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FFL: Week 6 | NFL: Week 6

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
Spencer Rattler Oct 11 7:30pm ET
Spencer Rattler

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense had a tough time during last week's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The secondary gave up 550 passing yards as the Falcons offense scored 36 points in the win. Luckily, the Bucs were able to record four sacks and an interception which helped give them some value. The hope is that this unit is able to bounce back against the New Orleans Saints in Week 6. Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler will be tasked with starting under center on Sunday. It'll be the first career game for the fifth-round pick. This will either go great for the Bucs defense and they will dominate Rattler or the problems in the secondary continue to haunt this defense. This defense has only over 350 yards in three of the first five games. It'll be a boom-or-bust week for this Bucs defense.

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Dontayvion Wicks Oct 11 7:10pm ET
Dontayvion Wicks

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks looks to bounce back from a lackluster performance on the stat sheet in this week's matchup where the Packers host the Arizona Cardinals. Wicks only put up two receptions for 20 yards, but tied for the team-lead in targets share with 23% and led the Packers with 44% of the air yards. While those metrics didn't turn into fantasy points, yards, or receptions, the Packers' offensive intent was very well known as they peppered Wicks with targets and downfield looks. Changing the outlook for Wicks is Romeo Doubs' return to the lineup following a one-game suspension and the possibility of Christian Watson (ankle) playing in Week 6 as he's listed as questionable on the injury report. A Watson return would likely affect Wicks' snaps and route directly and would be a low-end flex for fantasy. If Watson is inactive, Wicks is a low-end WR3 and a high-end flex option for Week 6.

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Trey Sermon Oct 11 7:00pm ET
Trey Sermon

Indianapolis Colts running back Trey Sermon (collarbone) has been cleared to play in Week 6 against the division-rival Tennessee Titans and will serve as the team's primary RB for the second straight week with Jonathan Taylor (ankle) being ruled out. Sermon missed practice on Wednesday but was a full-go on both Thursday and Friday. The 25-year-old saw 10 carries for 38 yards and his second rushing touchdown of the year in last week's loss to the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars, adding six receptions for another 25 yards. For the added volume alone with JT out again, fantasy managers should consider Sermon an RB3/flex this weekend. However, the matchup against the Titans on the road isn't nearly as good, as they've allowed the 22nd-most half-PPR points to opposing backs through five weeks this year.

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Josh Downs Oct 11 6:50pm ET
Josh Downs

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (toe) was listed as questionable on the team's final injury report for Week 6 against the division-rival Tennessee Titans. Downs was unable to practice on Wednesday or Thursday, but he appears to be tracking in the right direction to play on Sunday after putting in a full practice on Friday. Fellow wideout Michael Pittman Jr. (back) did the exact same this week, but he appears to be much more up in the air due to a back injury that reportedly could keep him out multiple weeks. Downs' fantasy stock has risen after he put up 17 receptions (21 targets) for 151 yards and a touchdown the last two weeks. However, his status is in question this weekend against a very stingy Tennessee secondary, and his fantasy upside could actually tank if quarterback Anthony Richardson (oblique) returns to action. The 23-year-old is lining up as a shaky WR3/flex if he's active. If both he and Pittman are ruled out, Alec Pierce will be Indy's WR1.

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Brayden Narveson Oct 11 6:50pm ET
Brayden Narveson

Green Bay Packers kicker Brayden Narveson looks to continue building up some momentum as the Packers host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6. After Narveson's brutal showing in Week 4 where he missed two field goals, the Packers stuck with him and Narveson made his only field goal attempt and booted home three extra point attempts in their win against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 5. Starting Narveson in fantasy lineups this week is a bet on the game environment being filled with points, which is definitely on the table with the scoring potential of both the Packers and Cardinals. Consider Narveson a fringe starting option this week in Week 6.

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Jeremy McNichols Oct 11 6:50pm ET
Jeremy McNichols

Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols could move up the depth chart on Sunday afternoon if Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) is unable to suit up. Robinson entered last weekend with a questionable status but was able to play. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the weekend. McNichols has shined in the few opportunities he has gotten this season. In Week 4 with Austin Ekeler sidelined with a concussion, McNichols tallied 68 yards and two scores on eight attempts. Late into the fourth quarter last weekend when the Commanders had a sizeable lead, the 28-year-old received seven carries and totaled 44 yards and another score. If Robinson is unable to play, McNichols becomes a viable flex option in deeper formats and should share the backfield with Ekeler.

