week 1, respectively. Thielen's low-usage and Carolina's ineffective passing attack should make fantasy managers avoid him in Sunday's matchup.

From RotoBaller

Bryce Young Sep 15 1:40am ET
Bryce Young

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young struggled in Week 1, completing 13 of his 30 passes for just 161 yards. He also added two interceptions, as well as no touchdowns thrown. He was able to make up for some of it by punching in a rushing touchdown near the end of the game. The Panthers gear up to face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, a unit that did a decent job of keeping QB Gardner Minshew bottled up in last week's performance. The Panthers offense didn't show much to be excited about in Week 1, and it's unlikely there will be a significant change in Week 2. Fantasy managers in 2QB/Superflex leagues can give Young a look, but 1QB fantasy managers can keep him firmly off the radar.

From RotoBaller

Diontae Johnson Sep 15 1:30am ET
Diontae Johnson

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson was quiet in his Panthers debut, catching two of his six targets for 19 yards in the team's blowout loss. Johnson was a frequently targeted receiver of QB Bryce Young, but was eventually pulled from the game in the second half due to the blowout. The Panthers gear up for a Week 2 clash against the Chargers defense, a unit that kept Davante Adams and other Raider pass-catchers relatively quiet in their Week 1 matchup. That being said, with a favorable game script for Johnson and a healthy dose of potential targets, he is a viable option for fantasy managers this week. Fantasy managers can look to Johnson as a WR3, with the hopes that he is able to convert his opportunities at a higher rate than last week.

From RotoBaller

Russell Wilson Sep 15 12:20am ET
Russell Wilson

Not much was expected of the Denver Broncos defense/special teams coming into 2024, but they're suddenly on the streaming radar in fantasy ahead of their Week 2 matchup against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers. In the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Denver's D had an interception, fumble recovery and two safeties. They have a chance for a second strong game against Steelers QB Justin Fields, who didn't commit any turnovers against Atlanta in Week 1, but he also threw for just 156 yards in his Pittsburgh debut. Fields entered the season as the expected backup to Russell Wilson (calf) but has been forced into action due to Wilson's injury. Stopping the run will be key for the Broncos to slow down what is considered a weak Steelers offense. Fields averages the second-most rush yards per game by a QB in NFL history, and Najee Harris has the most touches of any player over the last four seasons.

From RotoBaller

Chuba Hubbard Sep 15 12:20am ET
Chuba Hubbard

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard was a bust in Week 1, running the ball six times for just 14 yards in the team's blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints. He now gears up for a Week 2 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, a team that did a decent job of defending the run in Week 1 when they played the Raiders. The Panthers also enter Sunday's contest as underdogs, indicating there might not be a favorable game script for Hubbard and the Panthers run game. On top of that, Hubbard saw a significant split in touches with RB Miles Sanders, as Sanders ran the ball five times in last week's matchup. While Sunday's matchup will likely not be as big of a one-sided affair as last week, it's hard to start Hubbard with a ton of confidence as we have yet to see the Panthers get it going on the ground. That being said, fantasy managers in deeper leagues can look to him as an RB3 option in the hopes that he finds the endzone in Week 2.

From RotoBaller

Graham Gano Sep 15 12:10am ET
Graham Gano

New York Giants kicker Graham Gano (groin) was added to the injury report heading into Sunday's matchup against the Commanders. However, he doesn't carry a game status, meaning he's expected to see the field in Week 2. The 37-year-old is coming off a rough season. But in the Week 1 loss to the Vikings, he made both kicks, including a 50-yard attempt. With questions surrounding the potency of the Giants offense, Gano may be needed more than ever, giving him a higher upside than most others at the position, even with his current ailment.

From RotoBaller

Wil Lutz Sep 15 12:10am ET
Wil Lutz

Even though Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz had a surprisingly decent Week 1 performance fantasy-wise, you really shouldn't be very interested in using him as a sleeper kicker in Week 2 against a swarming Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Lutz went 3-for-3 on his field goals and also made his only extra-point attempt in the season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks in which he benefitted from some good starting positions for a Denver offense that just couldn't get much going in rookie quarterback Bo Nix's NFL debut. The 30-year-old veteran was a Pro Bowler in 2019 with the Saints and has made 85.3% of his 232 field goals attempted in 115 games, so he's been pretty reliable when called upon. However, Denver's offense with a rookie QB at the helm isn't expected to provide Lutz with another kicking opportunities to make him a worthwhile streamer on a weekly basis.

From RotoBaller

Adonai Mitchell Sep 15 12:00am ET
Adonai Mitchell

Indianapolis Colts rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell grabbed just one target for two yards in his career debut in Week 1, but the box score didn't tell the full story. Mitchell saw five targets with 82 air yards, just missing on a few deep passes from QB Anthony Richardson. The rookie saw elite separation on many of his routes, quickly becoming a preferred target in the offense. That being said, Mitchell does not come into Week 2's matchup against the Green Bay Packers with a safe floor, as shown in his Week 1 performance. Fantasy managers in need of an upside play can look to Mitchell in a WR3/Flex spot and hope that he is on the receiving end of a few deep balls from Richardson.

From RotoBaller

Greg Dulcich Sep 15 12:00am ET
Greg Dulcich

Denver Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich did not enter the 2024 season on the fantasy radar after playing in only two games in 2023 due to injury. Dulcich didn't do anything to excite fantasy managers looking for a waiver-wire pickup in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, either, catching two of his three targets for only 12 receiving yards. The 24-year-old UCLA product showed some promise in his rookie season in 2022 but also missed time with injuries. He has developed an injury-prone label and remains off the fantasy radar for the moment in most leagues in a Broncos offense that was hesitant to push the ball down the field with rookie quarterback Bo Nix in the season opener. Dulcich could see a few more targets in Week 2 against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that allowed a TD to Kyle Pitts in Week 1 with rookie receiver Devaughn Vele (rib) out, but Ducich is a TE3 in fantasy until further notice.

From RotoBaller