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Chase McLaughlin Oct 11 6:50pm ET
Chase McLaughlin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin has been one of the more consistent options early in the season. Last week, McLaughlin was perfect on all six of his kicks during the overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The veteran kicker is a perfect 10-for-10 on field goal attempts heading into the Week 6 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. McLaughlin has connected on two field goals or more in every game, but one this season. The Bucs offense continues to give McLaughlin plenty of work on a weekly basis which gives him solid streaming value for this Week 6 divisional matchup.

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Terry McLaurin Oct 11 6:40pm ET
Terry McLaurin

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin has topped double-digit PPR points in each of the past three weeks and remains a high-end WR2 in Week 6 when he faces the Baltimore Ravens. Since tallying just 39 yards in the first two games of the season, McLaurin has hit the century mark in two out of the past three games and averaged an impressive 88.0 yards with eight targets per game in this stretch. In addition, he has found the end zone twice during this span. Facing a Baltimore Ravens defense that has allowed the most points to opposing wideouts this season makes McLaurin a high-upside play in all formats and should be locked into all starting lineups.

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Taysom Hill Oct 11 6:40pm ET
Taysom Hill

New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill (rib) missed practice all week and has officially been ruled out for the Week 6 divisional clash on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This will be Hill's third missed game of the year and his second in a row due to fractured ribs that he suffered in the Week 4 loss to the division-rival Atlanta Falcons. The 34-year-old can do it all on the football field, but it's impossible to predict when he'll be heavily utilized when he's healthy. For now, Hill should remain on the waiver wire in most fantasy formats. When he does return, Hill could see more action out of the backfield as a passer or runner if he's able to return before quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) does. The Saints have a quick turnaround in Week 7 next Thursday against the Denver Broncos, so Hill may be fighting an uphill battle to return by then.

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Noah Brown Oct 11 6:40pm ET
Noah Brown

Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown (groin) was held out of last weekend's game but is expected to return to the field this weekend and could be worth a look as a high-risk, high-upside play in DFS format. Since making his Commanders debut in Week 2, Brown has logged more snaps and ran more routes every week, highlighted by a season-high in Week 4 with 26 routes, the second-most on the team. During this stretch, Brown has caught three passes in each game. Brown logged three limited practice sessions this week and is expected to suit up this weekend. With how well Jayden Daniels has performed in the NFL, Brown's breakout performance could be right around the corner and facing one of the worst pass defenses in football could be the recipe for success.

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Cade Otton Oct 11 6:40pm ET
Cade Otton

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton has picked up his performance over the last few weeks. Otton started off slow with two duds, but has played better over the last two weeks. The third-year tight end has 44 receiving yards or more over each of the last three games. It's also worth noting that the Bucs could be without Rachaad White (foot), Jalen McMillan (hamstring), and Trey Palmer (concussion) for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. That means, Otton could be pushed up the pecking order with the Bucs having less options on offense. Otton has done enough lately to be a playable option as a TE2 for this Week 6 matchup.

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Zach Ertz Oct 11 6:40pm ET
Zach Ertz

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz caught a season-low two passes for ten yards last weekend but has a great opportunity to bounce-back facing the Baltimore Ravens. Even though Ertz had his worst game on the scoresheet, he saw eight targets. From Weeks 1 to 4, Ertz averaged four targets in each game with a solid 37.5 yards. With the Commanders lacking a proven No.2 option in the passing attack, Ertz should continue to remain productive every week. Facing a Ravens defense that has allowed the 26th-most points to opposing tight ends makes Ertz a low-end TE1 with upside.

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Austin Seibert Oct 11 6:40pm ET
Austin Seibert

Washington Commanders kicker Austin Seibert has remained perfect since joining the DMV in Week 2 and has entered streaming territory heading into Week 6. Seibert's leg has not been tested outside of 50+ yards, but he has produced double-digit fantasy points in three of his four games. This weekend, their matchup against the Ravens holds the highest projected point total of the week at an incredible 51.5 which suggests that both teams will be in scoring positions often, making Seibert a safe play with upside in all standard formats.

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Tucker Kraft Oct 11 6:40pm ET
Tucker Kraft

Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (groin) popped up on the injury report with limited practices on Thursday and Friday, but is good to go for Week 6 as the Packers square off against the Cardinals. Kraft has no injury designation heading into the weekend, so he should be able to continue his excellent run of production in recent weeks. Kraft has been fantasy football's top tight end the last two weeks and had his best game of the season last week where he caught four balls for 88 yards for two touchdowns, including a 66-yard catch and run. With the Packers returning Romeo Doubs to the lineup and the possibility of Christian Watson (ankle) returning, the targets for Kraft may be more limited than in previous weeks, but Kraft will be on the field a ton (83% snap rate for the season). Fantasy managers should still start Kraft in most formats as a TE1 this week.

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Jayden Reed Oct 11 6:30pm ET
Jayden Reed

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed should be targeted plenty in the Packers' upcoming matchup in Week 6 where they'll host the Arizona Cardinals. Reed has been a big play waiting to happen for Green Bay this season and has emerged as the Packers' unquestioned top target and playmaker in their offense. With a four-catch, 78-yard effort along with 19 rushing yards last week against the Los Angeles Rams, that stat line represented his worst game of the three games with Jordan Love starting at quarterback. With other receivers returning to the lineup like Romeo Doubs and potentially Christian Watson (ankle) who is listed as questionable in the injury report, Reed's targets may shift slightly, but Reed is still in a great position heading into Week 6. He's become a must-start wide receiver for fantasy managers and should be universally started.

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Alvin Kamara Oct 11 6:30pm ET
Alvin Kamara

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (hand, hip) was removed from Friday's final injury report and will play in Week 6 against the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kamara picked up a DNP on Wednesday but was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday. Meanwhile, Kendre Miller (hamstring) practiced in full all week and is questionable to make his season debut. The 29-year-old Kamara played a season-high 90% of the offensive snaps in last week's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night and remains a workhorse for this offense. Expect another heavy workload for Kamara in rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler's first career start, which makes Kamara a must-start RB1 for fantasy managers. However, with QB Derek Carr (oblique) out, the Saints' offense could struggle to move the ball effectively, which could be an overall downgrade for Kamara's upside.

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Rashid Shaheed Oct 11 6:30pm ET
Rashid Shaheed

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (hip) was removed from Friday's injury report and will be active on Sunday in Week 6 against the division-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Shaheed did not practice on Wednesday but returned to limited sessions on both Thursday and Friday. The 26-year-old is in the midst of a breakout season in 2024 and enters Week 6 as the No. 14 fantasy wideout in half-PPR scoring thanks to 19 receptions for 338 yards and three touchdowns. He has had some nice chemistry on the deep ball with quarterback Derek Carr (oblique), but with Carr likely out multiple weeks, Shaheed's fantasy value could take a big tumble while taking passes from rookie QB Spencer Rattler, who will be making his first start this weekend. Shaheed should be viewed as a much more volatile WR3/flex in Week 6.

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Sterling Shepard Oct 11 6:30pm ET
Sterling Shepard

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Sterling Shepard could be asked to take on a bigger role during Sunday's matchup against the New Orleans Saints. The Bucs could be shorthanded at wideout with Jalen McMillan (hamstring) and Trey Palmer (concussion) both uncertain heading into this game. That being said, Shepard could be asked to step in and be the third receiver behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. His best performance came in Week 3 when he hauled in three receptions for 51 yards. It's hard to imagine Shepard being a viable streaming option even if he gets the nod as the third wideout.

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Jayden Daniels Oct 11 6:30pm ET
Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels looks to win his fifth straight game on Sunday as he takes on the Baltimore Ravens. After losing his first professional game, Daniels has averaged an impressive 24.2 PPR points per game with 951 total passing yards, 212 rushing yards, and six scores. The LSU standout has only turned the ball over twice and completed a remarkable 78.5% of his passes. This weekend, he faces a Baltimore defense that has allowed the 28th-most points to opposing quarterbacks. Daniels should be locked into all lineups this weekend as this game could become quite high-scoring given the projected 51.5-point total, which is the highest of the slate.

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Austin Ekeler Oct 11 6:30pm ET
Austin Ekeler

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler should be viewed as a solid flex option in PPR formats this weekend as they will face the Baltimore Ravens in what could be a very high-scoring affair. After missing Week 4 with a concussion, Ekeler looked strong in Week 5 as he ran for a season-high 67 yards on six carries. He added 30 yards on two receptions. Ekeler has seen at least two targets in every game and ran double-digit routes in three out of the four games he has played in. In addition, Brian Robinson Jr. (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game, which could further increase Ekeler's opportunities. If Robinson is unable to play, Ekeler should be viewed as a high-end RB2.

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